Nonylphenol and Bisphenol A in Ambient Particulates: A Preliminary Approach in Italy

Similarly to other endocrine disruptors, nonylphenol (NOP) and bisphenol-A (BPA) are known to affect waters, soils, foods and biological matrices, and investigations have been performed to know their occurrence and behaviors in the environment. Nevertheless, studies in air remain quite few, and lacking in Italy. NOP and BPA were characterized in airborne particulates from Italy, as well as from Amsterdam, Netherland. Though limited, the study included a big Italian city (Rome) and a rural site (Rende), and in-field experiments were performed in different year seasons. Besides, dust collected indoors in Rome was analyzed. Particulates were extracted through sonication with a dichloromethane: acetone:methanol mixture, reduced close to dryness and fractionated by means of column chromatography on silica gel, from which NOP and BPA were eluted together with polar organic compounds. The dried residue was treated with methyl, tertzbutylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) to form silyl derivatives of analytes, and instrumental analysis was carried out by means of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection. NOP and BPA concentrations in the air ranged ~2-17 and <0.01-1.6 ng m^-3. In the Rome dusts, NOP and BPA loads were equal to 2.62 and 1.09 μg g^-1, respectively. The loads of both NOP and BPA in airborne particulates resulted heavily dependent on year season and site. Compared to ascertained toxicants (e.g., PAHs), in airborne particulates NOP was similar in concentration during the winter, and 3-8 times higher in the summer; meanwhile, in house dust it was less. BPA was all the time less than PAHs. Besides, compared to phthalate esters, i.e. the most important endocrine disruptors, NOP accounted for ca. 3.5-8.5%, and BPA for 0-1.7% (4.1% and 1.7%, respectively, in dust). Hence, the occurrence of NOP and BPA merits to be further investigated to improve knowledge of ambient toxicity in Italy.

Author(s): Angelo Cecinato, Paola Romagnoli, Mattia Perilli and Catia Balducci

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