Analysis of Phthalate Esters in Sediments from Dutch Rivers by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography

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Abstract
Analysis of the phthalate esters dL(2-ethylhexyl) and di-n-butyl phthalate—DEHP and DBP, respectively—can conveniently be carried out by means of high-performance liquid chromatography in the system silica gel/n-hexane—dichloromethane (containing approx. 0.29.; of ethanol) (1:2, v/v). Detection is done by UV absorption spectrometry at 233 nm; the detection limit for both phthalates is approx. 10 ng. The procedure has been used for a survey of the sediments of three main rivers in The Netherlands. The sediments of the rivers Rhine and IJssel contain 1-70 ppm DEHP and @-15ppm DBP. For the river Meuse, slightly lower levels of 1-17 ppm DEHP and G2 ppm DBP are measured. In several sediments of a nature-reserve, DEHP and DBP contents are below the detection limit of approx. 0.5 ppm. The combined data suggest that the phthalate pollution of the river sediments is mainly due to transport of these pollutants via the river, and not via the atmosphere.