Optimisation of sample pre-treatment method for the determination of triclosan in marine sediments by high-performance liquid chromatography and marine benthic quality assessment in the southern Baltic Sea

ABSTRACT

This study comprises optimisation of sample preparation and HPLC analytical procedure for the determination of a personal care product ingredient, triclosan (TCS), in marine sediments. The testing of several varying pre-treatment parameters confirmed that ultrasonic extraction is an effective method for the isolation of TCS from marine sediments, and that the choice of extraction solvent appeared to be of major importance. The selection of the mobile-phase composition and the absorption wavelength was made for the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis step. Based on the validated method, a preliminary assessment of the benthic ecosystem quality with regards to TCS contamination has been demonstrated in the southern Baltic Sea – a semi-enclosed sea, characterised by poor water exchange, thus particularly susceptible to anthropopression. TCS has been identified and quantified in situ in marine bottom sediments, sediment dwelling isopod – Saduria entomon L. and estimated in silico in pore waters based on the equilibrium partition theory in order to assess the potential exposure and uptake from the aqueous phase. TCS concentrations identified in the bottom sediments of the Gdansk Basin, as the natural habitat for studied S.entomon L., appear to be threatening to the benthic environment. Particularly when considering S. entomon L. as a major nutrition source for cod (Gadus morhua) undergoing the feminisation process, since the recent studies prove TCS to have a potential to induce critical alterations in the endocrine system of marine ichthyofauna.

KEYWORDS:

• Dioxin precursors
• pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)
• analytical method
• marine sediments
• Saduria entomon L.
• equilibrium partition theory
• environmental hazard

Acknowledgements

We greatly acknowledge Professor Bogdan Zygmunt from the Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry at the Gdansk University of Technology (Poland) for valuable remarks on this paper. Special thanks to Professor Ksenia Pazdro from the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Sopot (Poland) for collection of marine sediment samples during research cruises on S/V Oceania.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This research was financed by the National Science Centre of Poland (NN 305 060 440; Principal Investigator: Professor Elzbieta Niemirycz).