Phthalate esters in rivers of the greater Manchester area, U.K.

Waters from the Rivers Irwell and Etherow and from the Prestwich sewage treatment plant effluent, Manchester, U.K., were analyzed for the presence of phthalate esters using computer-assisted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Extraction was with CHCl3. Liquid chromatography clean-up was used for compound separation. Several phthalate esters, i.e. diethyl (DEP), butyl-2-monopropyl (BMP), di-n-butyl (DBP), di-2-ethylhexyl (DEHP) and di-iso-octyl (DIOP), were found to be present at 0.4–33.5 μg l−1. A study on uncontaminated waters was undertaken to establish blank levels