The Odra project 'Interdisciplinary German-Polish studies about the behavior of pollutants in the Odra-system'. Subproject 2: Trace analysis of organic pollutants in the Odra-system Final report

Non target screening results of IOP-Subproject 2: 'Trace Analysis of Organic Pollutants in the Odra-System' elucidate the requirement of monitoring a large number of synthetic organic compounds which were identified in the Odra-system with the objective to establish a basis for the systematic control of their emissions. The Odra-system's water and sediment pollution can be characterized by the following results: Sediments are frequently polluted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and in rare cases only by additional 'classic' environmental pollutants, chlorinated hydrocarbons, as PCB, DDT-group compounds, and HCH. A number of anthropogenic marker compounds, as phenylalkanes, alkylphenols, alkylphenolethoxylates, and faecal steroides are present, that can be useful for the identification of (municipal and rural) emission sources. 'Modern' pesticides, mainly a small number of herbicides as well as pharmaceuticals are contaminants of the Odra water. Additionally present are industrial chemicals and waste products, introduced by direct emissions into the Odra-system. Within the chemical groups of benzothiazoles, thio- and dithiocarbamates, sulfones and sulfonic acid amides, a variety of organic compounds was identified for the first time in the aquatic environment. The ecotoxicological impact of these substances is not known. Mutagenic or cancerogenic compounds, like chloroalkyl- and arylphosphates, and chloropropyl ethers originate from distinct sources as well. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F03B433+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung, Berlin (Germany)DEGerman