Halogenated organic contaminants in sediments of the Havel and Spree rivers (Germany). Part 5 of organic compounds as contaminants of the Elbe river and its tributaries

To give a detailed and comprehensive view on the state of pollution of the Havel and Spree rivers nontarget screening as well as quantitative (target) analyses were applied to anoxic sediment samples. Based on nontarget GC/MS analysis a significant contribution to the anthropogenic contamination cou ld be attributed to halogenated compounds. Three groups of contaminants cor responding either to diffuse or local contamination could be distinguished. Several commonly observable compounds including pentachloroanisol, polychl orinated biphenyles, 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid, and chlorinated benzenes wer e detected with a distribution reflecting the contribution of nonpoint sour ce emissions. A second group of chlorinated as well as brominated compounds was attributed to a strong point source emission at the Teltow Canal. At t he sampling locations influenced by this point source the amount of mono- a nd dibrominated naphthalenes, chlorinated naphthalenes, and hexachlorocyclo hexanes as well as DDT- and methoxychlor-related compounds increased signif icantly as compared to the background concentrations. A third group of halo gen compounds emitted at this site consisted of the pesticides bromopropyla te, methoxychlor, and chlorfensone as well as specific brominated aromatics including 2,4,6-tribromoaniline, 4,4'-dibromobenzophenone, and brominated benzenes. In addition, tetrabromochlorotoluenes, tribromodichlorotoluenes, dibromotrichlorotoluenes, and 2,2-bis-(4-bromophenyl)acetic acid isopropyl ester were identified and are reported for the first time as environmental contaminants. The amounts of brominated compounds detected in Teltow Canal sediments occurred at a similar concentration level as their chlorinated an alogues. Therefore, investigations on the occurrence of such a broad spectr um of brominated compounds as established in this work are presumably requi red more frequently to assess the environmental impact of this type of emis sions.