Biological toxicity estimates show involvement of a wider range of toxic compounds in sediments from Durban, South Africa than indicated from instrumental analyses

Utility of an alternative method (to USEPA Method 1613) for analysis of priority persistent organic pollutants in soil from mixed industrial-suburban areas of Durban, South Africa

This study evaluates the adequacy of a USEPA Method 1613 alternative analytical method for analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in soil from the immediate vicinity of industrialized areas in the eThekwini municipal area in South Africa. The objective of this study is in line with the Stockholm Convention Article 11 on research, development, and monitoring. Furthermore, it became imperative to find an alternative analytical procedure to USEPA Method 1613 that could cater to studies conducted in Africa where recent reviews have indicated that most African countries lack the technical and instrumental capacity for performing analysis of dioxin-like compounds according to USEPA Method 1613, which entails the use of high-resolution chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry instrumentation. The study aimed to ascertain the utility of an alternative two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry method for analysis of trace-level priority POPs in soil, along with a fast single quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The analytical methods were applied to the analysis of POPs on soil samples from industrial areas with oil refineries and a pulp and paper manufacturing company, while other samples were collected near the electricity substations and a landfill site. Analytical results showed BDE 209 as the dominant contaminating polybrominated diphenyl ether (concentration ranges from 0.006 to 5.71 ng g^-1 ). Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) 9, 10, and 49 were the dominant PBBs detected in 78% of the sites tested, although their concentrations were below the limit of quantification (LOQ). Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls detected could not be quantified above their respective LOQs, indicating that the Durban area has low priority pollutant contamination levels compared to other regions around the world. The methods developed are a starting point that will inform considerations for routine evaluation and management of soil contamination, which plays a vital role in environmental management. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:749-762. © 2022 SETAC.

The role of effect-based methods to address water quality monitoring in South Africa: a developing country's struggle

Water is an important resource, and it is a worldwide struggle to provide water of good quality to the whole population. Despite good governing laws and guidelines set in place to help protect the water resources and ensure it is of good quality for various consumers, the water quality in South Africa is worsening due to lack of management. The deteriorating infrastructure is becoming progressively worse, due to corruption and insufficient funds. The ever-increasing number of toxicants, as well as the identification of emerging chemicals of concern, are also challenges South Africa is facing. Chemical analysis cannot determine the total biological effect of a mixture of chemical compounds, but this shortcoming can be addressed by adding effect-based methods (EBMs) to water quality monitoring programmes. In this paper, the current status of water quality monitoring in South Africa is discussed, as well as the capacity of the country to add EBMs to its water quality monitoring programmes to protect and improve human and animal life. Created in Biorender.com.

Validation of the micro-EROD assay with H4IIE cells for assessing sediment contamination with dioxin-like chemicals

In vitro bioassays have been used as a bioanalytical means of detecting dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) in environmental matrices and have been suggested as a tool for quantifying DLCs in sediments. The present study evaluated the relationship between bioanalytical results from the micro-7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) bioassay and chemical analytical results in 25 sediment samples collected from rivers across Germany. Sediments were collected, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were extracted from the sediments, biological toxicity equivalent quotients (BEQs) were determined by micro-EROD assay and toxicity equivalent quotients (TEQs) were calculated from chemical analysis. Correlations between BEQs and TEQs were evaluated, and linear regression modeling was performed, excluding 6 samples as validation data, to derive equations for predicting TEQs from BEQs. Validation data was tested to evaluate predictive capabilities of the models. Correlations were observed between BEQ and TEQ for PCDD/Fs (r=0.987), PCBs (r=0.623), measured sum of PCDD/F and PCBs (r = 0.975) and calculated sum of PCDD/F and PCBs (r = 0.971). The modeling equations provided low variances as evaluated by mean absolute error (MAE) (≤10.3 pg/g) and root mean square error (RMSE) (≤15.8 pg/g) indicating that expected TEQs could be reasonably well calculated from BEQs. Predicted TEQs from validation data fell within the 95% probability intervals of the test data and had low variances (MAE≤6.5 pg/g) and (RMSE≤10.7 pg/g). Our results indicate that the micro-EROD bioassay can be used as a screening tool for DLCs in sediment and has the capability to be used as an alternate method to chemical analysis for quantifying dioxin-like potential of sediments.

Trophic transfer of pollutants within two intertidal rocky shore ecosystems in different biogeographic regions of South Africa

Tsitsikamma and Sheffield Beach are two relatively pristine sites along the South African east coast representing warm temperate and subtropical biogeographic rocky shore intertidal ecosystems, respectively. Stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C), metals and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were measured in 38 intertidal components to study biomagnification or biodilution of metals and OCPs in these marine food webs. Comparison of the four species common to both sites revealed that the highest Al, Fe and OCP concentrations were measured in intertidal organisms from Sheffield Beach and was attributed to diffuse input into the nearshore marine environment sources via estuaries and groundwater. All other metals were higher in intertidal organisms from Tsitsikamma and were attributed to the metal-rich phytoplankton blooms during upwelling events. There was no correlation between metal and OCP accumulation and dietary source (δ¹³C) or trophic level (δ¹⁵N). The application of trophic magnification factors (TMFs) using a relatively short benthic food chain indicated biomagnification for As, Cd, Cu, Se and Zn and biodilution of OCPs at both sites. Since these food chains represent only a small portion of the intertidal ecosystems we found limited evidence of biomagnification or biodilution of metals and OCPs across species. This was attributed to different dietary sources in the same food web and similar trophic levels being occupied by the same species in different food chains. We found that food web composition rather than temperature-based biogeographical distribution influenced trophic transfer of metals and OCPs.