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Reconnaissance of Pharmaceuticals and Wastewater Indicators in Streambed Sediments of the Lower Columbia River Basin, Oregon and Washington
Author(s) -
Nilsen Elena,
Furlong Edward T.,
Rosenbauer Robert
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/jawr.12161
Subject(s) - tributary , sediment , environmental science , drainage basin , streams , hydrology (agriculture) , contamination , aquatic ecosystem , geology , ecology , oceanography , geography , cartography , geotechnical engineering , computer science , paleontology , computer network , biology
One by‐product of advances in modern chemistry is the accumulation of synthetic chemicals in the natural environment. These compounds include contaminants of emerging concern ( CEC s), some of which are endocrine disrupting compounds ( EDC s) that can have detrimental reproductive effects. The role of sediments in accumulating these types of chemicals and acting as a source of exposure for aquatic organisms is not well understood. Here we present a small‐scale reconnaissance of CEC s in bed sediments of the lower Columbia River and several tributaries and urban streams. Surficial bed sediment samples were collected from the Columbia River, the Willamette River, the Tualatin River, and several small urban creeks in Oregon. Thirty‐nine compounds were detected at concentrations ranging from <1 to >1,000 ng [g sediment] −1 dry weight basis. Concentrations and frequencies of detection were higher in tributaries and small urban creeks than in the Columbia River mainstem, suggesting a higher risk of exposure to aquatic life in lower order streams. Ten known or suspected EDC s were detected during the study. At least one EDC was detected at 21 of 23 sites sampled; several EDC s were detected in sediment from most sites. This study is the first to document the occurrence of a large suite of CEC s in the sediments of the Columbia River basin. A better understanding of the role of sediment in the fate and effects of emerging contaminants is needed.