Organophosphate Esters in Urban Surface Soils: Source Tracking and Main Drivers for the Spatial Variation

Abstract

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) contamination in urban soils has become a critical environmental concern, particularly in industrialized regions. In this work, 17 OPEs were simultaneously analyzed in 160 soil samples collected from Tianjin, China. All OPEs were detected in Tianjin soil OPEs, with total concentrations ranging from 0.08 ng/g to 144.78 ng/g (mean: 12.88 ng/g). Among these, tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was the predominant compound observed. The contamination levels in residential areas and industrial parks were significantly higher than those in other types, indicating that human activities and industrial production are major contributors to these elevated concentrations. Spearman correlation analysis of the nine commonly detected OPEs monomers suggested shared emission sources and environmental behaviors. Furthermore, positive matrix factorization (PMF) analyses identified automobile emissions, production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and production of polyurethane foams as major contributors to OPEs emissions. Structural equation model (SEM) quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of socioeconomic factors on OPEs. Assessment of human exposure risk and ecological risk at ambient OPEs levels in Tianjin soils revealed negligible risks via soil ingestion. Overall, this study elucidates the distribution pattern of OPEs in Tianjin, offering a valuable reference point for evaluating environmental safety and implementing effective pollution control strategies in urbanized areas.

Keywords

Organophosphate ester / Environmental distribution / Source appointment / Risk assessment

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