Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics and Potential Risks of Sulfonamides in the Shaanxi Section of the Weihe River

Lei Duan, Siyue Yang, Yaqiao Sun, Fei Ye, Jie Jiang, Xiaomei Kou and Fan Yang
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Lei Duan: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Siyue Yang: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Yaqiao Sun: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Fei Ye: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Jie Jiang: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Xiaomei Kou: Shaanxi Union Research Center of University and Enterprise for River and Lake Ecosystems Protection and Restoration, Xi’an 710065, China
Fan Yang: Shaanxi Union Research Center of University and Enterprise for River and Lake Ecosystems Protection and Restoration, Xi’an 710065, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: The hazards of antibiotics as emerging contaminants to aquatic ecosystems and human health have received global attention. This study investigates the presence, concentration levels, spatial and temporal distribution patterns, and their potential risks to aquatic organisms and human health of sulfonamides (SAs) in the Shaanxi section of the Weihe River. The SA pollution in the Weihe River was relatively less than that in other rivers in China and abroad. The spatial and temporal distribution showed that the total concentrations of SAs in the Weihe River were highest in the main stream (ND–35.296 ng/L), followed by the south tributary (3.718–34.354 ng/L) and north tributary (5.476–9.302 ng/L) during the wet water period. Similarly, the order of concentration from highest to lowest during the flat water period was main stream (ND–3 ng/L), north tributary (ND–2.095 ng/L), and south tributary (ND–1.3 ng/L). In addition, the ecological risk assessment showed that the SAs other than sulfadiazine (SDZ) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) posed no significant risk (RQS < 0.01) to the corresponding sensitive species during both periods, with no significant risk to human health for different age groups, as suggested by the health risk assessment. The risk of the six SAs to both aquatic organisms and human health decreased significantly from 2016 to 2021.

Keywords: emerging contaminants; sulfonamides; Shaanxi section of the Weihe River; ecological risk assessment; health risk assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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