Assessment of bisphenol A analogues in water and sediment of an urban river system in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a regionally focused environmental investigation

Abstract

Bisphenol A analogues (BPs), now commonly replacing BPA in industrial applications, are emerging contaminants of concern due to their pervasive environmental presence and possible endocrine-disrupting effects. Further research is needed to elucidate their ecological implications. Although their production and application have expanded rapidly, comprehensive data regarding their occurrence, spatial distribution, correlations, and environmental distribution remain limited. BPs are almost unreported in the environmental matrices in Bangladesh. Herein, a total of 120 samples (80 from water and 40 from sediment) were analyzed for four BPs (bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol F, bisphenol AF) in two seasons (rainy and winter) from the Turag River in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. GC-MS was used to determine the BPs in water and sediment samples. In the case of water samples in the rainy season, the results indicated that BPF was the predominant BP, which ranged from 1.3950 to 7.2352 μg L⁻¹, followed by BPAF (0.3222 to 6.9578 μg L⁻¹), BPB (0.3046 to 2.5262 μg L⁻¹) and BPE (0.3230 to 1.8309 μg L⁻¹). Water samples in the winter season also indicated BPF as the predominant BP, which ranged from 1.1186 to 7.3094 μg L⁻¹, followed by BPB (0.0387 to 9.2240 μg L⁻¹), BPAF (0.3497 to 5.9782 μg L⁻¹) and BPE (0.5280 to 3.5314 μg L⁻¹). However, in sediment samples, BPF was found in the range from 27.2740 to 234.4540 μg g⁻¹ dw, followed by BPAF (56.3560 to 129.1900 μg g⁻¹ dw), BPB (24.3860 to 141.4120 μg g⁻¹ dw) and BPE (3.7340 to 33.8920 μg g⁻¹ dw). A significant seasonal influence was observed in the occurrence of BPs in river water. Significant positive and moderate positive correlations were found in the BPs of water samples, and no significant correlations were observed in the BPs of sediment samples.