Persistent organic pollutants in typical lake ecosystems.

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are highly toxic organic chemicals. Lakes are one of the main sinks of POPs. POPs can be accumulated in multiple matrices in lake ecosystems and biomagnified through the food web, and thus pose a potential threat not only to lake ecosystems, but also to human health. Given their potential persistent risks, they have received much attention over the past decades. This review comprehensively summarizes the data on the levels and distributions of POPs in selected typical lake ecosystems in China and worldwide, involving water, sediments, organisms, and surrounding soils and atmosphere. It was found that current publications on POPs in Chinese lakes are mainly related to lakes in the developed eastern plain area, with only a few studies concerning the less-developed Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area. Similarly, around the world, there are more research on POPs in developed countries and less in relatively less-developed areas. Moreover, there are significant differences in the levels of POPs in different matrices in different lake ecosystems. Legacy POPs, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), were commonly detected and reported in different lakes, while emerging POPs like perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and hexabromocyclododecane (HCBD) were relatively less detected or reported. A comprehensive summarization on the levels and distributions of traditional and emerging POPs in lake ecosystems could be significant for further understanding the behaviors and risks of POPs in lake ecosystems.