Incidence of Personal Care Products in Surface Water of Middle Tennessee Urban and Rural Sub-Watersheds

Abstract

Personal care products (PCPs) are stable and are recognized as important chemicals of emerging concern in freshwater resources in the United States (US), including surface water. Although little is known about the bio acces-sibility or biodegradation of these chemicals in the environment. Their primary source of entry into water bodies includes activities such as bathing and showering as well as improper disposal of unused personal care products. We conducted a study to monitor the incidence of personal care products in two rivers (surface water) in Middle Tennessee. The objectives were to determine the incidence of personal care products in surface water of urban and rural sub-watersheds. Secondly, to identify the most frequently detected PCPs in the rivers monitored in the sub-watershed. Water samples were collected from the Cumberland River and Collins River. These rivers represented surface water drained by urban and rural watersheds respectively in Middle Tennessee. The surface water samples were analyzed for the presence of personal care products using GC-MS. During sampling, water quality parameters of interest were collected in-situ with a multi-parameter data-sonde. Low-level concentration of compounds containing PCPs was detected in the two rivers monitored. Personal care products detected included the active ingredients in perfumes (Docosane, Heptadecane, Methyl hexadecanoate, and Undecane), antiperspirants (Octadecanol, and Pentadecalactone), skin conditioners (Cyclotrisiloxane, Isohexyl palmitate, Methyl palmitate, and Cedrol), and shampoos (1-Hexadecanol, Hexadecanoic acid, and Nonanal).