Role of nonylphenol ethoxylates as possible tracers of recent industrial contamination of river sediments

Due to the complexity of the mixture of sediment sorbed micropollutants, the selection of proper chemical indicators can be relevant to distinguish between different sources of sediment toxicity. In this study, the distribution of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) in sediment samples of Po River (Italy) was investigated with the aim to evaluate the possible role of this class of organics as chemical tracer of recent industrial contamination. NPEs were compared with more traditional classes of indicators of different contamination sources, such as PCBs, PAHs, DDTs and herbicides. The relationships found between the toxic potential, as measured by S. capricornutum growth test, and the analyzed concentrations of the solvent extracted chemicals support the role of NPEs as reliable indicators of sediment toxicity and suggest their use as possible tracers of recent industrial contamination.