Profiling, Distribution, and Risk Assessment of Parabens in Groundwater Near Dumpsites

TL;DR

This study examines paraben contamination in groundwater near dumpsites in Nigeria, finding high levels that pose ecological and health risks, especially to children.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed risk assessment of parabens in groundwater near dumpsites, highlighting seasonal and regional variations and their impact on human and ecological health.

Findings

MeP and McP were the most prevalent parabens detected in groundwater samples.

Children face significant health risks from paraben exposure, with hazard index values exceeding safe thresholds.

Invertebrates show the highest ecological risk from paraben contamination.

Abstract

Over two billion people globally are predisposed to leachate
infiltration
of endocrine-disrupting compounds in groundwater sources, with parabens
receiving great attention due to their widespread industrial applications.
This study assessed the profiling, seasonal variability, and associated
risks of five parabens: methyl (MeP), ethyl (EtP), propyl (PrP), butyl
(BuP), and methyl-3,5-dichloro (McP) parabens in groundwater sources
near dumpsites across rural and urban areas of Osun, Oyo, and Lagos
States in Southwestern Nigeria. Samples were collected during the
rainy and dry seasons. MeP and McP were the most prevalent parabens,
with detection frequencies across the three states following this
trend: MeP > McP > PrP > EtP > BuP. Seasonal average concentrations
of parabens in GW were the highest in Osun State (45.52 mg/L rural/29.40
mg/L urban), followed by Oyo State (35.81 mg/L rural/22.26 mg/L urban),
and Lagos State, which had the least (21.10 mg/L rural/28.24 mg/L
urban). Concentrations were considerably higher during the dry season,
possibly due to lower water tables and limited dilution. No notable
difference was observed between rural and urban concentrations of
paraben in groundwater samples, suggesting uniform exposure in both
settings. Principal component analysis revealed similar anthropogenic
influences, as indicated by the close clustering of paraben compounds
across both seasons. Ecological risk assessments showed that invertebrates
consistently exhibited acute and chronic ecological risk, with fish
being the least affected. Human health assessments via Estimated Daily
Intake, Chronic Daily Intake, and Hazard Quotient analyses demonstrated
that children face significant health risks from paraben exposure,
with Hazard index values significantly exceeding the safe threshold
of (HI > 1) in most sites across both seasons. These findings are
of alarming concern, especially with the high detection frequency
of chlorinated paraben. Consequently, groundwater ecofriendly treatment
and initiatives must be deployed, especially to underserved settings,
as evident in this study.

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