Risk assessment of China’s Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project from the perspective of Phthalate Esters occurrence in the impounded lakes

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely utilized and can accumulate in lacustrine ecosystems, posing significant ecological and human health hazards. Most studies on PAEs focus on individual lakes, lacking a comprehensive and systematic perspective. In response, we have focused our investigation on characteristic lakes situated along the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP-ER) in China. We have detected 16 PAE compounds in the impounded lakes of the SNWDP-ER by collecting surface water samples using solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography analysis. The concentration of PAEs were found to between 0.80 to 12.92μgL-1. Among them, Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the most prevalent, with mean concentration of 1.56 ± 0.62μgL-1 (48.44%), followed by Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), 0.64 ± 1.40μgL-1 (19.87%). Spatial distribution showed an increasing trend in the direction of water flow. Retention of DEHP and DIBP has led to increased environmental risks. DEHP, Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) etc. determined by agriculture and human activities. Additionally, Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and DIBP mainly related to the use of agricultural products. To reduce the PAEs risk, focusing on integrated management of the lakes and incorporate stricter regulations to control the use of plasticizers in products. Environmental implication While water transfer projects effectively utilize regional water sources to address the needs of water-scarce regions, they inadvertently facilitate the migration and accumulation of pollutants. This poses a significant threat to the water safety of local residents and the health of the aquatic environment, a phenomenon particularly prevalent in impounded lakes. This research explores the contamination PAEs’ characteristics, associated risks, and sources, using four key impounded lakes from China’s Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project as a case study, providing insights and recommendations for pollution control measures to improve water quality in the water transfer project.