Changes in the adsorption of bisphenol A, 17 α-ethinyl estradiol, and phenanthrene on marine sediment in Hong Kong in relation to the simulated sediment organic matter decomposition

Marine sediment with an input of particulate organic matter was incubated to simulate the early aging process. On the sediment after various incubation periods, adsorption and desorption tests were conducted for three selected organic micropollutants: bisphenol A (BPA), 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), and phenanthrene (Phe). The results showed significant sediment organic matter (SOM) decomposition during the incubation, and the SOM decay and transformation had a profound impact on the adsorption of organic compounds by the sediment. An increasing-delay-increasing pattern of change was observed for the SOM normalized partition coefficients of EE2 and Phe. This change was accordant to the transformation of SOM from labile organics into active biomass and its microbial products, and finally into more condensed and humic-like substances. Comparison between the 3 model micropollutants indicates that the chemical adsorption behaviors were mostly affected by their hydrophobic properties. •Fresh sediment organic matter (SOM) undergoes biotransformation during the aging.•SOM decay greatly affects the sediment adsorption capacity for micropollutants.•Conversion of labile SOM into condensed SOM in sediment enhances adsorption. The early aging process of sediment organic matter led to an increasing-delay-increasing pattern of change for the adsorption of hydrophobic organic pollutants by marine sediment.