Levels and spatial distribution of chlorophenols – 2,4-Dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol in surface water of China

The chlorophenol pollutants (CPs) have been reported to occur at relatively high concentrations in some Chinese waters. To map the distribution of CPs in the surface water throughout China, samples were collected from over 600 sites in the seven major watersheds and three drainage areas. The samples were analyzed for the representative CPs including 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol. In general, it was observed that 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were more frequently detected at higher concentrations in the rivers of North China compared with those of South China. High concentration sites of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol mainly occurred in the Yellow River, Huaihe River, and Haihe River watersheds, while pentachlorophenol contamination mainly occurred in the Yangtze River watershed. The pentachlorophenol was the most ubiquitous CPs being detected in 85.4% of samples (median = 50.0 ng l −1; range