Evaluating the spatial distribution and source of phthalate esters in the surface water of Xingkai Lake, China during summer

Abstract Increasing production and usage of phthalate esters (PAEs) has made them ubiquitous in the environment. In this study, the distribution and source of PAEs in the surface water of Xingkai Lake, China were analyzed. The concentration of ΣPAEs in the water of Xingkai Lake ranged from 0.26 to 3.83 μg/L with a median of 1.28 μg/L. It was observed that the difference in the concentration of ƩPAEs between the small and large Xingkai Lakes is not significant (p > 0.05). Agriculturally dominated land use types in the Xingkai Lake watershed may be mainly responsible for the occurrence of PAEs in this Lake. The distribution of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) in small and large Xingkai Lakes showed a significant difference (p