Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) are a category of plasticizers that are ubiquitous in freshwater environments attributable to extensive utilization. We collected water, suspended particulate matter (SPM), surface sediments, phytoplankton, and zooplankton from 23 sampling sites to investigate and complement the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and partitioning of five PAEs including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the third largest freshwater lake (Lake Taihu) of China. PAEs were extracted using Soxhlet extraction and solid phase extraction, and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The average concentrations of the five PAEs in the water column, SPM, sediments, phytoplankton, and zooplankton of Lake Taihu were 1.93 ± 1.57 μg L-1, 765 ± 766 μg g-1, 1.68 ± 1.47 μg g-1, 1358 ± 1877 μg g-1, and 72.7 ± 134 μg g-1, respectively. DBP and DEHP were the dominant PAE congeners in the five environment compartments. The logarithmic concentrations of DBP, BBP, and DEHP in the SPM were negatively correlated with the logarithmic content of the SPM. Biodilution significantly impacted the occurrence of PAEs in the plankton. Bioaccumulation of PAEs was found in the plankton with log BCF (bioconcentration factor) in the phytoplankton ranging from 1.78 ± 0.86 to 4.13 ± 1.23 and log BAF (bioaccumulation factor) in the zooplankton varying from -0.10 ± 0.26 to 3.04 ± 0.64. Biomagnification of the PAEs from phytoplankton to zooplankton was not observed. DMP, DEP, and BBP migrated from sediments to water. DBP was in dynamic equilibrium in the sediment-water system. DEHP transferred from water to sediments. Our results provide crucial complementary knowledge on bioaccumulation and transfer of PAEs in planktonic food web, and their partitioning in different compartments of waters.
