Abstract
The Okavango Delta, a seasonal wetland, covers 5,000-12,000 km2 in northern Botswana. The Delta is rich with animal and plant life, providing fresh water to many species of birds, fish, and large mammals. Water samples were taken from the Okavango Delta using solid phase extraction techniques and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Water samples were collected and analyzed for eight different phthalate monoesters. These molecules are active in the endocrine system as antiandrogens and suppress testosterone synthesis. Phthalate diesters are mass produced and used in personal care products, construction materials, and pesticides. Phthalate diesters leach out of these products, enter biological systems through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption, and then are quickly metabolized to the endocrine active monoester form. Human exposure to phthalates is nearly unavoidable and ecosystems are being contaminated from encroaching anthropogenic activity. Analysis has shown 7 phthalate monoesters are present above background levels. It is important to understand the contamination that is present in the water system and whether these compounds are affecting sexual development in wildlife.
How to Cite
Bartsch, P., III, (2017) “Prevalence of Eight Monoester Phthalates in the Okavango Delta, Northern Botswana”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 30(2).
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