Identification of Organic Pollutants in Waters and Sediments from the Lower Mulde River Area

Abstract

Abstract The flood disaster along the Elbe and Mulde rivers in summer 2002 not only caused acute damage; in addition, it increased the risk of long‐term release of pollutants. The area of the Lower Mulde river, that must be assessed as particularly critical in this context, because of the pollutants and refuse dumps accumulated in the industrial region Bitterfeld‐Wolfen, was examined by GC‐MS non target screening for organic substances in selected samples from groundwaters, river waters and sediment. Directed to the detailed qualitative analysis of the single sample, this approach supplied an overview of existing pollutants in the Lower Mulde river area, as well as knowledge about formerly unidentified organic substances, not covered by monitoring routines and associated with unassessed environmental risks. Newly identified chloroacetals and chlorinated products of formaldehyde‐styrene chemistry may be useful as tracers for transport paths of pollutants, that might have changed in consequence of the flood. Furthermore, the chirality of the compounds provides a means to probe the extent of degradative microbial activity.