Trend analysis of environmental concentrations of Bisphenol A in European waters and sediments

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used chemical that has raised concerns due to its alleged health risks and environmental occurrence. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of BPA concentrations in European surface waters and sediments from 2010 to 2022, employing the rigorous data quality evaluation based on the Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED) framework. Only 46 % of assessed studies met the established quality criteria, highlighting significant reliability issues in publicly available data. BPA concentrations reported in European freshwaters ranged from <0.03 ng/L to a single, anomalous value of 588,000 ng/L, with a median of 36 ng/L, while concentrations in saline waters were reported from <0.03 ng/L up to 4800 ng/L (median: 22.2 ng/L). BPA concentrations reported in sediment varied from <0.01 ng/g dry weight (d.w.) up to 8067 ng/g d.w. in freshwater (median: 78.5 ng/g d.w.) and from <0.05 ng/g d.w. to 670 ng/g d.w. (median: 2.25 ng/g d.w.) in saline environments. Time-trend analysis revealed an overall decrease in BPA concentrations in freshwater, freshwater sediment, and saline sediment between the years of 2010 and 2022. The dataset shows a considerable spatial emphasis towards countries with extensive, long-term monitoring. Statistically significant declining trends were observed in freshwaters in France and Germany, as well as in freshwater sediments in France. Contradictory results were noted in data from Belgian freshwater sites. This study underscores the need for improved environmental monitoring and reporting practices and provides valuable insights into the temporal and spatial distribution of BPA in European aquatic ecosystems.