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Date Published: 15/11/2026
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DOI: 10.51316/jst.195.etsd.2026.36.5.3
Issue
Vol. 36 No. 5 (2026): Journal of Science and Technology – Engineering and Technology for Sustainable Development (11/ 2026)
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Research article
How to Cite
Vu, T. H., & Vu, D. T. (2026). Occurrence, Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk of Phthalate Esters in Surface Sediments of West Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam. Engineering and Technology For Sustainable Development, 36(5), 018-025. https://doi.org/10.51316/jst.195.etsd.2026.36.5.3

Occurrence, Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk of Phthalate Esters in Surface Sediments of West Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam

Thu Huyen Vu1, , Vu Duc Toan2
1 Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment
2 Laboratory of Environment and Life Sciences, Thuyloi University, Ha Noi, Vietnam

Main Article Content

Abstract

This study evaluates the occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, and ecological risk of six phthalate esters (PAEs) — including DMP, DEP, DOP, DBP, BBP, and DEHP — in surface sediments of West Lake, the largest urban lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. Sediment samples were collected at 10 sampling stations across four seasonal campaigns: May and November of 2022 and 2023, corresponding to the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. PAEs were detected at all sampling stations with a detection frequency of 100%, indicating the ubiquitous and continuous presence of these compounds in the lake sediments. The total concentration of Σ6PAEs ranged from 19.49 to 53.24 µg/kg dry weight (dw), with an overall mean of 37.04 ± 9.64 µg/kg dw. DEHP and DBP were the predominant compounds, contributing approximately 54.4% and 20.4% of Σ6PAEs, respectively, reflecting their primary origin from domestic wastewater and plastic materials in the densely urbanized areas surrounding the lake. Regarding seasonal variation, PAE concentrations in the dry season (November) were generally higher than those in the rainy season (May), with a gradual increasing trend observed from 2022 to 2023 at an average rate of 5–8%. Ecological risk assessment using the Risk Quotient (RQ) approach indicated that PAEs in West Lake sediments currently pose low to moderate risk to aquatic organisms, with RQ values remaining below the high-risk threshold.

Keywords

Ecological risk, Phthalate esters (PAEs), sediment, urban lake, West Lake.

Article Details

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Thu Huyen Vu, Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment

Vu Thu Huyen is a lecturer and researcher at Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, with research interests focused on monitoring and assessing organic contaminant pollution in urban aquatic sediments. This study forms part of her doctoral research, reflecting her capacity for independent scientific inquiry and her commitment to building the knowledge base on environmental quality of urban water bodies in Vietnam.

Vu Duc Toan, Laboratory of Environment and Life Sciences, Thuyloi University, Ha Noi, Vietnam

Vu Duc Toan is a lecturer and researcher at Thuyloi University, a member of the ROOM Research Group, Laboratory of Environment and Life Sciences. His research focuses on the analysis and assessment of organic contaminant pollution in aquatic environments and sediments. He also actively supervises and provides scientific guidance to doctoral researchers working in the field of environmental science.

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