Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen polycyclischer Moschus-Duftstoffe in verschiedenen Umweltkompartimenten

New flavors have been detected in GC/MS chromatograms of surface and sewage waters and fish analyzed for nitro musk compounds. This article names the polycyclic musk flavors 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4, 6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-(g)-2-benzopyrane (HHCB, known for instance under the trade names: Galaxolide® and Abbalide®), 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetralin (AHTN, known for instance under the trade names: Tonalide® and Fixolide®) and 4-Acetyl-1,1-dimethyl-6-tert.butylindane (ADBI, known for instance under the trade names: Celestolide® and Crysolide®). These substances, which are widely used in the cosmetics and flavor industries, here have been established for the first time in the aquatic environment. HHCB, AHTN and ADBI — as relatively non-polar lipophilic chemicals — like organochlorine pesticides and PCBs after extraction and consecutive purification by gel permeation and silicagel adsorption chromatography are accessible to analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mass spectra show typical mass fragments which allow an unambigous identification and quantification. First results for surface and sewage waters and fish underline the persistence and a relatively high bioconcentration potential of these substances and suggest their ubiqitious distribution in the aquatic environment.