Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen polycyclischer Moschus-Duftstoffe in verschiedenen Umweltkompartimenten

In addition to the three compounds discussed in our first communication (UWSF 6/4, 183–189, 1994) this paper mentions another four substances from the group of the polycyclic musk flavors analysed in a number of detergents and cosmetics, in surface waters, in waste waters from municipal sewage treatment plants and in fish. These four substances are: 6-acetyl-1,1,2,3,3,5-hexamethylindane (AHMI, known for instance under the trade name Phantolide^®), 6,7-dihydro-1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-4 (5H)-indanone (DPMI, known for instance under the trade name Cashmeran^®), 7-acetyl-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-6-ethyltetraline (ATTN, known for instance under the trade name Versalide^®) and 5-acetyl-1,1,2,6-tetramethyl-3-isopropylindane (ATII, known for instance under the trade name Traseolide^®). The results of these analyses show that except for ATTN, the manufacture of which was discontinued some ten years ago, these substances are considered to have an ubiquitous distribution in surface waters. This pollution evidently comes from the use of these flavors in various detergents and cosmetics, from where they enter surface waters via the waste waters from municipal sewage treatment plants. Choosing the Ruhr river as an example, the authors demonstrate that the pollution level is constant and that — due to their lipophilic nature — the compounds accumulate in fish leading to concentrations which markedly exceed those known, e.g., for nitromusk flavors in environmental samples. Two of the main contaminants are HHCB and AHTN, which have the highest concentrations both in the detergents analyzed and in environmental samples.