Malachite Green in Suspended Particulate Matter and Surface Sediments in Germany

Ricking, Mathias; Schwarzbauer, Jan; Apel, Petra
Freie Universität Berlin; RWTH Aachen; Umweltbundesamt Dessau-Roßlau

Abstract

Besides its application as dyestuff malachite green is applied as veterinary drug in ornamental pisciculture. Due to its potential carcinogenicity it is forbidden to be used in the EU for commercial food fish farming. Nevertheless, contaminations of aquatic species have been reported. Therefore, suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples from the Environmental Specimen Bank Germany (ESB) from 2007 and 2010 and surface water sediments from the Berlin area representing similar time ranges have been analyzed for malachite green (MG) and leuco malachite green (LMG). Solely malachite green but no leuco derivative has been detected with increasing concentrations of up to 543 ng/g dry weight in the 2010 SPM samples. Sediment samples partly influenced by sewage treatment plant effluents revealed moderate concentrations. This study indicated the relevance of malachite green as sedimentary pollutant and points to an environmental stability also under natural anaerobic conditions.

Report Malachite Green in Suspended Particulate Matter (PDF,  338 KB)