EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOBACCO PRODUCT WASTE IN STORMWATER AND SEDIMENTS OF THE COASTAL MARSH RESERVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve, situated in Mission Bay, San Diego, California, serves as a wetland field station supporting diverse species. The bay is characterized by the accumulation of fine-grained alluvial deposits from the San Diego River washed downstream from upstream terraces. The Reserve faces a significant threat from tobacco product waste (TPW) resulting from stormwater pollution. Urban runoff carries cigarette butts (CBs), the predominant litter found during beach cleanups. The Reserve's tidal marshes, vital protective barriers against storms and erosion, also function as effective filters for the watershed between estuaries and the ocean. To examine the presence of chemical contaminants, their association with TPW, and their transportation within the Reserve, water and sediment samples were collected from two locations on thirteen different events, encompassing wet and dry seasons. These samples underwent analysis using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS), a non-targeted analytical method. The analysis identified a total of 89 unique compounds, with 57 of them being linked to tobacco. Among these compounds, cotinine is exclusively associated with tobacco as a source. Of the 24 consistently abundant or frequently detected compounds, 18 were tobacco-related, 14 were used in plastics, and 12 were associated with tire composition or combustion. These compounds are commonly found in household, automotive, and personal care products. Of particular concern are pyrene, dibutyl phthalate, and benzene,1,1’-(1,3-propanediyl)bis-, due to their persistence, the potential for bioaccumulation, and toxicity, as indicated by data from the EPA's CompTox database. Pyrene and dibutyl phthalate have known connections to tobacco, while benzene,1,1’-(1,3-propanediyl) bis- is primarily utilized in plastics, particularly bisphenol-A. Debris surveys confirmed the presence of TPW within and surrounding the Reserve. In conclusion, the stormwater channels and sediments inside the Reserve have been contaminated with chemicals associated with tobacco products, potentially originating from tobacco use and disposal, as well as other anthropogenic sources.