Assessment of watershed chemical integrity for phenolic pollutants using structural equation modeling

WANG Xu-sheng; WANG Xiao-nan; LIU Zheng-tao

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China Environmental Science ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2) : 963-971.

Environmental Ecology

Assessment of watershed chemical integrity for phenolic pollutants using structural equation modeling

WANG Xu-sheng^1,2, WANG Xiao-nan¹, LIU Zheng-tao^1,2

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Abstract

This study analyzed physicochemical parameters and phenolic pollutant concentrations from 168 water samples collected at 84 surface water sampling sites in the Yangtze River Basin. A structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was constructed to quantify the direct and indirect pathways through which phenolic pollutants impact chemical integrity. The methodology involved the integration of conventional water quality parameters, phenolic compounds, and heavy metal data, with a chemical pressure index being constructed using principal component analysis (PCA). The mediating effects of environmental regulatory factors were analyzed via partial least squares SEM. It was found that phenolic pollution significantly impaired chemical integrity through direct toxic effects (path coefficient β = -0.55) and indirect pathways mediated by environmental controls (β = -0.14), with notable synergistic effects being exhibited by heavy metals. A formula for the Chemical Integrity Index (ICI) was proposed, providing a quantitative tool for watershed pollution management and control.

Key words

Phenolic compounds / Yangtze River Basin / chemical integrity / environmental concentration / risk assessment

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WANG Xu-sheng, WANG Xiao-nan, LIU Zheng-tao. Assessment of watershed chemical integrity for phenolic pollutants using structural equation modeling[J]. China Environmental Science. 2026, 46(2): 963-971

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