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Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals in South and Southeast Asian mussels
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Abstract
A comprehensive monitoring survey for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) utilizing mussels as sentinel organisms was conducted in South and Southeast Asia as a part of the Asian Mussel Watch project. Green mussel (Perna viridis) samples collected from a total of 48 locations in India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines during 1994-1999 were analyzed for PAHs, EDCs including nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP) and bisphenol A (BPA), and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) as molecular markers for sewage. Concentrations of NP ranged from 18 to 643 ng/g-dry tissue. The highest levels of NP in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia were comparable to those observed in Tokyo Bay. Elevated concentrations of EDCs were not observed in Vietnam and Cambodia, probably due to the lower extent of industrialization in these regions. No consistent relationship between concentrations of phenolic EDCs and LABs were found, suggesting that sewage is not a major source of EDCs. Concentrations of PAHs ranged from 11 to 1,133 ng/g-dry, which were categorized as "low to moderate" levels of pollution. The ratio of methylphenanthrenes to phenanthrene (MP/P ratio) was >1.0 in 20 out of 25 locations, indicating extensive input of petrogenic PAHs. This study provides a bench-mark for data on the distribution of anthropogenic contaminants in this region, which is essential in evaluating temporal and spatial variation and effect of future regulatory measures.
... This organism's use as a bioindicator has been validated over the Asian countries (Richardson, Tse, Luca-Abbott, Martin, & Lam, 2005), including Indonesia (Dwiyitno et al., 2016). Furthermore, marine mussel such as green mussel has been considerably used to reflect one of the most helpful biological indicators of organic contaminants; PAH is one of them (Isobe et al., 2007). ...
... The existence of green mussels as a filter feeder biota can accumulate pollutants and can adapt to a polluted environment (Richardson et al., 2005). The PAH level in the present study has nearly similar to those of previous studies that took place in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippine coastal areas (Isobe et al., 2007), which is massive with anthropogenic activities and industries (OECD, 2019). ...
... It has a similar result with the present study. Another study of PAH level in green mussel showed similar results such as those in Straits of Johore in Singapore (36-244 ng.g -1 ) (Yap, Shahbazi, & Zakaria, ∑ 2012), Penang Bridge of Penang in Malaysia (265-273 ng.g -1 ), Yaring of Pattani in Thailand (85 ng.g -1 ), and Sapian Bay of Capiz in Philippines (75 ng.g -1 ) (Isobe et al., 2007). ...
Green mussels (Perna viridis) as sedentary organisms have been adopted as bioindicators in the marine environment for many decades. They have been potentially affected by anthropogenic activity and organic contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an aquatic environment. This study aims to determine concentration, distribution and potential sources of PAHs in green mussel biomass obtained from Cilincing waters, Jakarta Bay. Fresh green mussels were collected from aquaculture facilities at Cilincing waters of Jakarta Bay with various size categories of shell length and were extracted with solvent n-hexane-dichloromethane mixture using Soxhlet method. The concentrate of sample extract was purified using silica gel/sodium sulfate anhydrous with n-pentene-DCM effluent in fractionation. Finally, the purified sample was injected into the GC-MS instrument. The result showed that the highest concentration of total PAH (TPAH) was 126.47 ng.g-1 wet weight (ww), founded in the guts from the biggest group of green mussel (length of 6.00 to 7.99 cm), and 3-aromatic rings were predominantly detected in all group sizes of green mussel. The result of the LMW/ HMW and diagnostic binary ratio indicated that PAH contamination is caused by a mixed source of petrogenic and pyrogenic processes. It may be due to the presence of oil spilled and petroleum waste from shipyard and cargo activities and atmospheric deposition. Based on excess cancer risk (ECR) value and the concentration level of PAH carcinogenic according to National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) regulation, PAH level in green mussels are acceptable and minor negative impact due to typical human consumption. Nevertheless, it needs to be circumspect to exploiting green mussels as seafood resources for daily consumption due to the carcinogenic content.
... As sessile organisms that feed by the filtration of particulate matter in the water column, mussels are frequently used in biomonitoring for marine pollution in coastal areas (Yap et al., 2002;Nicholson and Lam, 2005). One of these is the green mussel, Perna viridis (see Monirith et al., 2003;Isobe et al., 2007), which are extensively commercially marketed in most Asia-Pacific countries, notably Thailand. In 2015, for which latest comprehensive global figures from FAO are available, a total of 147,503 tons of green mussels were produced from aquaculture activities in six Asian states; Thailand produced 118,775 tons, i.e. 80.52% of global production (FAO FishStatJ, 2017). ...
... 13.09 ng/g; Table 4). The study also found that BPA and E 2 in Thai aquatic environment have increased in the 20 years since the expansion of industrialization and urbanization (Isobe et al., 2007;Duong et al., 2010;Pookpoosa et al., 2014;Deemoon et al., 2016). BPA levels, for example, have increased in the Gulf of Thailand since 1994 when Isobe et al. (2007) collected green mussels from Sichang Island, Chonburi (see Isobe et al., 2007), a site which is close to the C2 sampling station at Wonapha, Chonburi. ...
... The study also found that BPA and E 2 in Thai aquatic environment have increased in the 20 years since the expansion of industrialization and urbanization (Isobe et al., 2007;Duong et al., 2010;Pookpoosa et al., 2014;Deemoon et al., 2016). BPA levels, for example, have increased in the Gulf of Thailand since 1994 when Isobe et al. (2007) collected green mussels from Sichang Island, Chonburi (see Isobe et al., 2007), a site which is close to the C2 sampling station at Wonapha, Chonburi. Of the water samples, the freshwater collected from the Chak-mak Canal (R2; this is connected 1 km away to a treatment reservoir that receives petrochemical industrial wastewater runoff from the entire Map Ta Phut industrial estate; the R2 sampling point was approx. ...
The occurrence of the endocrine disruptors bisphenol-A (BPA) and 17β-estradiol (E2) in cultured populations of green mussel (Perna viridis) and water samples collected from selected fresh and marine coastal environments along the eastern coast of Thailand were investigated. Analysis found high levels of BPA in mussel tissues that correlated with levels found in coastal (maximum 37.13 ng/L) and freshwater (50.7 ng/L) sites situated near industrial and densely populated areas. By comparison, high levels of E2 (62.99 ± 5.03 ng/L) were found in freshwater sites near to urban areas. Higher concentrations of BPA and E2 were found in mature green mussels (>6 mo. old; 6.40 ± 0.52 cm shell length) than levels determined in juveniles (<2–3 mo. old; 2.29 ± 0.65 cm shell length). To evaluate the potential risks associated with the consumption of green mussels, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) for BPA was determined to be 1650 for adult bivalves and 283 for juveniles. As P. viridis can accumulate BPA from the environment, this raises concerns regarding the risks posed by consuming seafood sourced from zones near to major conurbations. Whether the high levels of E2 found in green mussels is due to accumulation or to de novo synthesis as seen in other molluscs, requires further investigation. While industrial and domestic wastewater may be important sources of BPA, E2 contamination within the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand has been linked to domestic waste. The study highlights the importance of the temporal and spatial monitoring of sentinel species, such green mussels, for environmental contaminants, the results of which can lead to the construction of regional risk maps helping to inform national strategies regarding aquaculture zoning and aquatic food safety.
... Moreover, the few existing studies refer, almost exclusively, to BPA bioaccumulation in natural conditions (Isobe et al., 2007;Staniszewska et al., 2014Staniszewska et al., , 2016Salgueiro-Gonzàlez et al., 2016;Bai and Acharya, 2019;Nguyen et al., 2024) and none of them explore the mechanism of bioaccumulation as consequence of short/long term exposure to known concentrations. Finally, literature results are often controversial, because of the lack of a standardized extraction procedure of BPA. ...
... Finally, literature results are often controversial, because of the lack of a standardized extraction procedure of BPA. Indeed, the extraction and the quantification of BPA from organic tissues of marine organisms is conducted using procedures adapted from other biological matrices, such as sludges (Gatidou et al., 2010) and often require a large amount of sample (i.e. between 500 mg and 20 g) (Isobe et al., 2007;Pojana et al., 2007;Staniszewska et al., 2014Staniszewska et al., , 2017Salgueiro-Gonzàlez et al., 2016;Bai and Acharya, 2019;Nguyen et al., 2024), resulting hardly reliable or comparable when referred to small or single orgamisms, and excluding the possibility of being applied to a specific tissue. ...
... Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) have been widely used as a bioindicator species and considered sentinel organisms in coastal contamination and environmental pollution monitoring programs Vidal-Liñán et al., 2010;Zorita et al., 2007). This species tends to bioaccumulate anthropogenic particles and many persistent contaminants at higher concentrations than those found in the surrounding water (Beiras et al., 2003;Isobe et al., 2007). For these reasons, the present study aimed to evaluate the exposure of M. galloprovincialis, an important commercial filter feeder species and a potential bioindicator of pollution by plasticizers, to pollution in aquaculture facilities. ...
... Overall, values obtained in mussels from the present study were intermediate compared with the literature. In M. galloprovincialis from South and South East Asia recorded levels were as high as 0.0137 μg/L for BPA (Isobe et al., 2007). In M. edulis, BPA was found in Table 6 Pearson correlation between anthropogenic particles (AP), and levels of phthalates and bisphenols with condition index ( concentrations from 0.22 to 1.8 ng/g WW (wet weight) (Vethaak, 2014). ...
The growing plastic production and its continuous use is a significant problem. In addition, aquaculture practices have experienced a considerable growth and plastic is widely used in these activities, hence plasticizers must be considered due to their potential ecotoxicological impacts on species. Mussels placed inside an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system and at two control locations were employed to quantify the ingestion of anthropogenic particles and associated chemical plasticizers, such as bisphenol A (BPA) jointly to bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS), and phthalates represented by diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). In addition, some metabolism and oxidative stress related parameters were
measured in mussels’ whole soft tissue. Anthropogenic particle ingestion of mussels increased over time at the three locations and the following order of abundance of pollutants was observed: BPA> BPF> DEHP> DBP> BPS> DEP. Even though no differences according to location were found for pollutants’ occurrence, time trends were evidenced for BPA and DEHP. On the other hand, a location effect was observed for biomarkers with highest values detected in mussels located at the vicinities of the aquaculture facility. In addition, a reduced detoxification activity was observed over time parallel to BPA decrease.
... PAHs are known to be carcinogenic and mutagenic, as well as to bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue. 51 Phenolic compounds exist in water bodies as a result of polluted wastewater discharged from industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities. These chemicals are known to be poisonous, causing severe and long-term damage to both people and animals. ...
Nanotechnology revealed its unlimited success in many real-life applications. That’s why the incorporation of nanomaterials became vital for solving a lot of current problems. Metal Organic-frameworks (MOFs) are nanomaterials with outstanding advantages such as crystallinity, high surface area, various structures, and adsorption capacity. Furthermore, metal-Organic Frameworks have emerged as versatile and promising materials for various environmental applications, including wastewater treatment. These materials are stable in water which acquire them convenient properties for wastewater treatment applications, for instance adsorption, catalysis, separation and so on. Moreover, MOFs are characterized by their high surface area, tunable pore size, and exceptional adsorption capacity, have shown remarkable potential for the removal of contaminants in wastewater treatment systems. In this review, the variable roles of MOFs in wastewater treatment applications have been discussed and highlighted as well. Herein, we are additionally reviewing the state-of-the-art research trends on the applications of metal-organic framework materials in the removal of pollutants in wastewater treatmen t systems.
... The discharge of partially treated municipal effluents into water bodies is a major source of EDCs contamination in this region. As part of the mussel watch program, an extensive study conducted by Isobe et al. (2007) at 48 locations in Asia showed contamination of octylphenol, nonylphenol, BPA, and linear alkylbenzenes in green mussels (Perna viridis). Another investigation by Ocharoen et al. (2018) reported high levels of BPA and 17β-estradiol in P. viridis correlated with contamination in collection sites. ...
Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, microplastics, and per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, pose a major threat to both ecosystems and human health in Southeast Asia. As this region undergoes rapid industrialization and urbanization, the increasing presence of unconventional pollutants in water bodies, soil, and various organisms has become an alarming concern. This review comprehensively examines the environmental challenges posed by emerging contaminants in Southeast Asia and recent progress in toxicity testing methods. We discuss the diverse range of emerging contaminants found in Southeast Asia, shedding light on their causes and effects on ecosystems, and emphasize the need for robust toxicological testing methods. This review is a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and environmental practitioners working to mitigate the impacts of emerging contaminants and secure a sustainable future for Southeast Asia.
... PAHs are known to be carcinogenic and mutagenic, as well as to bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue. 51 Phenolic compounds exist in water bodies as a result of polluted wastewater discharged from industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities. These chemicals are known to be poisonous, causing severe and long-term damage to both people and animals. ...
Wastewater is not only a problem but also a precious source of water that has to be utilized wisely to solve the issue of the water crisis. Prior efforts have been done towards wastewater treatment and recycling, however, more solutions still required eliminating the water crisis over the entire world. As known, modernization increases water crisis problems over time that’s why scientists need to introduce new insights and materials to offer alternative approaches for the treatment of wastewater to be ready for usage to face the high demand for water in industry, agriculture, etc. Nanotechnology has played a magic role in the last decades in the treatment of wastewater by shaping materials into several morphologies such as particles, rods, spheres, fibers, etc. These morphologies have higher surface areas and pore-sized structures in comparison with bulk materials which lead to their great efficiencies and adsorption capacities. However, new ideas and insights need to be incorporated for better solutions with fewer cost properties. This review sheds the light on what has been done on the nanotechnological scale, the materials utilized and the efficiencies achieved. It may open new approaches and insights for researchers and scientists to find new methods and materials for effective contaminants elimination and water recycling.
... Consequently, the surveillance and evaluation of EDC content in marine organisms is a paramount concern for numerous nations globally (Cunha et al., 2022). Despite the existence of numerous investigations assessing EDCs in soil, water, sediment, and household dust (Quynh and Toan, 2019;Tri et al., 2016), there is a limited body of research assessing the occurrence of EDCs in samples of organisms in Vietnam, particularly marine organisms (Ho and Watanabe, 2018;Isobe et al., 2007;Lam et al., 2017). Furthermore, these studies were characterized by limited sample sizes, which resulted in a lack of connection between the different studies. ...
The release of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) into the aquatic environment, specifically the oceans, is increasing, leading to adverse effects on the marine ecosystem. Using optimized QuEChERS extraction methods, the study created the first contamination profiles of 44 EDCs, including organic ultraviolet compounds, pharmaceutically active compounds, hormones, and phthalate esters, in 114 fish muscle samples from five species collected along the Vietnamese coast. The study found that largehead hairtail exhibited the highest total EDCs at 208.3 ng g−1 lipid weight (lw), while Indian catfish displayed the lowest concentration at 105.5 ng g−1 lw. Besides, the study observed notable variations in the total EDCs across distinct fish species. This study hypothesized that the marine economic characteristics of each research location have a significant role in shaping the pollution profile of EDCs found in fish specimens taken from the corresponding area. As a result, a notable disparity in the composition of organic ultraviolet compounds has been observed among the three regions of North, Central, and South Vietnam (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05). Despite these findings, EDC-contaminated fish did not pose any health risks to Vietnam's coastal population.
... Therefore, crops such as wheat, corn, peanuts, beans, etc., will absorb some PAHs from these sources during the growth process, leading to potential accumulation (Onopiuk et al., 2021;Sun et al., 2019;Zohair, Salim, Soyibo, & Beck, 2006). In poultry and livestock breeding, inhalation or consumption of PAHs-polluted air, water sources, and feeds will also cause the accumulation of PAHs in the carcass (Isobe et al., 2007). For example, Bertoz et al. (2021) reviewed the occurrence of PAHs in olive oils and asserted that contamination of PAH was associated with the combined effects of various factors and processes, including environmental contamination, oil processing, and migration from food materials. ...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are aromatic compounds with two or more benzene rings composed of carbon and hydrogen, which are potential hazard substances produced by food thermal processing. However, the toxicological effects differ due to their varieties, causing many countries to have inconsistent standards. Also, the formation mechanism of PAHs in meat products is still controversial, and the detection methods and influencing factors are diverse, resulting in food control challenges. Therefore, this work reviewed PAHs in food, especially meat products from the perspectives of their classification, toxicological evaluation, formation mechanism, methods for extraction and detection, influencing factors, and control strategies. This paper provides some perspectives on the control of food PAHs in research and industrial production.
... As an archipelagic developing country, the aquatic ecosystems in the Philippines are heavily impacted and threatened by organic pollutants driven by urbanization and industrialization (Zafaralla et al 2005;Isobe et al 2007;Taneza & Philip 2009;. The freshwater and marine resources are crucial for the socio-economic stability of coastal communities which accounts for about 85% of the country's total population (World Bank 2005;Briones 2007). ...
Pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aquatic ecosystems induced by pyrogenic and petrogenic sources continues to degrade the quality of surface waters and sediments and compromise the physiology, growth and population of aquatic biota. This is magnified with the archipelagic setting and rapid socioeconomic developments of the Philippines relative to its rich aquatic resources. As such, this review paper aimed to provide nuanced understanding on the impacts of PAHs in various Philippine aquatic ecosystems using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework that identifies links among documented PAH pollution and management. The DPSIR model has elicited urbanization and industrialization, especially oil trade and industry, to be the driving forces of human activities resulting into persistent and severe PAH pollution. Research opportunities and management gaps have been highlighted in this synthesis. This current knowledge underscores the need for holistic environmental biomonitoring and strict policy implementation to mitigate and prevent further PAH contamination in aquatic ecosystems of the Philippines and neighboring Indo-Pacific countries.
... ng g − 1 d.w. [38], 68-197. ...
There are numerous types of contaminants that pose a health risk to aquatic organisms and consequently also to humans through consumption. Endocrine disrupting compounds are found in daily-use products and have the potential to mimic natural hormones. The main objective of this work is to optimize and validate a method for the determination of bisphenols, parabens and triclocarban in natural samples of Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The procedure involves ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and a subsequent clean-up of the extracts using dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) with C18 adsorbent, and analysis by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Sensitivity, accuracy (trueness and precision), linearity and selectivity of the method were studied. The limits of detection ranged from 0.2 ng g⁻¹ to 1.5 ng g⁻¹ dry weight. The trueness of the method (estimation of recovery) was between 90 % for TCC (triclocarban) and 109.6 % for BPP (bisphenol P), with an estimated precision lower than 12.6 % for all the investigated analytes. The application of the method was to specimens of Mytilus galloprovincialis collected along the Mediterranean coast of Granada (South Spain), where the species is abundant. The study conducted in different sample sites revealed EDCs presence in this aquatic species.
... The average concentrations of LABs previously analyzed in the sediments in Malaysia (e.g. Alkhadher et al., 2020a;Isobe et al., 2007;Masood et al., 2016) were generally lower than the present study. However, the LAB concentrations in the present study were more consistent with, or lower than, those recorded by Isobe et al. (2004) Klang Port, which can be contributed to the port, shipping and related activities. ...
The aim of this a pioneering research is to investigate linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) as biomark-ers of sewage pollution in sediments collected from four rivers and estuaries of the south and east of Peninsular Malaysia. The sediment samples went through soxhlet extraction, two-step column chromatography purification, fractionation and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) with multivariate linear regression (MLR) was used as well for source apportionment of LABs. The results of this study showed that total LAB concentration was 36-1196 ng g-1 dw. The internal to external isomer ratios (I/E ratio) of LABs were from 0.56 to 3.12 indicated release of raw sewage and primary and secondary effluents into the environment of south and east of Peninsular Malaysia. Our research supported that continuous monitoring of sewage pollution to limit the environmental pollution in riverine and estuarine ecosystem.
... The NPs present in many food stuffs, including packaged food purchased from supermarkets in Germany (Guenther et al. 2002;G€ unther, R€ acker, and B€ ohme 2017) and commercial whole milk in Spain (Casajuana and Lacorte 2004), among others, have been analyzed for the presence of NPs. Seafood and various edible marine species in Asia (Basheer, Lee, and Tan 2004;Isobe et al. 2007;Shao et al. 2007), Europe (Ferrara et al. 2001(Ferrara et al. , 2005G€ unther et al. 2001), and North America (Dodder et al. 2014), as well as vegetables and fruits from Sweden (Gyllenhammar et al. 2012), Spain (Cacho et al. 2012), and the USA have also been analyzed for the presence of NPs (Lu et al. 2013). NPs have also been detected in commercial bottled water (Loyo-Rosales et al. 2004), drinking water from public fountains in 35 cities across Italy, in bottled mineral waters (Maggioni et al. 2013), and commercial soft drinks (Li et al. 2013). ...
Nonylphenols (NPs) and nonylphenol carboxylates (NPECs) are products of the biodegradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), which is a widely used group of nonionic surfactants. These compounds are persistent, toxic, and exhibit estrogenic activity. Global scientific and public discourse has revealed the consequences of long-term dietary exposure to these endocrine disrupters. Since 2005, the utilization and sale of NPEOs and NPs have been regulated in some industrial applications by Directive 2003/53/EC of the European Union (EU). The objective of this investigation was to assess the NPs and NPECs concentration levels in foodstuffs following the implementation of the EU directive. Using a method based on high-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), NPs and NPECs were determined in the same German food basket that was examined before the restriction. NPs were detected in 22 of the 24 food samples, whereas NPECs were below the limit of detection. The concentrations of NPs on a fresh weight basis varied between 0.1 and 6.3 μg kg⁻¹. Based on the data of food consumption rates in Germany and the concentrations of NPs in the food samples, the daily NP intake for an adult was determined to be 2.7 µg day⁻¹, which is one-third of the value found in the 2002 study. However, our findings revealed that NPs remain ubiquitous in foods at relevant concentrations, which highlights the need for further examinations in particular the isomer-specific aspects. This is especially important as nonylphenol is found in human blood in many studies.
... Besides, many types of EDCs, such as phthalates, parabens and BPA, have a very short half-life and can last only hours. This constitutes a limit to the precise estimate of exposure to pesticides and other substances (Isobe et al. 2007). Several authors have reported a similar effect on the reproduction patterns in other marine organisms, although at lower concentrations. ...
Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most used additives in the production of many plastic products and may be released into the environment by commonly used products, such as food containers and polycarbonate bottles. BPA is recognized as an endocrine disruptor able to produce adverse effects on the reproduction system of benthonic and pelagic species. Polychaetes of the genus Ophryotrocha are small worms living amongst the interstitial fauna in nutrient-rich and polluted habitats. Owing to easy rearing in the laboratory and short generation times, this species is a useful model organism for studying different biological aspects. This study describes the effects of different BPA concentrations on egg production in Ophryotrocha diadema. We tested six different concentrations of BPA in a 5-week experiment. Strong negative correlation between BPA concentrations and the number of eggs produced was found. The t-test revealed a significant reduction in egg production after exposure to BPA concentrations over 1461.1 μg/L. The latter concentration value is higher than that observed in the marine environment, although for many species of crustaceans, echinoderms and isopods, the impairment of reproductive function was observed even at much lower BPA concentrations.
... Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic compounds that have two or more fused aromatic rings and negatively affect organisms, including carcinogenicity, teratogenesis, and mutagenicity (Isobe et al., 2007;Lazartigues et al., 2010;Zacchi et al., 2019). Polychaete worms are important vectors that can biotransform PAHs in coastal environments (Driscoll and Mcelroy, 1997;Christensen et al., 2002) based on a mechanism that increases their water solubility. ...
Polychaete worms can eliminate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environments through a mechanism that increases their water solubility. This detoxification starts with cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) and then with glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Here, a novel GST gene was identified and characterized from the widespread polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis. The full-length cDNA of GST is 1544 bp and encodes 256 amino acids, belonging to the omega class. Gene expression patterns in P. aibuhitensis showed that its transcriptional level was positively correlated with the concentration of benzo[α]pyrene (0.5, 2, 4, and 8 μg/L) exposure but was negatively correlated with a PAH benzene ring after it was exposed to the same mass concentrations of fluoranthene (3.2 μg/L), phenanthrene (2.9 μg/L), and benzo[α]pyrene (4.0 μg/L) during the 14-day experimentation. These findings indicate that omega GST may play an important role in the phase II detoxification of PAHs in polychaete worms, and the persistence and bioavailability of PAHs may depend on benzene rings.
... 56 Several studies of micropollutants organic analysis in the mussels are available. Isobe et al. 57 published the distribution of 19 PAH compounds at several locations in South East Asia in P. viridis with a concentration range of 11-1133 mg kg À1 tissue dw. Based on l'AFSSA (Agence Francaise de Securit e Sanitaire des Aliments, 58 a risk evaluation can be proposed by the sum of 6 PAHs (benz(a)anthracen, benzo(b þ j)fluoranthen, benzo(k)fluoranthen, benzo(a)pyren, dibenzo(a,h)antracen shown in Table 7. ...
This study aims to explore persistent microorganic pollutants (Poly chloro byphneyls (PCBs) and Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs)) in sediment and mud clams (Polymesoda erosa) in Segara Anakan Lagoon (SAL). In addition, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the mud clams were evaluated their risk consumption and Bioaccumulation factor in sediment. Concentrations of seven PCBs in the sediment were found in the range 0.11 ± 0.05 to 2.63 ± 0.1 lg kg À1 sed dw. OCPs levels were found in the range of 0.2 ± 0.05 and 2.9 ± 0.01 lg kg À1 sed dw. In P. erosa, 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (USEPA) were found in the range from 103.34 ± 2.01 to 1348.31 ± 18.21 lg kg À1 tissue dry weight (dw), PCBs content was found only in one station at concentration 2.34 ± 1.72 lg kg À1 tissue dw and OCPs content was found in the range 0.87 ± 0.03 to 24.79 ± 1.30 lg kg À1 tissue dw. The disturbance matrices have been evaluated with the appropriate samples according to the extraction yield and yield analysis. Several guidelines evaluate the quality of sediment on PCBs and OCPs (i.e. pp-DDE). The consumption evaluation shows that this mud clam P. erosa has been contaminated of PAHs and not recommended for human consumption. They were potentially as site-specific bioaccumula-tion in sediment for organic micropollutants which receives from any untreated sewage, industrial waste discharge into the canal system of river of Segara Anakan Lagoon.
... Concernant les autres molécules naturelles tels que les lipides ou les substances humiques, des méthodes de chromatographie d'adsorption ou de GPC, d'extraction sur phase solide seules ou combinées permettent leur élimination (Isobe et al. 2007, Simon et al. 2011. Parmi ces techniques la GPC offre le spectre le plus large et le moins spécifique. ...
L’objectif général de cette thèse concerne la mise en place et l’évaluation d’une approche de type effect directed analysis (EDA), couplant bioessais in vitro et analyses physico-chimiques, pour la caractérisation de la contamination des milieux aquatiques par les perturbateurs endocriniens (PE) et leur identification. De nouveaux outils in vitro ont été développés et intégrés à une approche multi-bioessais pour la détection de polluants émergents afin de permettre un large diagnostic de la contamination par les PE. Parmi eux, le bioessai basé sur le pregnane X receptor humain s’est avéré complémentaire des cibles classiquement étudiées (e.g. récepteurs des œstrogènes (ER), des androgènes (AR) ou des hydrocarbures aromatiques (AhR)). Combinés, ces bioessais ont permis de déterminer des profils intégrés de la contamination inédits dans le sédiment et les eaux de surface, mettant en lumière la nécessité de considérer d’autres cibles biologiques que ER et AhR et de s’intéresser à l’ensemble des compartiments du milieu aquatique pour une meilleure évaluation de la contamination. En particulier, l’utilisation combinée de ces nouveaux outils à des capteurs passifs de type POCIS (polar organic compound integrative sampler) s’est révélée pertinente pour évaluer la contamination de la colonne d’eau par des composés hydrosolubles. Enfin, une démarche EDA, intégrant ces bioessais et des méthodes physico-chimiques d’extraction et de fractionnement adaptées, a été validée pour l’identification des composés détectés. Son application sur deux sites soumis à des contaminations chimiques différentes (mixte urbaine/agricole et pharmaceutique) a permis d’évaluer la contribution des polluants cibles, dont les prioritaires, dans les réponses des bioessais et d’identifier de nouveaux PE.
... The levels found in P. viridis were more than 900 µg.kg −1 dw at Station C, D, and F. Meanwhile, each of Station A and E showed lower levels of 591 and 777 µg.kg −1 dw ( Table 5). These values were higher than those reported by Isobe et al. (2007), who reported that 19 PAHs contained in P. viridis ranged from 11 to 1133 µg.kg −1 dw in several locations in South and Southeast Asia. The total PAHs values were still lower than those in previous studies in Asia. ...
Organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs, and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from sediments and Asian green mussels (Perna viridis) in Jakarta Bay were studied using GC-MS/MS. The PAHs concentration in the sediments ranged from 186.64 to 915.71 µg.kg −1 per sediment dry weight (dw), while the PCBs and the OCPs concentration ranged from 3 to 117 µg.kg −1 and 3 to 17.99 µg.kg −1 per sediment dw, respectively. For the P. viridis, 16 types of PAHs concentration ranged from 591 to 997 µg.kg −1 per dw of mussels, while the OCPs concentration varied from 5 to 6 µg.kg −1 per dw of mussel. The selected PAHs ratios, including Ant/∑178, Fl/∑202, BaAnt/∑228, and IPyr/∑276, potentially showed that the sources of the hydrocarbons in sediments were generally biogenic and terrigenous than for mussels were petroleum source. The concentration of PAHs in mussels was higher than sediments , meanwhile the organic pollutant contains chlorine (PCBs and OCPs) were potentially found in sediments. The reclamation, urban and mangrove areas (stations G and H) in this study found more high risk of than other sampling stations of sediments and mussels. According to the environmental risk assessment parameters (TEL, ERM, and ERL) from the sediment quality guidelines, the stations have various potential ecological risks. P. viridis was shown to be highly contaminated in polluted stations (except station A) that were not recommended for consumption (>200 µg.kg −1 tissue dw).
... PAHs are mainly produced from incomplete combustion of fossil fuel (pyrogenic), and the discharge of petroleum and its products (petrogenic) 17 . The PAH composition pattern is beneficial to track the contaminant source, and understand the fate and transport of PAHs in a complex environment 34,40 . Molecular indexes based on ratios of selected PAHs were employed to distinguish PAHs from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. ...
The spatial and temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in sediments of Maba River, a major tributary of Beijiang River (South China). A total of 13 samples from Maba River and its tributary, Meihua River, were analyzed for 16 PAHs. The total concentration of 16 PAHs (ΣPAH) in high and low water period ranged between 47.61 to 25480.98 ng g−1, with a mean concentration of 4382.98 ng g−1, and 60.30 to 15956.62 ng g−1 with a mean concentration of 3664.32 ng g−1, respectively. Three-ring and four-ring PAHs were the dominant species. It was concluded that a pattern of pyrolytic input as a major source of PAHs in sediments through the molecular ratio method for the source identification, such as HMW/LMW PAHs, Flu/(Flu+Pyr), IcdP/(IcdP+BghiP) and BaA/(BaA+Chr). It is suggested that the pollution emission from the iron and steel plant might be the most important sources of PAHs into Maba River water system. The threat of PAHs contamination to biota of the river was assessed using effect range low (ERL) and effect range median (ERM) values, which suggested that PAHs in Maba River and its tributary had already caused ecological risks.
... In addition to their genotoxic effects, PAHs can act as endocrine disruptors, causing adverse effects on reproduction, including in marine organisms (Vignet et al. 2016, Collier et al. 2013, Isobe et al. 2007). However, the exact mechanisms by which PAHs have this effect is a subject of study at present, given that it depends on the characteristics of each species in question. ...
Marine environments support an intensive and increasing anthropogenic pressure such us inputs from agriculture, industrial and municipal waste-waters, oil spills and direct industrial discharges among others. Environmental pollution by Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) has triggered an increasing concern all over the world. POPs could persist in the environment for a long time, and also travel long distance far from their original source. Between them, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous contaminants in the marine and coastal environments. PAHs can be introduced into marine environments by different ways; for example: spillage of fossil fuels, ship traffic, atmospheric depositions, urban runoff, and municipal and industrial wastewater discharge. Their final fate in the environment will be influenced by many physicochemical processes and the characteristics of the media in which PAHs reside. This chapter presents general aspects of PAHs as environmental pollutants. Moreover, this section collects information on sources, occurrence, levels, distribution of PAHs and their ecotoxicological fate at coastal and Deep Ocean over the world.
... Low concentrations of Cd have been found to activate gene expression with high affinity for the hormone-binding domain in a manner that is inhibited by ER antagonists, further suggesting specificity in the time course of the ER response to natural estrogens or xenoestrogens in fish (Hwang et al., 2000;Tilton et al., 2003). NP, BaP and CdCl 2 are chemicals that accumulate in the surface water and sediment of Thailand (Chaiyara et al., 2013;Duongetal et al., 2010;Isobe et al., 2007). Organisms may be exposed to these chemicals and others from various sources that involve multicomponent mixtures in their ambient environmental media and/or food. ...
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are widely used in Southeast Asia and have been found to contaminate aquatic environments. However, study of EDCs and their effects on aquatic animals are deficient. Induction of vitellogenin in males and juveniles is a useful biomarker for exposure to EDCs. In this study, the induction of vitellogenin was evaluated after exposure to single and a mixture of EDCs. After that, vitellogenin was applied as a biomarker of EDCs in wild fish from areas suspected to be contaminated with high concentrations of EDCs in Chon Buri province, Thailand. The exposure of EDCs in juvenile sea bass showed that both 4-nonylphenol and CdCl 2 significantly induced vitellogenin, while a combination of multiple EDCs had reduced vitellogenin expression compared to single EDCs exposure. The assessment of vitellogenin in the field study identified industrial and agricultural practices as potential sources of EDCs. These data suggest that EDCs are present in these aquatic environments and validate vitellogenin as a biomarker of EDCs.
... Studies on the environmental occurrence of PAHs and their derivatives in Vietnam have been performed since the late 1990s. PAHrelated compounds were found in different environmental media such as ambient air (Anh et al., 1999;Hien et al., 2007aHien et al., , 2007bHien et al., , 2007cKishida et al., 2008Kishida et al., , 2009Pham et al., 2012;Anh et al., 2019a), soil and sediment (Anh et al., 1999;Kishida et al., 2007;Hung et al., 2015;Pham et al., 2015;Wang et al., 2016a;Nishimura et al., 2017), road dust (Tuyen et al., 2014a(Tuyen et al., , 2014bAnh et al., 2019d), and biota (Isobe et al., 2007;Thuy et al., 2018). Previous studies have indicated that the contamination levels of PAHs in Vietnam's outdoor environments are strongly associated with the degree of urbanization and traffic intensity (Kishida et al., 2007(Kishida et al., , 2008Pham et al., 2012;Tuyen et al., 2014aTuyen et al., , 2014bAnh et al., 2019d). ...
The occurrence and profiles of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 15 methylated derivatives (Me-PAHs) were examined in settled dust samples collected from workplaces and living areas of an informal end-of-life vehicle (ELV) processing village, and house dusts from urban and rural areas in northern Vietnam. Concentrations of total PAHs and Me-PAHs decreased in the order: ELV workplace (median 5700, range 900–18,000 ng g ⁻¹ ) > rural house (3700, 1800–6200 ng g ⁻¹ ) > urban house (1800, 620–3100 ng g ⁻¹ ) ≈ ELV living dusts (1000, 600–3900 ng g ⁻¹ ). PAHs with 4 rings or more dominated in almost all the samples, indicating the abundance of pyrogenic sources (e.g., vehicular emissions and domestic thermal processes). Levels of Me-PAHs were exceeded those of PAHs in several ELV samples, revealing specific petrogenic sources derived from vehicle processing activities. Results from source apportionment analysis have partially identified traffic emission, biomass and coal combustion, and mixed petrogenic-pyrogenic sources related to ELV waste as the major sources of PAHs and Me-PAHs in the urban, rural, and ELV areas, respectively. Daily intake doses and health risk related to PAHs and Me-PAHs in settled dusts were estimated for ELV workers and residents living in the study areas. The worst exposure scenario of dust-bound PAHs showed a potential cancer risk for the ELV workers, meanwhile, no significant non-cancer and cancer risk was expected for other exposed groups. A more comprehensive and accurate risk assessment of PAHs and related compounds should be conducted in Vietnam.
... Compared with the external exposure levels, the concentrations of compounds accumulated in organisms, especially in target tissues, could help to understand these toxic effects better (Escher et al., 2011;Stadnicka et al., 2012). Several previous studies have found that EDCs are universal pollutants in aquatic organisms, especially in water bodies receiving sewage discharge and industrial outfalls (Ademollo et al., 2018;Huang et al., 2017;Isobe et al., 2007). Polychaete Paraprionospia sp. from Osaka Bay in Japan were found to accumulate several EDCs, including BPA, 4-t-OP, 4-NP, E1, and E2 (Nurulnadia et al., 2014). ...
... With respect to less frequently studied organic contaminants, the accumulation of the endocrine disrupting compounds octylphenols (up to 16 μg kg −1 ), nonylphenols (up to 643 μg kg −1 ), and bisphenol A (up to 6.3 μg kg −1 ) in mussel tissue (Perna viridis) from northern Java were reported ( Isobe et al., 2007). Compared to other Asian countries, relatively low concentrations of brominated flame retardants (PBDE, polybrominated diphenyl ethers) were found in mussel samples from Java ( Ramu et al., 2007). ...
... Methylcholanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and a common pollutant, is reported to affect the reproductive status in males (Knez, 2013;Konstandi et al., 1997). Prolonged exposure to PAHs declined the sperm count in male rats, and bioaccumulation of PAHs induced a greater oestrogenic activity in female rats (Isobe et al., 2007;Tamaki et al., 2004). Alike PAHs, numerous other environmental chemicals also disrupt the endocrine system and cause functional impairments in reproductive system (Li et al., 2017;Schug, Janesick, Blumberg, & Heindel, 2011;Taek Rim, 2017). ...
... Our results showed that BPA concentrations in Myt (Mytilus edulis; GM: 1.15, median: 0.141, range: nd-38.8 ng/g dw) were comparable to or slightly higher than those reported in Mytilus galloprovincialis from Tokyo Bay, Japan (range: 0.54-16 ng/g dw) (Isobe et al., 2007), and Corbicula fluminea from the Pearl River Estuary, China (range: 0.49-1.34 ng/g dw) (Diao et al., 2017) (Gatidou et al., 2010). ...
Parabens are used as preservatives in many consumer products and human exposure to these chemicals has been a public concern. In this study, mollusks (n = 186), collected from the Chinese Bohai Sea during 2006-2015, were analyzed for six parabens and their five metabolites. The total concentration of parabens was in the range of 2.66-299 ng/g dw (geometric mean: 24.1). Methyl paraben and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were the predominant parent and metabolic parabens, respectively found in mollusks. Mollusk species, Mactra veneriformis, Mytilus edulis, and Cyclina sinensis contained elevated concentrations of both parent and metabolic parabens. A gradual increase in paraben concentrations was found in mollusks collected between 2006 and 2012. Principal component analysis suggested the existence of a common source for these chemicals in mollusks. Consumption of mollusks can contribute to human exposures and we estimated daily intakes of parabens through the consumption of mollusks. This is the first study to report temporal trends and accumulation of parabens and their metabolites in a variety of invertebrate species from coastal marine environments.
... The composition pattern of PAHs can help identify the contaminant source, as well as understand the fate and transport of PAHs in a complex environment (Isobe et al., 2007). In general, LMW PAHs are mostly derived from petrogenic sources, which include discharge of petroleum-related materials, and low temperature combustion, such as that of biomass and domestic coal (Mai et al., 2003;Mekonnen et al., 2015). ...
We investigated residual levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water, soil and sediments from the Kaidu River catchment in Xinjiang, an arid zone in northwest China. Sediments from areas with highly polluted soil have higher OCPs and PAHs, caused by intensive anthropogenic activities. Pollution concentrations, however, were lower than those in Lake Bositeng indicating that the lake is a sink for pollutants in this region. Source analysis indicated that hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) originated mainly from historical agricultural applications. DDTs in sediments of the Lake Bositeng Estuary, however, may contribute to pollutant resuspension, resulting from sediment disturbance, and recent inputs. Low-molecular-weight PAHs were predominant, indicating that PAHs originated primarily from low-temperature combustion processes and petroleum-derived sources. A risk assessment of OCPs and PAHs in soil and sediment, suggested that concentrations were not high enough to cause adverse biological effects in the aquatic ecosystem.
... The composition pattern of PAHs can help identify the contaminant source, as well as understand the fate and transport of PAHs in a complex environment (Isobe et al., 2007). In general, LMW PAHs are mostly derived from petrogenic sources, which include discharge of petroleum-related materials, and low temperature combustion, such as that of biomass and domestic coal (Mai et al., 2003;Mekonnen et al., 2015). ...
... Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are suspected or ascertained carcinogens and mutagens (IARC 2005).There are two types of anthropogenic sources, i.e. petrogenic that include crude and refined petroleum and pyrogenic coming from the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass (Isobe et al. 2007). The PAH hydrophilicity and mobility decrease as the number of rings increases (Iqbal et al. 2008). ...
Chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalateesters, parabens, siloxanes and squalene, all of them classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have been reported to occur in all environmental compartments. The effects of EDCs on development, reproduction, growth, metabolism and obesity constitute a real public health issue. A list of EDCs (> 40 compounds) were characterised in total suspended particulates (outdoor soot: 92 samples) collected in July–September 2016 in an Algiers urban area; besides, settled indoor dusts (36 samples) were collected between November and December 2016 in schools, homes, manufacture and hospital of the same province. The analytical procedure consisted of ultrasonic bath extraction, column chromatography separation into fractions of different polarity and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric processing. The total loads of phthalates ranging from 6.0 to 347 ng/m² (median, 26 ng/m²) were determined in indoor dust and 4.6 to 11.6 ng/m³ (median, 7.9 ng/m³) in outdoor soot; meanwhile, PAHs ranged from 12.1 to 108 ng/m² (median, 36 ng/m²) in indoor dust and ranged from 5.6 to 7.7 ng/m³ (median 5.7 ng/m³) in outdoor soot. Finally, illicit substances such as cocaine, cannabinol and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol were found to range from 0.5 to 11 pg/m³, 4.6 to 9.2 pg/m³ and 11 to 81 pg/m³, respectively, in outdoor soot.
Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure primarily occurs through dietary intake. This study aimed to estimate the extent of dietary BPA exposure among Koreans. A thorough literature search was conducted to establish a BPA content database encompassing common foods consumed in Korea, including various food raw materials and processed food products. Dietary exposure levels were estimated by integrating the constructed BPA database with comprehensive nationwide 24 h-dietary recall datasets. The finding revealed that dietary BPA exposure was low for most Koreans, with a mean of 14.5 ng/kg bw/day, but was higher for preschool-age children (over 23 ng). Canned foods accounted for 9-36% of the total dietary exposure of the highest dietary exposure groups; while across all age groups, a considerable amount was derived from canned tuna, contribution of canned fruits and canned coffee (milk-containing) was high for preschool-age children and adults, respectively. Notably, for adults, a substantial proportion also stemmed from beer packaged in cans. While diet contributed over 80% of aggregate exposure for most age groups, preschool-age children experienced 60% exposure through diet due to additional exposure from indoor dust. Even at the high exposure scenario, aggregate BPA exposure levels remained lower than the current tolerable daily intake (TDI) set by the Korean agency (20 μg/kg bw/day). Nevertheless, most Koreans were exposed to BPA levels surpassing the strictest TDI (0.2 ng/kg bw/day) set by the European Food Safety Authority.
This work describes a reliable, cheap, easy and fast method for analysis of nine bisphenols in mussel samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after trimethylsilylation.
Molluscs are among the most valuable resources of the Philippines, an archipelagic country of 7,107 islands bounded by 36,000 km of coastline and 26.6 million ha of coastal waters. In 2020, production from mussels and oysters alone valued at PhP1.552 billion. As primary sources of food and livelihood for marginalized fisherfolk, they are considered important in food security, nutrition, and poverty alleviation. Nevertheless, for almost a century, mollusc culture remained small-scale, with most fish farmers investing in non-fed species, like mussels and oysters. Moreover, mollusc culture in the country is still dependent on wild sources of seed stocks, making production unsustainable and unreliable. This dependence on the wild seed stocks will continue until the issue of the lack of commercial-scale hatcheries or the limited capacity of existing hatcheries to produce seeds, both for top and emerging mollusc aquaculture species, is resolved. Although technologies from broodstock management to post-harvest are available in some species, the lack of capital and the limited government support limit these artisanal fishers from doing large commercial-scale culture. This paper summarizes what has been done and published on the leading mollusc species cultured in the Philippines. Future research activities may be designed based on the research gaps to refine available technologies and develop new ones to improve culture production. The lack of or limited relevant information on the viable economics of the different culture techniques at different culture phases, the limited availability of post-harvest technologies, and the sparse or lack of genetic information for these leading mollusc species are among the gaps that need to be addressed.
Nonylphenols (NPs) are a degradation product of nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants, which occur in many samples from the environment, food, and human organism. NPs are persistent and toxic and exhibit estrogenic activity. One of the challenges in understanding the estrogenic effects of NPs is the large number of isomers that may exist in different samples. After analyzing selected foods from different countries by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, NPs were detected in 8 of the 12 food samples. The concentration of NPs, based on fresh weight, ranged from 0.5 to 18.9 μg kg⁻¹. The highest NP contents were found in coffee samples, and therefore an isomer-specific analysis was carried out by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOF-MS). Fourteen pure isomers of NP were used as standards for cross-referencing the NP isomers. We identified the two main NP isomers in the coffee samples as 4-[3-ethyl-1,1-dimethylpentyl]-phenol and 4-[1-ethyl-1,3-dimethylpentyl]-phenol or NP128 and NP111 (Juelich nomenclature), respectively. The GCxGC-TOF-MS system with a liquid nitrogen cryogenic modulator used in this study is suitable for the isomer-specific analysis of NP and can be applied and further optimized for future routine analysis in food control.
This chapter describes types and levels of contaminants released into the marine environment due to anthropogenic activities. The main sources of contamination and physico‐chemical properties of these substances are covered, as well as the common analytical methods used for their detection and quantification. The following are the main contaminants dealt with: heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, dioxins, brominated flame retardants, surfactants, endocrine‐disrupting compounds, pharmaceutical and personal care products, microplastics and nanoparticles. Also addressed are contaminant absorption and efficiency, kinetic modelling in contaminant bioaccumulation, factors affecting bioconcentration, mussel monitoring programmes and biological markers of pollution in marine mussel species, which include enzyme reactions, specific proteins, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, lysosome membrane stability and permeability, peroxisome proliferation, morphological damage and physiological and genotoxicity markers.
The aim of this a pioneering research is to investigate linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) as biomarkers of sewage pollution in sediments collected from four rivers and estuaries of the south and east of Peninsular Malaysia. The sediment samples went through soxhlet extraction, two-step column chromatography purification, fractionation and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) with multivariate linear regression (MLR) was used as well for source apportionment of LABs. The results of this study showed that total LAB concentration was 36–1196 ng g⁻¹dw. The internal to external isomer ratios (I/E ratio) of LABs were from 0.56 to 3.12 indicated release of raw sewage and primary and secondary effluents into the environment of south and east of Peninsular Malaysia. Our research supported that continuous monitoring of sewage pollution to limit the environmental pollution in riverine and estuarine ecosystem.
Assessment of 17 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was made to understand the sources, toxicity risk and biological impact in surface sediments of Malad and Versova creek of Mumbai. The concentration of ΣPAHs was found to vary in the range of 2915–4204 ng/g dw (mean 3367 ± 948 ng/gdw). The concentration of high molecular weight PAHs (HMW PAHs) in the range of 2378–3394 ng/g dw (mean 2723 ± 755 ng/g dw) was higher than that of low molecular PAHs (LMW PAHs) which was in the range of 528–810 ng/g dw (mean 644 ± 202 ng/g dw). The contribution of HMW PAHs to the ∑PAHs was 80.86% while that of LMW PAHs was 19.14%. The concentration of carcinogenic PAHs was 1452–1996 ng/g dw (mean 1631 ± 447 ng/g dw) having contribution of 48.43% to the ∑PAHs. The assessment of biological risk and toxicity was made based on toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) and sediment quality guideline quotient (SQGQ). The PAH levels are feared to increase in coming times thereby creating probable threat to the biological life and health hazard to the nearby human population.
Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic country and the fourth most populated nation, has struggled with coastal water pollution in the last decades. With the increasing population in coastal urban cities, more land-based pollutants are transported to the coastal water and adversely affected the tropical ecosystems. This paper provides an overview of anthropogenic pollutant studies in Indonesian coastal water and ecosystems from 1986 to 2021. Nutrients, heavy metals, organic pollutants, and plastic debris are the most-studied contaminants. We found that 82%, 54% and 50% of the studies exceeding nutrients, heavy metals, and organic pollutants standard limit, respectively; thus, indicating poor water quality status in part of Indonesian coastal water. The coral reef ecosystems is found to be the most sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance. The potential effect of climate change, new coastal pollution hotspots in eastern Indonesia, marine anthropogenic sources, legacy/emerging pollutants, and the need for research related to the biological contamination, are discussed for future opportunities.
Compared to other existing carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes are recognized for their significant properties. Despite their strong adsorption affinity, the difficulty of their dispersion and separation leads to limit their application in practical water treatment. Moreover, wastewater contamination by noxious organics such as bisphenol A and methylene blue dye compounds has become a world-wide environmental concern because they may be harmful to humans’ health and the ecosystem. Therefore, this article aims to explore the potential of economically directly growing carbon nanotubes on porous supports such as the powder activated carbon to develop a multiscale hybridized material and to investigate their expected potential as viable adsorbents for removing persistent organic contaminants.
Bisphenols are massively used in several manufacture processes such that bisphenol A (BPA) is ubiquitous in environment worldwide. After the implementation of regulations about BPA use, manufacturers have moved their production toward alternative substances structurally similar to it. Unfortunately, BPA analogues, given their structural similarity, exert also similar adverse effects. This review aims to investigate the occurrence of bisphenols (BPs) in bivalve molluscs. In this way, valuable information on the amount of BPs released into the environment in different areas are given. The current research indicates that BPA presence in bivalve molluscs has been investigated in Asia (Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean), Europe (Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea and Atlantic Ocean) and America (Lake Mead, Nevada) with the highest amount of studies reported in bivalves harvested in Asian Coasts. BPA analogues are frequently detected in several matrices and their levels will continuously increase in the environment. Nevertheless, there is a current lack of studies analysing BPs other than BPA in bivalves. Further investigations should be conducted in this direction, in order to assess environmental distribution and the hazard for animals and human health given that seafood consumption could be an important pathway of bisphenols intake.
This study aimed to investigate the sequestration of phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA), 4-t-octylphenol (4-t-OP), and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in the shells of the mature clam Rangia cuneata from the Vistula Lagoon (southern Baltic Sea) and to determine the influence of sex and shell length on bioaccumulation of these contaminants. Even though there is broad interest in EDCs influences on aquatic organisms, these basic parameters are poorly understood, yet necessary for assessing environmental risks for clams. Average proportions of the total body burden (ng/individual) deposited in shells of R. cuneata were more than 70% for BPA and 4-NP and up to 32% for 4-t-OP. These results indicate that shell storage can be an important route for elimination of specific EDCs. Relationships between EDCs concentrations and the size and sex of R. cuneata indicate that females and large individuals experience greater exposures to the adverse effects of these pollutants than males and smaller clams. This effect could have significant impacts on population ecology and ultimately affect the entire ecosystem, in which bivalves play an important role. In the context of using clams to assess water pollution, the co-variation of EDCs concentrations with the size and sex of bivalves could influence the quality of monitoring data, unless accounted for in sampling design and data analysis.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-recognized endocrine disruptor, and considering its adverse effects its use in infant bottles has been banned in many countries. Growing concern on the use of BPA has led to its replacement with its analogues in numerous applications. Present is the first report determining the occurrence of seven bisphenols (BPs: BPA, BPAF, BPC, BPE, BPFL, BPS, and BPZ) in Indian infant formula. A reliable and efficient UPLC-MS/MS method for their simultaneous determination was developed and validated in powdered infant formula (n = 68). The limit of quantification of the method was 0.19 ng/g for BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPS and BPZ and 0.78 ng/g for BPC and BPFL. The highest concentration was detected for BPA (mean = 5.46 ng/g) followed by BPZ and BPS. BPAF, BPFL, BPC and BPE were detected in none of the samples. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of total BPs in infants (0-12 months old infants) was determined to be 54.33-213.36 ng/kg b.w./day. BPA mainly contributed to the total intake (EDI = 92.76 ng/kg b.w./day). The dietary exposure to total BPs evaluated in the present study was approximately 1 order of magnitude lower than the reference value of BPA set by EFSA (4 μg/kg b.w./day) and, thus, may not pose considerable risks to infants.
Numerous studies have shown that microplastics are increasingly being observed in all components of most aquatic ecosystems of the world, entering the trophic chain through ingestion of organisms. In addition to various toxic compounds used as additives in their manufacture, during their residence in the aquatic environment, microplastics can adsorb pollutants present in the surrounding waters and be colonized by microorganisms forming a biofilm called plastisphere, where pathogens and microorganisms carrying antimicrobial resistance genes may be present. As microplastics remain for long periods in the aquatic environment combined with high buoyancy, they can be carried by ocean currents for great distances, thus dispersing pollutants, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance genes into various aquatic ecosystems around the world and endangering the biota of these environments. This chapter aims to show the current state of knowledge on the issue of microplastics and associated pollutants and microorganisms in aquatic environments, as well as some of the possible ecotoxicological effects caused by these associations on biota.
Teleost fishes are sensitive to the toxic effects of metals and can accumulate these elements in their body through direct uptake from water, via gills, and through diet acting as bioindicators of the availability of metals in water. Given the great diversity of metals and the consequent variability of their toxic effects, the use of multiple biomarkers considering different levels of biological organization is very important to understand their effects on fish. Among the biomarkers widely used for evaluation and monitoring metal contamination are the biochemical and physiological biomarkers, which are typically the initial responses to any toxicant. The behavior component does not constitute a specific level but runs transversally through this organizational structure, so that behavioral alterations may occur due to disturbances at one or more of biological levels. Thus, in this chapter, we will focus on biochemical, physiological, and behavioral changes related to metal effects on teleosts. Information on metal toxicity in Crustacea and mollusks is covered in the accompanying textbook, Aquaculture Pathophysiology.
Aquatic chemistry has become a rewarding and substantial area of research that is attracting many scientists. Its literature has changed from a compilation of composition tables to studies of chemical reactions that take place within aquatic environments. Given that the rivers deliver to the world’s oceans most of their dissolved and particulate components, the interactions of these two sets of waters determine the vitality of our coastal waters. This chapter not only provides an introduction to the dynamics of aquatic chemicals, but also identifies materials that endanger marine and fluvial resources. The information presented here will be of great value to environmental scientists dedicated to maintaining renewable hydrosphere resources. As the size of the world population will increase in the near future and the uses of materials and energy show parallel increases, rivers and oceans should be considered as a resource to accept some of society’s waste. The capacity of these waters and the sediments to accommodate the waste must be evaluated continuously. The information presented in this chapter is based on the review and evaluation of scientific publications and technical reports from various sources.
The phycoremediation of coastal water contaminated with bisphenol A (BPA) by Ulva prolifera (U. prolifera) during green tide blooming was investigated. The results demonstrated that BPA could be removed rapidly in the presence of U. prolifera. >94.3% of BPA was removed by live U. prolifera while <2.5% of BPA was removed by dead biomass. The accumulation of BPA in U. prolifera was confirmed by laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM). Uptake experiments under different conditions showed that the removal efficiency of BPA by U. prolifera had positive relationships with light, nutrient and temperature while the salinity had no effect. A linear relationship existed between the removal efficiency and the BPA initial concentration when the BPA initial concentration increased from 50 to1000 μg L⁻¹, indicating the high tolerance of the green-tidal algae to the toxic effect of BPA. High BPA removal efficiency (>94%) was achieved at the environmental relevant concentrations of BPA. The field investigation indicated that the BPA concentration in the coastal water in the green tide blooming area was much lower than that in the adjacent coastal water without green tide. The contribution of the green-tidal algae in the removal of BPA in the coastal waters was remarkable due to the high BPA removal efficiency, and high biomass & huge covered area of the U. prolifera during the outbreak of green tide. These findings demonstrate a new important phycoremediation process for coastal water containing typical endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during the green tide blooming.
Information on the occurrence and bioaccumulation of bisphenols and benzophenones in coastal marine invertebrates is limited. In this study, concentrations of eight bisphenol and five benzophenone analogues were determined in 186 mollusks collected from coastal areas of the Chinese Bohai Sea during the period 2006–2015. Total concentrations of bisphenols and benzophenones were in range of not detected (nd)–58 (geometric mean: 13.0 ng/g) and nd–59.1 (2.06 ng/g) on a dry-weight basis, respectively. BPA and BPF were the major bisphenols, collectively accounting for >90% of the total concentrations. BP-3 was the predominant benzophenone, representing 74% of the total concentrations. The mollusk species, Meretrix meretrix, accumulated high concentrations of both bisphenols and benzophenones. A steady increase in bisphenol concentrations in mollusks was observed in recent years, whereas no obvious temporal trend was found for benzophenones. The estimated daily intakes of bisphenols through consumption of mollusks were lower than the current reference dose. This study establishes a baseline concentration for bisphenols and benzophenones in mollusks in Chinese coastal waters.
Mollusks are an invaluable resource in the Philippines, but recent reviews on the status of museum collections of mollusks or research trends in the country are lacking. Such assessments can contribute to a more comprehensive evaluation of natural history museums in the Philippines, as well as biodiversity management. This review showed that local museums in the Philippines have much to improve in terms of their accessibility and geographic coverage in order to effectively cater to research and conservation needs of the country. Online access to databases was lacking for local museums, making it cumbersome to retrieve collection information. The UST museum held the most species and subspecies across all museums (4899), comparable to the national museums of countries such as the USA and France. In terms of size, there were larger Philippine mollusk collections in museums abroad. Majority of mollusk specimens come from Regions 4 and 7, while the CAR and Region 12 were least sampled. Publications on Philippine mollusks are dominated by taxonomic and biodiversity research. Around 80% of publications were on marine species. Therefore, there is a great need to (1) improve access to collections by publishing databases and collections online; (2) improve spatial coverage of mollusk sampling to have a better nationwide (and habitat) representation of Philippine mollusk diversity; (3) fill important knowledge gaps in the ecological assessment of exploited mollusks and minor taxa that will be useful in status assessment and management; and (4) build a network of functional museums to facilitate mollusk and invertebrate researches and conservation by making properly curated specimens available to more researchers nationwide.
Polar and nonpolar fractions prepared from an organic extract of inhalable air particulate material collected from an urban location in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, were examined for estrogen and Ah receptor-mediated activities using in vitro gene expression assays. The presence of estrogenic activity was determined using MCF-7 human breast cancer cells transiently transfected with a Gal4-human estrogen receptor chimera and a Gal4-regulated luciferase reporter gene. 2,3,7,8-Tetracholordibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-like activity was detected using Hepa 1c1c7 cells transiently transfected with a CYP1A1-regulated reporter gene (pGudLuc 1.1). Significant estrogenic and TCDD-like activity was detected in the crude extract and in the nonpolar fractions. Results from the analyses of nine environmentally prevalent polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) indicated that PAH might be significant contributors to the observed activity. Surprisingly, three PAH, namely benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, and benz[a]anthracene, were found to substantially induce in vitro estrogenic and TCDD-like activities that were mediated by the estrogen and Ah receptors, respectively. Benzo[k]fluoranthene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and anthracene also exhibited significant in vitro TCDD-like activity. These results demonstrate the utility of in vitro gene expression assays to identify the presence of potential endocrine disruptors within complex mixtures.
An estrogen-inducible screen was developed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in order to assess whether surfactants and their major degradation products are estrogenic. The DNA sequence of the human estrogen receptor (hER) was integrated into the yeast genome, which also contained expression plasmids carrying estrogen-responsive sequences (ERE) controlling the expression of the reporter gene lac-Z (encoding the enzyme β-galactosidase). Thus, in the presence of estrogens, β-galactosidase is synthesized and secreted into the medium, where it causes a color change from yellow to red. This recombinant strain was used to determine whether representatives of major surfactant classes and some of their principal degradation products possess estrogenic activity. The results were compared to the effects of the main natural estrogen 17β-estradiol. None of the parent surfactants tested possessed estrogenic activity. However, one class of surfactants, the alkylphenol polyethoxylates, degrade to persistent metabolites that were weakly estrogenic. Another group of degradation products, the sulfophenyl carboxylates, which are derived from the biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, do not appear to possess estrogenic activity.
Parent and alkyl PAHs (51 compounds and alkyl homologues) have been quantified in suspended particulates and sediments (345 samples) from the Fraser River system, British Columbia, Canada. The best potential to distinguish natural and anthropogenic sources is exhibited by ratios of the principal mass 178, 202, 228 and 276 parent PAHs, 1,7/2,6+1,7-DMP (dimethylphenanthrene), the phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene alkyl PAH series and several less commonly applied PAHs (e.g. acephenanthrylene and pentaphene). Using these ratios we infer sources of PAH to the Fraser basin and evaluate the consistency of these source assignments and the suitability of various commonly applied PAH ratios as indicators. PAH ratios and total concentration data reveal a basin lightly impacted by a variety of sources in its remote regions, especially near roads, but heavily impacted in urban areas, particularly near Vancouver. Contamination sources shift from biomass (e.g. wood and grass) burning to vehicle emissions between remote and urban locations. Stormwater and wastewater discharges appear to collect PAH from urban areas and release them as point sources. In contaminated areas ratios are specific for combustion vs. petroleum sources, and some ratios (202 and 276) distinguish biomass or coal from liquid fossil fuel combustion. At lower concentrations multiple sources at times make interpretations based on a single ratio misleading and the higher mass ratios (228 and 276) may be most applicable to urban areas. In all cases the examination of a variety of PAH indicator ratios that encompass a range of masses is necessary for a robust interpretation.
In studies to determine whether Saccharomyces cerevisiae produced estrogens, the organism was grown in culture media prepared using distilled water autoclaved in polycarbonate flasks. The yeast-conditioned media showed the presence of a substance that competed with [3H]estradiol for binding to estrogen receptors (ER) from rat uterus. However, it soon became clear that the estrogenic substance in the conditioned media was not a product of the yeast grown in culture, but was leached out of the polycarbonate flasks during the autoclaving procedure. [3H]Estradiol displacement activity was monitored by ER RRA, and the active substance was purified from autoclaved medium using a series of HPLC steps. The final purified product was identified as bisphenol-A (BPA) by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. BPA could also be identified in distilled water autoclaved in polycarbonate flasks without the requirement of either the organism or the constituents of the culture medium. Authentic BPA was active in competitive RRAs, demonstrating an affinity approximately 1:2000 that of estradiol for ER. In functional assays, BPA (10-25 nM) induced progesterone receptors in cultured human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) at a potency of approximately 1:5000 compared to that of estradiol. The BPA effect on PR induction was blocked by tamoxifen. In addition, BPA (25 nM) increased the rate of proliferation of MCF-7 cells assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Thus, BPA exhibited estrogenic activity by both RRA and two functional bioresponse assays. Finally, MCF-7 cells grown in media prepared with water autoclaved in polycarbonate exhibited higher progesterone receptor levels than cells.grown in media prepared with water autoclaved in glass, suggesting an estrogenic effect of the water autoclaved in polycarbonate. Our findings raise the possibility that unsuspected estrogenic activity in the form of BPA may have an impact on experiments employing media autoclaved in polycarbonate flasks. It remains to be determined whether BPA derived from consumer products manufactured from polycarbonate could significantly contribute to the pool of estrogenic substances in the environment.
A very sensitive and efficient analytical procedure is presented for the determination of 4-nonylphenols (NP) in blue mussels by use of off-line coupling of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). Combined steam distillation and solvent extraction were used to extract the analytes from the mussel samples. Before quantification by GC-MS the raw extracts were purified by normal-phase HPLC. 4-n-Nonylphenol was used as internal standard. The detection limit was 15 ng NP absolute, calculated from the blank value. The method was applied to the determination of NP in blue mussel samples from the German North Sea sampled over a period of 10 years. Collection, homogenization, and storage of the mussels were performed according to the Standard Operating Procedures of the German Environmental Specimen Bank since 1985. The total NP concentrations in the mussels decreased significantly from 1985 (4 microgram kg (-1)) to 1995 (1.1 microgram kg (-1)).
Contamination by organochlorine compounds (OCs) was examined in fish and mussels collected from Cambodia and other Asian developing countries in 1997 and 1998. DDT and its metabolites were the predominantly detected compound in both fish and mussel samples. PCBs were second highest; followed by HCHs, CHLs, and HCB. Freshwater fish contained higher concentrations of DDTs than marine fish and mussels, implying that the source of DDTs originated from inland watersheds such as the Mekong River, Basac River, Tonlesap River, and Tonlesap Great Lake. Comparison of the OC residue levels in fish and mussels from Cambodia with those in other Asian and Oceanic regions suggested that Cambodia is one of the countries least contaminated by OCs. In other words, it can be concluded that among Asian and Oceanic countries Cambodia has kept a 'Clean Environment'.
Aliphatic hydrocarbons and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) were determined in four species of molluscs of the Central Adriatic Sea: two bivalves, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Solen vagina and two gastropods, Patella vulgata, Cassidaria echinophora. The concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons determined in the mollusc samples were between 35.0 and 68.1 μg g-1 dry wt, and they may be considered within normal limits for areas reported to be mildly polluted. In P. vulgata and in C. echinophora over 70% and 50%, respectively, of the total aliphatic hydrocarbons are represented by highly branched isoprenoids (HBIs). In M galloprovincialis 30% is made up of squalene. These hydrocarbons are usually considered of recent biogenic origin, and in particular HBIs found in P. vulgata support previous suggestions that these alkenes might be considered molecular markers of the presence of some diatom species. LAB concentrations are between 3.2 and 15.9 μg g-1 dry wt and show that all four mollusc species are contaminated by these molecular tracers of domestic wastes. Based on their composition, the LABs appear to have been recently discharged into the marine environment. The high concentration of external isomers indicates that LABs have not been biodegraded. This is probably due to the fact that the wastes were not treated or were only partially treated prior to reaching the sampling area.
Surface sediments were collected in the Rhone delta, NW Mediterranean. The various hydrocarbon inputs showed distinct variations at the two seasons. Thus, pyrolytic inputs were significantly higher in winter, whereas other hydrocarbon inputs (fossil and natural) showed a slight increase in late summer. Distributions in the deltaic area, from the river mouth as far as the limit of the continental shelf, evidenced that hydrocarbons followed dissimilar dispersal modes depending on their origin, which indicated specific, non identical particle associations. -from Authors
The distribution of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) and linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LASs) in river sediments, suspended river particles, domestic wastes, and waste effluents around the Tokyo city area was investigated. LABs as well as LASs with alkyl carbon chain lengths in the range from 10 to 14 were found in all environmental samples and LAS-type synthetic detergents examined. These results indicate that LABs are carried into aquatic environments as a result of the use of synthetic detergents around the Tokyo metropolitan area. Further results are (1) LABs in urban river sediments originate predominantly from untreated domestic wastes, final effluents contributing only a minor portion of the LABs in sediments, (2) the isomeric composition of the LABs changes systematically during biodegradation, and (3) the ratio of LAS to LAB decreases as follows: commercial synthetic detergents > suspended particles in domestic wastes > river sediments > Tokyo Bay sediments.
Soils and recent marine sediments contain a complex polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon assemblage. The many series of alkylhomologs have a similar molecular weight distribution, and it varies little over a wide range of depositional environments. It is suggested that these hydrocarbons are formed in natural fires, are dispersed and mixed by air transport and eventually deposited into surface sediments. The analytical, geochemical and environmental implications of these findings are discussed.
Methylphenanthrene and methylchrysene distributions have been determined by Shpol'skii Spectroscopy in chromatographic fractions of various environmental samples, including Standard Reference Materials (SRM). This distribution demonstrated to be an indicator of the temperature of the formation of aromatic material in natural matrices. Specific isomer concentration ratios were calculated in each series and were proven to assess pyrolytic or petrogenic contamination in recent sediments.
The green mussel (Perna viridis) samples were collected from Indonesian coastal waters and some other Asian countries in the period of 1997-1998 to elucidate the present status of marine pollution by butyltin compounds (BTs) including mono- (MBT), di- (DBT), and tributyltin (TBT). BTs were detected in all the mussel samples from Indonesian coastal waters in the range of 3.7 to 64 ng/g wet wt as total butyltins (ΣBTs = MBT+DBT+TBT). The highest concentrations were found in green mussels from Jakarta Bay and Surabaya coastal waters. Relatively higher concentrations of BTs were detected in the mussels from adjacent areas of high maritime activities such as marina, harbour and fishing port. This suggests pollution of BTs arising from TBT usage in antifouling paints. BTs were also detected in mussels from aquaculture areas, implying TBT usage for fisheries activity. The composition of butyltin derivatives in green mussels from Indonesian coastal waters were in the order of TBT>MBT>DBT, suggesting fresh input of TBT in the marine environment. The contamination levels of BTs in green mussels from Indonesia were comparable or lower than those from other Asian developing countries. The elevated concentrations of BTs were found in mussels from some areas of Thailand, Philippines, India and Malaysia where residue levels of BTs were comparable to those in developed nations. Keywords Asian countries; butyltins; green mussels; Indonesian coastal waters; tributyltins
Sediment samples were collected from Xiamen Harbour, the People's Republic of China, and Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, and were analysed for non-aromatic hydrocarbons (NAHs), long-chain linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (HCHs, DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In Xiamen Harbour, concentrations varied from 3.1–32.9 μg g−1 for NAH, 2.9–61 μg g−1 for PAHs, 0.14–1.12 ng g−1 for HCHs, 4.45–311 ng g−1 for DDTs and 0.05–7.24 ng g−1 for PCBs. In Victoria Harbour, the concentration ranges of those pollutants were 60–646 μg g−1, 1.2–14.0 μg g−1, undetectable to 2.3 ng g−1, 1.38–30.3 ng g−1 and 3.2–16.0 ng g−1, respectively. The distribution patterns of various organic pollutants in the sediments are discussed. The NAH levels present in Victoria Harbour indicated that there was significant petroleum contamination in the harbour. Xiamen Harbour was slightly more contaminated by DDTs. LABs could be used as synthetic detergent tracers. From the data available, it is concluded that Victoria Harbour is more polluted than Xiamen Harbour. The structure of the benthic community provides further evidence to support this claim.
Measurements and estimates of aqueous solubilities, 1-octanol-water partition coefficients (K(ow)), and vapor pressures were made for 29 linear alkylbenzenes having alkyl chain lengths of 9-14 carbons. The ranges of values observed were vapor pressures from 0.002 to 0.418 Pa, log K(ow) from 6.83 to 9.95, and aqueous solubilities from 4 to 38 nmol.L-1. Measured values exhibited a relationship to both the alkyl chain length and the position of phenyl substitution on the alkyl chain. Measurement of the aqueous concentrations resulting from equilibration of a mixture of alkylbenzenes yielded higher than expected values, indicating cosolute or other interactive effects caused enhanced aqueous concentrations of these compounds.
Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) were first discharged to the environment in the early 1960s as a byproduct of linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) detergents. Recently there has been widespread interest in their use as markers of sewage effluent in the marine environment. However, there currently is no standard reference material that can be widely used for method development and/or quality control work by a laboratory wishing to do this type of analysis. An intercalibration study between two laboratories using marine sediment SRM1941a from the National Institute of Standards and Technology is reported. This standard was chosen because it is widely available, is homogeneous, and has certified values for many organic and inorganic components. The two laboratories used different extraction, purification, and quantification methods. Overall, agreement was good with an average relative percent difference between the laboratories of 11% for the 26 individual LAB congeners. Sediment LAB distribution in Narragansett Bay, an urban estuary that has been impacted by pollution, are reported. The concentrations of the total LABs or ΣLABs (sum of the 26 congeners) in surface sediments (0−2 cm) from throughout the bay was relatively low (median < 50 ng/g) with 8 of 41 stations having values below the detection limit (1 ng/g). In the urban rivers at the head of the bay, the Providence River, Seekonk River, and Taunton River concentrations were locally high with a few values exceeding 2000 ng/g total LABs. The I/E (internal/external C-12 isomers) ratio, which is a measure of the degree of degradation, indicates that treated sources (i.e. sewage effluents) together with local fresh sources (e.g. combined sewer overflows and boat cleaning detergents) are major contributors of LABs to the rivers. The observed decrease in ΣLAB concentration with distance downbay suggests that most of the LABs, along with concomitant sewage particles and associated pollutants, are deposited within a few kilometers of their source. Sediment cores from a river and mid bay station both had a subsurface maximum in ΣLABs and then decreased to background concentrations corresponding to the time period before LABs were first introduced into the environment.
Laboratory incubations of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), potential molecular tracers of domestic waste, were conducted to obtain experimental evidence of systematic microbial alteration of their isomeric composition. The results showed that external LAB isomers (E) are more rapidly biodegraded than internal LAB isomers (I). The degree of LAB degradation was found to be quantitatively related to the change in their isomeric composition. The isomeric composition, represented by I/E ratio, is proposed as an indicator of LAB degradation. The I/E ratio was applied to estimate the persistence of LABs around Tokyo. The results indicate that the degree of LAB degradation in estuarine and bay sediments is ~ 45%.
Degradation of alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO) surfactants in the environment leads to the formation of relatively hydrophobic compounds such as nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) that have been shown to have estrogenic activity. Previous studies have shown that sewage treatment plants (STPs) are point sources for these compounds in the aquatic environment. We collected sediment samples at several sites in the vicinity of STPs in Hamilton Harbour and in the Detroit River to determine the spatial distribution of the degradation products of APEOs. In addition, we deployed semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and caged freshwater mussels (Elliptio complanata) at these locations to determine the distribution of these compounds in the dissolved phase and their potential to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. The NP, OP, NP1EO, and NP2EO were found at μg/g (dry wt.) concentrations in sediments and accumulated to ng/g (wet wt.) concentrations in caged mussels near the STPs. However, in the Detroit River, the concentrations of these compounds declined to near background levels in the sediments, water column (i.e., SPMDs), and biota at stations about 1 km downstream from STPs. At stations in Hamilton Harbour, concentrations of APEO degradation products also declined markedly in sediments and SPMDs located a few hundred meters from the STP. These data indicate that degradation products of APEOs can be accumulated by biota near STPs. However, the environmental distribution of these compounds is localized to areas close to the point of discharge.
1 - CAPLUS AN 2002:943098(Journal)
The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been investigated in superficial sediments and mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) of the western Mediterranean sea (French Riviera, Corsica, Sardinia). The analyses were performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PAH concentrations ranged from 1 to 20,500 ng/g in the sediments. Different molecular indices allowed differentiation between the different pollutant sources. On the French coast, PAHs originated mainly from incomplete combustion of organic matter (pyrolytic origin), whereas for some sites in Corsica and Sardinia an overimposition of petrogenic PAHs occurred. The mussel PAH concentrations ranged from 25 to 390 ng/g. The total and individual PAH bioaccumulation factors were calculated. The correlation between sediment and mussel PAH content was discussed in terms of bioavailability. It was possible to distinguish different absorption routes for the xenobiotics according to their physicochemical properties. Because the mussel distribution of phenanthrene and anthracene seems to be governed by their water solubility, these compounds were probably mainly absorbed as the water-dissolved form, whereas the heavier molecular weight PAHs (more than four aromatic rings), whose sediment and mussel concentrations are correlated with higher correlation coefficients than for phenanthrene and anthracene, were probably mainly absorbed as adsorbed on particles. Furthermore, a possible preferential biotransformation of benzo[a]pyrene over benzo[e]pyrene is discussed.
Sediments and mussels (Mytilus edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis) were sampled in different European coastal environments (Germany, France, Spain) and analysed for their polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Bioaccumulation factors of individual compounds from the sediment were calculated and discussed according to the compound solubility. The mussels showed different accumulation patterns according to the pollution source they were exposed to (dissolved fraction of PAHs, particulate fraction, petroleum present in the water column). The exposure source also depends on the geographical location of the mussels. In the Mediterranean Sea, the bivalves were mainly exposed to the dissolved fraction of PAHs, while in the Baltic Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean, the PAHs associated to the particles were significant sources.
Linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the parent material from which the detergent surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is manufactured, has the potential to enter the environment from several sources. Solubility, vapor pressure and soil partition measurements indicate that LAB would be distributed in air or adsorbed to soil or sediment. The material does not accumulate to significant levels in fish (BCF = 35) or undergo chemical or photochemical degradation in screening studies. LAB is readily biodegradable in natural waters with half-lives for various isomers and homologs in the 4- to 9-day range. LAB is not acutely toxic to a variety of aquatic species, other than Daphnia magna, within its water solubility range. For Daphnia, chronic studies in clean water systems indicate both growth and reproduction to be affected in the 10 to 20 μg/L range. LAB is substantially removed by typical sewage treatment plants. Receiving waters collected from sites receiving low sewage effluent dilution generally contain less than 1 μg/L. Based on the ratio of the chronic no-effect level for Daphnia to the environmental concentration, the conservative nature of selected monitoring sites i.e., providing low sewage effluent dilution) and the fact that LAB partitions strongly to particulates in the water column, adequate environmental safety margins exist for LAB.
Alkylphenol polyethoxylate surfactants (APnEO) are used in many industrial, commercial and household applications. Their widespread
use has raised public concern about these chemicals and their degradation products in rivers and waterways. A gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed to determine 4-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol, alkylphenolpolyethoxylates (n=1–16), nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylic acid and octylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylic acid in surface water, effluent, and mussels.
The method is based on the derivatization of analytes with pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFB-Br), followed by chromatography
cleanup and GC-MS determinations. Method detection limits were in the range of 1 ng L−1 for surface water and effluent, and 3ng g−1 for mussel samples. Recovery of farget compounds ranged from 40–102% and 24–111% in water and mussel samples, respectively.
Several non-ionic surfactants were detected at concentrations ranging from 0.009 to 10.324 μgL−1 in the St. Lawrence River (surface water and sewage effluent) and at 177 to 12440 ng g−1 in mussels, introduced in this river for 62 days.
Contamination by butyltin (BTs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) in green mussels collected along the coastal areas of Thailand, Philippines and India during the period of 1994–1997 was examined. The BT residues in green mussel were widely detected, suggesting a widespread contamination along the coastal waters of Asian developing countries. Relatively high concentrations of BTs in green mussel were found in high boating activity and coastal aquaculture areas, implying the usage of TBT as a biocide in antifouling paints used on boat hulls and marine aquaculture facilities. The composition of BT derivatives in mussel was in the order of TBT>DBT>MBT, suggesting also the presence of significant butyltin source in Asian coast. BT residues pattern in green mussels from Thailand revealed higher levels in aquaculture than in boating activity sites. This result may indicate that the developing countries showing high economic growth rate (like Thailand) tend to increase the usage of TBT for aquaculture activities. BT contamination levels in Asian developing countries were lower than those in developed nations. However, considering the fact that the unregulated usage of organotins in Asian developing countries and the increasing demand for antifouling paints in Asia–Pacific regions, BTs contamination in aquatic environment may be serious in future. Concentrations of OCs detected in green mussels were lower than BTs. Considerable residues of p,p′-DDT found in mussel indicated the current usage of DDTs in Asian regions. HCHs and DDTs contamination in India is apparently higher than in other Asian developing countries. The present study clearly indicates that the aquatic environment in Asia–Pacific regions is still being contaminated by some OCs. To our knowledge, this is a first report on the detection of butyltin compounds in green mussels (Perna viridis) from Thailand, Philippines and India.
Sediments and marine organisms such as mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), fish (Mullus barbatus, Serranus scriba), crabs (Polybius henslowi) and shrimp-like crustaceans (mysids, euphausiids) were sampled on European coasts, France, Spain) and analysed for their PAH content by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PAH concentrations determined in the organisms were significantly negatively correlated with logKow values, but to different extents according to the species. This was explained by the greater exposure of the organisms to the lower molecular weight compounds with differences resulting from different feeding habits, habitat, and biotransformation capacities of the organisms in relation to trophic levels. The influence of these observations on the use of different sentinel species in biomonitoring programmes is discussed.
Malaysian coasts are subjected to various threats of petroleum pollution including routine and accidental oil spill from tankers, spillage of crude oils from inland and offshore oil fields, and run-off from land-based human activities. Due to its strategic location, the Straits of Malacca serves as a major shipping lane. This paper expands the utility of biomarker compounds, hopanes, in identifying the source of tar-balls stranded on Malaysian coasts. 20 tar-ball samples collected from the east and west coast were analyzed for hopanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Four of the 13 tar-ball samples collected from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia were identified as the Middle East crude oil (MECO) based on their biomarker signatures, suggesting tanker-derived sources significantly contributing the petroleum pollution in the Straits of Malacca. The tar-balls found on the east coast seem to originate from the offshore oil platforms in the South China Sea. The presence of South East Asian crude oil (SEACO) tar-balls on the west coast carry several plausible explanations. Some of the tar-balls could have been transported via sea currents from the east coast. The tankers carrying SEACO to other countries could have accidentally spilt the oil as well. Furthermore, discharge of tank washings and ballast water from the tankers were suggested based on the abundance in higher molecular weight n-alkanes and the absence of unresolved complex mixture (UCM) in the tar-ball samples. The other possibilities are that the tar-balls may have been originated from the Sumatran oil fields and spillage of domestic oil from oil refineries in Port Dickson and Malacca. The results of PAHs analysis suggest that all the tar-ball samples have undergone various extent of weathering through evaporation, dissolution and photo-oxidation.
Data on hydrocarbons, PCBs and total DDT in muscle, liver and gonads of Mullas barbatus. Trachurus trachurus, Merluccius merluccius, Engraulis enchrasicholus and Micromesistius poutassou collected along the Catalan Coast (NW Mediterrenean) are reported for the first time. The species and the collection sites—off Barcelona to the north (Palamôs) and to the south (Ehro Delta)—were selected for the assessment of the effects of coastal pollutant sources on commercially valuable organisms.Mullus barbatus reflects the influence of local sources, and is therefore a useful bioindicator for organic pollutants. Despite some scattering of the results, concentrations are in general of the same order of magnitude for juvenile and adult specimens, although the pollutants considered exhibit different biological fates. Hydrocarbons are accumulated primarily in liver, whereas organochlorinated compounds are accumulated in gonads. Liver and muscle contents could reflect acute and chronic pollutants inputs respectively. The accumulation in muscle is more important for aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons than for the saturated ones, which are probably metabolized in the liver.
Partition coefficients of octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPnEO, n = 1–3) were determined for and systems. In the octanol/water system, logarithmic values of the partition coefficients (log KOW) for the phenols were 4.12 and 4.48 for OP and NP, respectively. Slightly lower lipophilicity was found for APnEO with log KOW values of NP1EO, NP2EO and NP3EO around 4.2. The corresponding values in hexane/water system were approximately 0.8 logarithmic units lower but showed essentially the same ratio between NP and NPnEO as it was observed in the octanol water system. An attempt was made to estimate octanol/water partition coefficients for higher OPnEO and NPnEO oligomers. Application of reversed-phase HPLC for this purpose resulted in a significant overestimation. Alternatively, octanol/water partition coefficients for the higher APnEO oligomers were estimated (i) using an equation that correlates log KOW with solubility and (ii) converting the respective partition coefficients to the octanol/water coefficients.
Aerobic degradation in the laboratory of C11–C14 linear alkylbenzenes by pure cultures of bacterial strains () revealed that biodegradation of individual isomers increases when the phenyl group is closer to the end of the alkyl chain. This result contributes to the understanding of the fate of these compounds in the aquatic environment and proves that the similar selective biodegradation observed within the isomeric components in ABS surfactants is not constrained by the presence of the sulphonate group in the molecule as previously suggested.
Data are presented for trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aromatic hydrocarbons and 239,240Pu in Mytilus edulis, M. californianus, and Crassostrea sp. colected in the U.S. Mussel Watch program in 1976-1978 from 62 locations on the U.S. east and west coasts. General similarities in geographical distributions of concentrations were present in all 3 years with at least an order of magnitude elevation of concentrations of Pb, PCBs, and fossil fuel hydrocarbons in bivalves sampled near the larger urban areas. Elevated Cd and 239,240Pu concentrations in bivalves from the central California coast are apparently related to enrichments of Cd and nuclear weapons testing fallout 239,240Pu in intermediate depth water of the North Pacific and upwelling of this water associated with the California Current system. Our data have revealed no evidence of local or regional systematic elevations of environmental concentrations of 239,240Pu as a result of effluent releases from nuclear power reactors.
A suite of secondary C10-14-substituted benzenes known as linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) were found in southern California's municipal wastes. These compounds are manufactured for the production of the linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) surfactants used in commercial detergent formulations. Thus, their appearance in wastes is believed to result from incomplete sulfonation of the linear alkylbenzenes and subsequent carryover in detergents and/or by desulfonation of LAS. LABs were evaluated as waste tracers in the marine environment by determining their concentration and composition in suspended particulate matter and sediments in the vicinity of a major wastewater outfall system. They appear to be preserved in sediments for time periods of 10-20 years. A complex assemblage of surfactant-related branched alkylbenzenes was also found in the waste-affected sediments. Sedimentary distributions of both the linear and branched alkylbenzenes are discussed in terms of the historical emission of wastes in Los Angeles and surfactant usage rates. The results demonstrate that LABs are potentially useful as molecular tracers of domestic wastes and, under appropriate conditions, as geochronological tools.
Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), coprostanol and epi-coprostanol, were detected in sediment trap and bottom sediment samples at the Deep Water Dump Site 106 located 185 km off the coast of New Jersey, in water depths from 2400 to 2900 m. These findings clearly indicate that organic pollutants derived from dumped sludge are transported through the water column and have accumulated on the deep-seafloor. No significant difference in LABs isomeric composition was observed among sludge and samples, indicating little environmental biodegradation of these compounds. LABs and coprostanol have penetrated down to a depth of 6 cm in sediment, indicating the mixing of these compounds by biological and physical processes. Also, in artificially resuspended surface sediments, high concentrations of LABs and coprostanols were detected, implying that sewage-derived organic pollutants initially deposited on the deep-sea floor can be further dispersed by resuspension and transport processes. Small but significant amounts of coprostanol were detected in the sediment from a control site at which no LABs were detected. The coprostanol is probably derived from feces of marine mammals and sea birds and/or from microbial or geochemical transformations of cholesterol. Polcyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment trap samples from the dump site were largely from the sewage sludge and had a mixed petroleum and pyrogenic composition. In contrast, PAHs in sediments in the dump site were mainly pyrogenic; contributed either from sewage sludge or from atmospheric transport to the overlying waters.
U.S. and European regulators and researchers disagree over risks of a common class of surfactants.
It is becoming evident that an increasing number of widely used industrial and agricultural chemicals are estrogenic. The biodegradation products of a major group of nonionic surfactants, the alkylphenol polyethoxylates, are one such group. Some of these chemicals are widespread aquatic pollutants, and bioconcentrate in aquatic biota. Exposure of male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to four different alkylphenolic chemicals caused synthesis of vitellogenin, a process normally dependent on endogenous estrogens, and a concomitant inhibition of testicular growth. The magnitude of these estrogenic effects was dependent on the estrogenic potency of the chemical, the stage of reproductive development of the fish, and the concentration of the chemical in the water. These results support the contention that exposure of wildlife to environmentally persistent estrogenic chemicals can result in deleterious reproductive consequences.
Mean concentrations of PAHs, PCBs, and DDT in mollusks and sediments at sites in the National Status and Trends Program (NST) are distributed in log-normal fashion. The dry weight-based chlorinated organic concentrations in mollusks generally exceed those in nearby sediments by an order of magnitude. PAHs are found at similar concentrations in sediments and mollusks. Highest concentrations of PCBs and DDT in mollusks are in the ranges of 1000 to 4000 ng/g (dry) and 400 to 1000 ng/g (dry), respectively. The highest PAH concentrations in sediments are in the 10,000 to 50,000 ng/g (dry) range. While higher concentrations of contaminants can be found by sampling localized hot spots, the NST data represent the distribution of concentrations over general areas of the coastal United States.
Anaerobically treated sewage sludge was found to contain extraordinarily high concentrations of 4-nonylphenol, a metabolite derived from nonionic surfactants of the nonylphenol polyethoxylate type. Concentrations in activated sewage sludge, in mixed primary and secondary sludge, and in aerobically stabilized sludge were substantially lower, suggesting that the formation of 4-nonylphenol is favored under mesophilic anaerobic conditions. Because 4-nonylphenol may be highly toxic to aquatic life, further research is needed on the fate of 4-nonylphenol after sludge is disposed of in the environment.
Bisphenol A (CAS 85-05-7) may be released into the environment through its use and handling, and permitted discharges. BPA is moderately soluble (120 to 300 mg/L at pH 7), may adsorb to sediment (Koc 314 to 1524), has low volatility, and is not persistent based on its rapid biodegradation in acclimated wastewater treatment plants and receiving waters (half-lives 2.5 to 4 days). BPA is "slightly to moderately" toxic (algal EC50 of 1000 micrograms/L) and has low potential for bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms (BCFs 5 to 68). The chronic NOEC for Daphnia magna is > 3146 micrograms/L. Surface water concentrations are at least one to several orders of magnitude lower than chronic effects, with most levels nondetected.
Surveys of 4-nonylphenols (NOs) and 4-tert-octylphenol (OC) were performed for water and fish samples obtained from eight rivers flowing into Lake Biwa once every two months from April 1998 to March 1999. For water samples, NOs were detected all the year round (0.11-3.08 ng ml(-1)) at high frequency (48/48) in the eight rivers. OC was detected at lower concentrations (ND approximately 0.09 ng ml(-1)) and at lower frequency (23/48). The concentrations of NOs in the river water always showed minimum values at 5-8 degrees C in winter. It was presumed that the formation of NOs by the biotransformation of nonylphenol polyethoxylates decreased much in the sludge treatment of nonionic surfactants at the low temperature (5-8 degrees C) in winter. Average BCF values of NOs and OC in the six kinds of fish were calculated from the field data. The field BCF values of NOs 15-31 in the six kinds of fish were lower than the laboratory BCF values of 167 in Killifish and 282 in Salmon. For OC, the field BCF values 129-297 for the three kinds of fish were nearly equal to the laboratory BCF value, 261, in Killifish.
Distributions of alkylphenols (APs) [i.e., nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP)], and nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) in wastewater effluents, river water, and riverine and bay sediments in the Tokyo metropolitan area were demonstrated. During sewage treatments, NP and OP were efficiently removed from the sewage effluents through activated sludge treatments. Greater removal for NP (93% on average) than OP (84% on average) was consistent with their partitioning behavior to particles in primary and secondary effluents. NP concentrations in the river water samples ranged from 0.051 to 1.08 microg/L with higher concentrations in summer and spring than in colder seasons. In the river water samples, approximately 20% of NP was found in the particulate phase. Organic carbon-normalized apparent partition coefficients (K'OC) for NP (10(5.22 +/- 0.38)) and OP (10(4.65 +/- 0.42)) were 1 order of magnitude higher than those expected from their octanol-water partition coefficients (K(OW)), indicating strong affinity of APs to aquatic particles. Among NP isomers, no significant differences in their K'OC values were suggested. This is consistent with surprisingly uniform isomer peak profiles among the technical standard and all the environmental samples analyzed. NP and OP were widely distributed in the river sediments in Tokyo, and relatively high concentrations (0.5-13.0 microg/g dry) of NP were observed in a long reach (approximately 10 km) in the Sumidagawa River. In situ production of APs in the river sediment was suggested. Seaward decreasing trend in APs concentration was observed from the estuary to the Tokyo Bay. APs were well preserved in a sediment core collected from the bay. The profile shows subsurface maximum of AP concentrations in the layer deposited around the mid-1970s. The recent decrease in AP concentrations can be attributed to the legal regulation of industrial wastewater in the early 1970s.
Plastic resin pellets (small granules 0.1-0.5 centimeters in diameter) are widely distributed in the ocean all over the world. They are an industrial raw material for the plastic industry and are unintentionally released to the environment both during manufacturing and transport. They are sometimes ingested by seabirds and other marine organisms, and their adverse effects on organisms are a concern. In the present study, PCBs, DDE, and nonylphenols (NP) were detected in polypropylene (PP) resin pellets collected from four Japanese coasts. Concentrations of PCBs (4-117 ng/g), DDE (0.16-3.1 ng/g), and NP (0.13-16 microg/g) varied among the sampling sites. These concentrations were comparable to those for suspended particles and bottom sediments collected from the same area as the pellets. Field adsorption experiments using PP virgin pellets demonstrated significant and steady increase in PCBs and DDE concentrations throughout the six-day experiment, indicating that the source of PCBs and DDE is ambient seawater and that adsorption to pellet surfaces is the mechanism of enrichment. The major source of NP in the marine PP resin pellets was thought to be plastic additives and/or their degradation products. Comparison of PCBs and DDE concentrations in mari
Muscle tissues of a bottom-dwelling marine fish, white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus), collected near a large wastewater outfall in southern California, USA, were analyzed for long-chain linear alkylbenzenes (LABs). Total LABs (summed concentrations of C11 through C14 isomers) were highest (166-748 ng g-1 wet wt) in individuals collected in the immediate vicinity of the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD; Fountain Valley, CA, USA) outfall diffuser, whereas relatively lower concentrations occurred in fish from mid-shelf and inshore locations at distances of 2.5 and 5 km, respectively, from the outfall. Fish tissue LAB concentrations were roughly proportional to sediment LAB concentrations at the respective collection sites. The extent of LAB degradation, as determined by ratios of internal to external C12 isomers, did not appear to relate to LAB concentrations or sampling location. Tissue DDT and PCB concentrations were not significantly correlated with LABs and, thus, did not appear to relate to recent exposures to sewage residues from the OCSD discharge. Measurements of LAB concentrations in fish tissues may be widely applicable as a monitoring tool for interpreting exposures to sewage discharges.
Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) were used to assess the fates of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) released to a large urban harbor and the adjoining offshore waters. We found that particulate concentrations of the individual C12 LAB isomers in 1996 summertime surface waters decreased from 1 pM in Boston Harbor to 20-200 fM in coastal Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. Levels fell to only a few fM in offshore Gulf of Maine locations. These observations were consistent with municipal wastewater in Boston Harbor as the predominant input followed by dispersal via known circulation patterns in this region. Phase-dependent removal rate coefficients for flushing, vertical scavenging, volatilization, photodegradation, and biodegradation of individual LAB isomers were constrained from literature, field observations, and laboratory experiments and combined with estimates of wastewater release rates into a predictive 3-box model. Vertical scavenging, biodegradation, and flushing were predicted to be the most important fate processes for C12 LABs in the Boston Harbor-MA Bay-Cape Cod Bay flow system with about 1% of the harbor releases "surviving" passage. For HOCs such as the relatively bio-recalcitrant LAB, 6-phenyldodecane, it appears that we are at present able to predict the coastal fate of harbor-introduced HOCs in this system within a factor of 2. Contrary to expectations from biodegradation experiments, the ratio of internal-to-external (I/E) LAB isomers decreased offshore in both water and sediment samples, suggesting we are "missing" an important process affecting LAB fates.
This paper reports the first group of results on alkylphenol (APE) contamination of seafood in the Adriatic Sea, in the framework of a national project on the quality of this Sea (PRISMA 2). Nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and their ethoxylates (NPE and OPE) were detected in edible molluscs, either filter feeders or predators (clams, mussels, cuttlefishes, and squids), caught from 15 harbors along the Italian coast in the Adriatic Sea in 1997. NP was the compound found always at levels much higher than the other APEs in all the examined species. It reached the maximum concentration of 696 ng/g fresh weight in the squids from the central Adriatic Sea. OP generally occurred at levels 30 times lower than NP. OP was found up to a level of 18.6 ng/g in squids from central Adriatic Sea. OPE was the compound always spotted at the lowest concentrations, up to 0.43 ng/g. NPE was always below the detection limit. The pattern of contamination in the three areas examined was different between bivalve and cephalopod species. No exhaustive risk assessment for marine organisms and human health can be conducted on the basis of these results because data are insufficient. Yet, the occurrence of NP suggests a negligible risk for mussels, which represent the only molluscs for which data are adequate. As to the possible human health implications, the consumption of molluscs of the Adriatic Sea implies APE intakes that are some orders of magnitude lower than those responsible for toxic effects in laboratory animals. Despite these apparently low risks for mussels and human health, the reasons for concern still remain because the levels of alkylphenols found in this study indicate a general contamination of the Adriatic Sea even far from the cost. Furthermore, these levels might represent an unacceptable hazard for other marine organisms. Finally, they contribute to the general environmental estrogen pool.
A simple automated extraction method for the determination of alkylphenolic compounds in fish tissue is reported. Pressurized fluid extraction is used to extract ground fish tissue, and the resulting extract is purified on aminopropyl silica (APS) extraction cartridges. With no further sample preparation, nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates, up to nonylphenol pentaethoxylate, are quantitated using normal phase (APS Hypersil) high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The major advantage of this technique is elimination of the conventional gel permeation cleanup step, a lengthy procedure designed to remove fish lipids. Spiked recoveries with lake trout averaged 85% for the six NP and NP ethoxylates that were investigated. Tissue concentrations of NP and NP ethoxylates determined in fish from various locations of the Great Lakes region ranged from 18 to 2075 ng/g, wet weight.
This is the first publication on the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in riverine and coastal sediments in South East Asia where the rapid transfer of land-based pollutants into aquatic environments by heavy rainfall and runoff waters is of great concern. Twenty-nine Malaysian riverine and coastal sediments were analyzed for PAHs (3-7 rings) by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Total PAHs concentrations in the sediment ranged from 4 to 924 ng/g. Alkylated homologues were abundant for all sediment samples. The ratio of the sum of methylphenanthrenes to phenanthrene (MP/P), an index of petrogenic PAHs contribution, was more than unity for 26 sediment samples and more than 3 for seven samples for urban rivers covering a broad range of locations. The MP/P ratio showed a strong correlation with the total PAHs concentrations, with an r2 value of 0.74. This ratio and all other compositional features indicated that Malaysian urban sediments are heavily impacted by petrogenic PAHs. This finding is in contrast to other studies reported in many industrialized countries where PAHs are mostly of pyrogenic origin. The MP/P ratio was also significantly correlated with higher molecular weight PAHs such as benzo[a]pyrene, suggesting unique PAHs source in Malaysia which contains both petrogenic PAHs and pyrogenic PAHs. PAHs and hopanes fingerprints indicated that used crankcase oil is one of the major contributors of the sedimentary PAHs. Two major routes of inputs to aquatic environments have been identified: (1) spillage and dumping of waste crankcase oil and (2) leakage of crankcase oils from vehicles onto road surfaces, with the subsequent washout by street runoff. N-Cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazolamine (NCBA), a molecular marker of street dust, was detected in the polluted sediments. NCBA and other biomarker profiles confirmed our hypothesis of the input from street dust contained the leaked crankcase oil. The fingerprints excluded crude oil, fresh lubricating oil, asphalt, and tire-particles as major contributors.