At the Intersection of Urbanization, Water, and Food Security: Determination of Select Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Mussels and Oysters from Hong Kong

Abstract

Aquaculture, which is growing 3-5 times faster than terrestrial agriculture, will play an important role to meet future global food production needs. However, over 80% of global sewage production is returned to the environment untreated or poorly treated. In developing nations, these nontraditional waters of diverse quality are being recycled for aquaculture, yet chemical residues are differentially studied. Here, we examined pharmaceuticals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and flame retardants in marine bivalves using isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LP GC-MS/MS). Green-lipped mussels from the field and oysters from aquaculture net pens, which are harvested as food products, were collected adjacent to point source municipal wastewater and landfill leachate effluent discharges, respectively, in Hong Kong, the fourth most densely populated country in the world. Multiple classes of pharmaceutical, pesticides, PAHs, and phosphorus-based flame retardants were detected at low μg/kg levels. Acceptable servings per week indicated minimal risk for a number of chemicals; however, such calculations could not be performed for other contaminants of emerging concern. Future efforts are needed to better understand contaminant influences on marine bivalve populations and aquaculture product safety, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions of developing countries with limited wastewater infrastructure.

Development of multi-residue extraction procedures using QuEChERS and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of different types of organic pollutants in mussel

“…QuEChERS is highly used for pesticide extraction. The results of the present study are in concordance with previous studies, which show QuEChERS (which is usually followed by a dSPE containing MgSO4, PSA and C18) as suitable methodology for pesticides extraction in aquatic biota [20,61,62]. Although, QuEChERS is not a common method for pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and PFASs extraction.…”

Comprehensive Strategy for Sample Preparation for the Analysis of Food Contaminants and Residues by GC–MS/MS: A Review of Recent Research Trends

“…PBDE congeners have been detected in foods consumed by the general population. Importantly, both PBDEs and OH-PBDEs can alter calcium homeostasis and disrupt intracellular communication [109][110][111]. QuEChERS is a suitable preparation method for PBDEs detection; however, when using other extraction methods, lipids and proteins need to be removed from the sample by using KOH solution/n-hexane partition or GPC process.…”

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for Asia

“…For example, 80% of sewage produced around the world is released untreated to surface waters (World Water Assessment Programme 2017). Unfortunately, terrestrial agriculture and aquaculture efforts are practiced in urban and periurban areas receiving wastewater discharges (Burket et al 2018). Integrated challenges among urbanization and water and food security are thus pronounced in Asia, where 22 megacities (>10 million people) are projected to exist by 2030 and where over one-third of the human population will live in 2050 (United Nations 2018).…”

“…This priority research question identifies a timely need to develop more sustainable aquaculture practices in Asia, which at the same time do not impair environmental quality and are not associated with unacceptable risks for aquaculture product safety (Sapkota et al 2008;Burket et al 2018), ecosystem services, and biodiversity (Rico et al 2012). To address this question, a coordinated effort will be required across the environmental toxicology and chemistry, agriculture, ecology, and public health disciplines.…”