Distribution of phthalates in Marseille Bay (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) are a group of emerging organic contaminants that have become a serious issue because of their ubiquitous presence and hazardous impact on the marine environment worldwide. Seawater samples were collected monthly from December 2013 to November 2014 in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Marseille Bay). The samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as well as the molecular distribution of dissolved PAEs by using solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. The results demonstrated the occurrence of six PAEs, including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), with total concentrations ranging from 130 to 1330ngL (av. 522ngL). In Marseille Bay, the highest concentrations were detected in the bottom water from June to November 2014 and in the whole water column during the winter mixing period. This result suggests that resuspension of PAE-rich sediment, in relation to the accumulation of plastic debris above the seabed, or the higher degradation rate in the upper layer of the water column, plays a significant role in the PAE dynamics in coastal water. DEHP was the most abundant PAE in all of the surface samples and the summer bottom samples, followed by DiBP and DnBP, which also represent the largest fractions in the other bottom samples.

Atmospheric particle-bound organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers in a North African Mediterranean coastal city (Bizerte, Tunisia)

“…The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed environment of high ecological and socioeconomic relevance (The Mermex group, 2011). This ecosystem has been documented to be largely impacted by legacy POPs and other organic contaminants (Paluselli et al, 2018;The Mermex group 2011;Berrojalbiz et al, 2011Berrojalbiz et al, , 2011bBerrojalbiz et al, , 2014Castro-Jiménez et al, 2008, 2010, 2012Mandalakis et al, 2005) as well as by plastic fragments (Cózar et al, 2015;Schmidt et al, 2018), which may be potential sources of OPEs to the overlying atmosphere in accumulation zones (Cheng et al, 2013). However, few data exist on OPE baseline levels and environmental behaviour in the Mediterranean Sea.…”

Urban Watercourses in Peril: Implications of Phthalic Acid Esters on Aquatic Ecosystems Caused by Urban Sprawl

“…Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are reported to be a group of emerging organic contaminants, which are ubiquitously present in aquatic environments worldwide [1]. PAEs are added to plastic and polyvinyl chloride manufacturing industries as a plasticizer to enhance beneficiary attributes of final products such as softness [2], flexibility [3], durability and longevity [4], and workability [5].…”

One-Single Extraction Procedure for the Simultaneous Determination of a Wide Range of Polar and Nonpolar Organic Contaminants in Seawater

“…Moreover, the persistence of emerging contaminants, such as perfluorinated flame retardants (PFCs), together with their ubiquitous detection and high toxicity resulting in sub-ppt EU Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) prompted growing concern (Kaserzon et al, 2012). In addition to the direct release of chemicals in the environment, several organic compounds, such as plastic additives, can be indirectly introduced in aquatic environment following leaching of marine litter such as plastic debris (Net et al, 2015b;Murphy et al, 2016;Suhrhoff and Scholz-Böttcher, 2016;Paluselli et al, 2018b). The release of organic compounds initially included in plastic materials, e.g., phthalates (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and bisphenols (BPs) is otherwise identified among the most critical hazards associated with plastic discharge in the environment (Hermabessiere et al, 2017;Hahladakis et al, 2018).…”