Persistent Organic Pollutants Burden, Trophic Magnification and Risk in a Pelagic Food Web from Coastal NW Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The storage capacity, trophic magnification and risk of sixty-two POPs have been evaluated in a well-characterized pelagic food web (including phytoplankton, zooplankton, six fish, and two cephalopods species) from an impacted area in NW Mediterranean Sea. Our results show the high capacity of the planktonic compartment for the storage of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), consistent with their estimated low trophic magnification factors (TMF) of 0.2–2.0 (PBDEs) and of 0.3–1.1 (PCDD/Fs). ∑PBDEs dominated in the zooplankton size-class 200–1000 μm (∼330 ng g–1 lw, median), whereas ∑PCDD/Fs accumulated preferentially in phytoplankton size-class 0.7–200 μm (875 pg g–1 lw, median). In contrast, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were preferentially bioaccumulated in the higher trophic levels (six fish species and two cephalopods) with TMFs = 0.8–3.9, reaching median concentrations of 4270 and 3140 ng g–1 lw (∑PCBs) in Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) and chub mackerel (Scomber colias), respectively. For these edible species, the estimated weekly intakes of dioxin-like POPs for humans based on national consumption standards overpassed the EU tolerable weekly intake. Moreover, the concentrations of nondioxin-like PCBs in S. sarda were above the EU maximum levels in foodstuffs, pointing to a risk. No risk evidence was found due to consumption of all other edible species studied, neither for PBDEs. The integrated burden of POPs in the food web reached ∼18 μg g–1 lw, representing a dynamic stock of toxic organic chemicals in the study area. We show that the characterized food web could be a useful and comprehensive “bioindicator” of the chemical pollution status of the study area, opening new perspectives for the monitoring of toxic chemicals in Mediterranean coastal waters.

Spatial distribution and ecological risks of polychlorinated biphenyls in a river basin affected by traditional and emerging electronic waste recycling in South China

“…Since PCBs are persistent, highly bioaccumulative, and toxic organic contaminants, evaluating the health and ecological risks of PCBs in soils and sediments is imperative (Brázová et al, 2021;Castro-Jiménez et al, 2021;Teunen et al, 2021;Valizadeh et al, 2021). However, there are currently no harmonized standards in China.…”

Global PBDE contamination in cetaceans. A critical review

“…At the same time, increased precipitation and atmospheric aerosols could enhance POPs' deposition to aquatic ecosystems (Castro-Jiménez et al, 2017;Macdonald et al, 2003;Noyes et al, 2009). A high contribution of BDE-209 (70-75% of the detected ΣPBDEs) has been documented in zoo-and phytoplankton as a possible consequence of the constant atmospheric input through dry deposition (Castro-Jiménez et al, 2021;.…”

“…Heightened levels of deca-BDE were observed in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) from the Laurentian Great Lakes (Su et al, 2015) and top predator birds from the Arctic (Verreault et al, 2018), sampled during 2012-2013. Even if BDE-209 is highly hydrophobic and has low water solubility, making it hardly bioavailable, evidence suggests that its biomagnification may take place in aquatic food webs (Castro-Jiménez et al, 2021;Johnson-Restrepo et al, 2005). In addition, its affinity to abiotic matrices such as sediments generates a large contaminant reservoir that put at risk low-trophic level species and their feeders.…”

Engine oil from agricultural machinery as a source of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in free-range hens

“…PCDD/ Fs and PCBs are toxic substances that are commonly found in the environment, belonging to the group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention 2001). They are characterized by long degradation times and lipophilic properties, which result in their bioaccumulation in the fatty tissue of animals and their biomagnification in the food chain (Romero-Romero et al 2017;Castro-Jiménez et al 2021;Prince et al 2021). Long-term exposure of humans to these compounds, even at very low doses, can increase the risk of adverse health effects, such as hormonal imbalances, immunological disorders, reproductive disorders, and cancer (Mocarelli et al 2008;EFSA 2013EFSA , 2018Fábelová et al 2019;Onozuka et al 2021;Rocha et al 2021).…”