Substituted Diphenylamine Antioxidants and Benzotriazole UV Stabilizers in Aquatic Organisms in the Great Lakes of North America: Terrestrial Exposure and Biodilution

Abstract

Substituted diphenylamine antioxidants (SDPAs) and benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZT-UVs) are industrial additives of emerging environmental concern. However, the bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and spatial distribution of these contaminants in the Great Lakes of North America are unknown. The present study addresses these knowledge gaps by reporting SDPAs and BZT-UVs in herring gull (Larus argentatus) eggs, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), and their food web in the Great Lakes for the first time. Herring gull eggs showed much higher detection frequency and concentrations of target SDPAs and 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-di-tert-pentylphenol (UV328) than that of the whole body fish homogenate. For herring gull eggs, the samples from upper Great Lakes contained significantly greater levels of SDPAs than those eggs from lower lakes, possibly due to the differences in terrestrial food in diet. Interestingly, the predominant SDPAs in herring gull eggs were dinonyl- (C9C9) and monononyl-diphenylamine (C9) which were previously shown to be less bioaccumulative than other SDPAs in fish. In contrast, dioctyl-diphenylamine (C8C8) was the major SDPA in lake trout, and biodilution of C8C8 was observed in a Lake Superior lake trout food web. Such variations in herring gull eggs and fish indicate the differences in accumulation and elimination pathways of SDPAs and BZT-UVs and require further elucidation of these mechanisms.

Tissue Distribution, Growth Dilution, and Species‐Specific Bioaccumulation of Organic Ultraviolet Absorbents in Wildlife Freshwater Fish in the Pearl River Catchment, China

“…Organic ultraviolet absorbents (UVAs), including UV filters (UVFs) and UV stabilizers (UVSs), are widely used in consumer and industrial products (such as personal care products, textiles, paints, and plastics) to minimize UV radiation–induced harm. As a result, various UVAs have been detected pervasively in the environment (Balmer et al ; Nakata et al , ; Kameda et al ; Kim et al ; Gago‐Ferrero et al , ; Groz et al ; Lai et al ; Tsui et al , ; Langford et al ; Monforte et al ; Sang and Leung ; Wick et al ; Peng et al ; Liao et al ; Mao et al ; Parajulee et al ; Tovar‐Sanchez et al ).…”

“…Some UVAs have been found to be bioaccumulative. For instance, 2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzophenone (BP‐3), octocrylene (OCR), 2‐ethylhexyl‐4‐methoxycinnamate (EHMC), and benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZT‐UVSs) have been detected in various organisms including invertebrates, fish, birds, and marine mammals (Balmer et al ; Buser et al ; Nakata et al , ; Fent et al ; Kim et al ; Groz et al ; Langford et al ; Lu et al , , ; Wick et al ; Peng et al ). In addition, these UVAs have been proved and/or suspected to be endocrine disrupting in fish and mammals (Fent et al , ; Downs et al ; Liang et al ).…”

“…In addition, these UVAs have been proved and/or suspected to be endocrine disrupting in fish and mammals (Fent et al , ; Downs et al ; Liang et al ). Some BZT‐UVSs have been considered to be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals and are managed as substances of very high concern in Europe (Lu et al ).…”

“…However, little is known at present about tissue distribution of the UVAs in organisms, nor is species‐specific bioaccumulation of the UVAs well understood (Wick et al ). Maternal transfer and trophic magnification of the UVAs are also unclear, although some BZT‐UVSs have been detected in herring gull eggs from the Great Lakes (USA/Canada; Lu et al ). Clarifying these issues is essential to elucidate mechanisms of accumulation, elimination, and biotransfer of the UVAs in organisms and subsequent proper evaluation of relevant ecotoxicological risks.…”

Untitled

“…The PBT and/or vPvB substances associated with plastic packaging include the group of four benzotriazole stabilizers, two of them classified as PBT and two as vPvB substances. These chemicals were shown to accumulate in fish and birds, with patterns of bioaccumulation suggested to depend on food sources and the presence of different plastics within those food sources (Lu et al, 2018). The two other PBT-classified chemicals belong to the family of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).…”