From the depths to the apex: Tracing the organophosphate ester journey through marine food webs

• Published in: Science of The Total Environment
• Main Authors: Sala, Berta, Garcia-Garin, Odei, Eljarrat, Ethel
• Other Authors: Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (España)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Subjects: Plastic pollution; Bioaccumulation; Biomagnification; Flame retardants; Marine biota; Organophosphate esters; Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages; Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all; Build resilient infrastructure; promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation; Make cities and human settlements inclusive; safe; resilient and sustainable; Responsible Consumption and Production; Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; Conserve and sustainably use the oceans; seas and marine resources for sustainable development; Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development; Hake; Balaenoptera physalus; Fin whale; Meganyctiphanes norvegica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/371940; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177228; https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85207788870

This study explores the behavior of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in different species within marine ecosystems and their potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The concentrations of OPEs were analyzed in marine species (krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica), jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca), European sardine (Sardina pilchardus), European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), European squid (Loligo vulgaris), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)) from different trophic levels, to understand their distribution and contamination profiles. The study provides insights into the metabolism of OPEs and their biomagnification on species occupying higher trophic levels. The results show that the differences in OPE concentrations among species are influenced by contamination levels at sampling points, as well as species and trophic level characteristics. The study reveals that the sum of OPEs do not exhibit significant biomagnification within the marine food web, with higher trophic level species showing efficient metabolism of these contaminants. However, biomagnification analysis of individual compounds demonstrates that some OPEs, such as tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), and tris(2-isopropylphenyl) phosphate (T2IPPP) consistently exhibit biomagnification within marine trophic webs, while other show different behaviors depending on the trophic web. The loggerhead turtle shows higher biomagnification for specific OPEs, indicating the influence of diet and direct plastic waste consumption. Furthermore, OPEs prone to metabolism, such as tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP) and TBOEP, are present in multiple species across different trophic levels, suggesting a tendency for bioaccumulation. The study highlights the complexity of OPE behavior and the need to evaluate the biomagnification potential of each compound individually. It also emphasizes the toxic effects ...