Over the past decades, the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea has undergone rapid alterations and decline due to climate change and human activities. Marine heat waves, mass mortality events, and increasing pollution in coastal areas, particularly from plastics and emerging contaminants (ECs) disposed in the sea, are among the most significant threats. This problem has become even more pronounced in the aftermath of the recent pandemic. Therefore, the present work aimed to assess, for the first time, the occurrence of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in four key species of Mediterranean benthic anthozoans: Cladocora caespitosa, Eunicella verrucosa, Madracis pharensis, and Parazoanthus axinellae. For PAEs and PPCPs determination in the coral tissue we employed solid phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid chromatography couple to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). All the specimens were found to be contaminated with at least one type of PPCPs, and 18 out of 20 displayed levels of PAEs over the quantification limit. The PAEs displayed an average concentration of 17.23 ± 11.39 ng/g with a maximum value of 44.17 ng/g, while the PPCPs average concentration was 25.89 ± 16.99 ng/g with a maximum value of 57.49 ng/g. The most abundant were DBP (10.35 ± 5.59 ng/g) and ketoprofen (16.97 ± 17.05 ng/g) respectively. Interestingly, they were found in higher concentrations in the same species, P. axinellae, suggesting a higher susceptibility to adsorb both contaminants. Furthermore, the other three species demonstrated an adsorption capacity two-fold lower, possibly due to varying environmental conditions related to depth, currents, and shelter, which exposed them differently to the contaminants. Given the crucial role of these species in forming the habitat of benthic communities along the Mediterranean coastal environment, it is important to investigate the potential human impact in the form of PAEs and PPCPs more thoroughly.
Gobbato, J., Becchi, A., Bises, C., Siena, F., Lasagni, M., Saliu, F., et al. (2023). Assessing the occurrence of Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) and Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in Mediterranean key anthozoan species. Intervento presentato a: 52° Congresso della Società Italiana Biologia Marina, Messina, italia.
Assessing the occurrence of Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) and Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in Mediterranean key anthozoan species
GOBBATO J.
;BECCHI A.;BISES C.;SIENA F.;LASAGNI M.;SALIU F.;GALLI P.;MONTANO S.
2023
Abstract
Over the past decades, the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea has undergone rapid alterations and decline due to climate change and human activities. Marine heat waves, mass mortality events, and increasing pollution in coastal areas, particularly from plastics and emerging contaminants (ECs) disposed in the sea, are among the most significant threats. This problem has become even more pronounced in the aftermath of the recent pandemic. Therefore, the present work aimed to assess, for the first time, the occurrence of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in four key species of Mediterranean benthic anthozoans: Cladocora caespitosa, Eunicella verrucosa, Madracis pharensis, and Parazoanthus axinellae. For PAEs and PPCPs determination in the coral tissue we employed solid phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid chromatography couple to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). All the specimens were found to be contaminated with at least one type of PPCPs, and 18 out of 20 displayed levels of PAEs over the quantification limit. The PAEs displayed an average concentration of 17.23 ± 11.39 ng/g with a maximum value of 44.17 ng/g, while the PPCPs average concentration was 25.89 ± 16.99 ng/g with a maximum value of 57.49 ng/g. The most abundant were DBP (10.35 ± 5.59 ng/g) and ketoprofen (16.97 ± 17.05 ng/g) respectively. Interestingly, they were found in higher concentrations in the same species, P. axinellae, suggesting a higher susceptibility to adsorb both contaminants. Furthermore, the other three species demonstrated an adsorption capacity two-fold lower, possibly due to varying environmental conditions related to depth, currents, and shelter, which exposed them differently to the contaminants. Given the crucial role of these species in forming the habitat of benthic communities along the Mediterranean coastal environment, it is important to investigate the potential human impact in the form of PAEs and PPCPs more thoroughly.
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