Phthalates and non-phthalate plasticizers in Tunisian marine samples: Occurrence, spatial distribution and seasonal variation. (February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jebara, Amel; Albergamo, Ambrogina; Rando, Rossana; Potortì, Angela Giorgia; Lo Turco, Vincenzo; Mansour, Hedi Ben; Di Bella, Giuseppa
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 163(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-02
• Subjects: Monitoring -- Plasticizers -- Bioconcentration -- Bioaccumulation -- P. oceanica -- S. aurata; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.111967
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Seawater, sediment, seagrass and fish from several sites along the Tunisian coast were monitored for several phthalate esters (PAEs) and non-phthalate plasticizers (NPPs) during 2018–2019. In water and sediment, NPPs were higher than PAEs, being di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, 0.0717 and 4.59 μg/g), and di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT, 0.634 and 2.42 μg/g) most abundant. As expected, sediments acted as a sink for plasticizers, thus revealing a stronger contamination than water. Seagrass was less contaminated than fish, being DEHP (0.726 and 1.77 μg/g) and DEHT (9.19 and 23.2 μg/g) predominant. Biota poorly concentrated/accumulated plasticizers from water and sediment depending on the logKoct/wat and water solubility of single congeners. The spatial distribution of plasticizers was affected by the proximity to anthropogenic sources and the rate of coastal currents; whereas their seasonal variation may be related to the length of time of touristic/industrial inputs and factors such as rainfall and urban stormwater runoff. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Occurrence and spatiotemporal trends of plasticizers were explored in Tunisian samples. Major PAEs and NPPs in marine environment were DEHP and DiBP, DEHT and DEHA Tunisian samples were most contaminated than counterparts from other world areas. Marine biota had a low capacity to accumulate plasticizers from water and sediment. PAEs and NPPs showed peculiar spatiotemporal trends in investigated samples.