Investigation of endocrine disruptor pollutants and their metabolites along the Romanian Black Sea Coast: Occurrence, distribution and risk assessment

Abstract

In recent years, the occurrence of organic UV-filters (UVFs) and bisphenol derivatives (BPs) in the marine environment has raised high concerns all over the world, due to the potentially adverse impacts on marine organisms and, indirectly on human health. This paper reports, for the first time in Romania, the occurrence, distribution pattern and environmental risk assessment of UVFs, BPs and their metabolites in seawater, sediment and algae collected from the Romania Black Sea coastal region. BP-3 (2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzophenone) was the most abundant contaminant in seawater samples, with a detection frequency of 100 %. Sediment samples were dominated by ES (Ethylhexyl salicylate), with concentration values up to 5823 ng/g d.w., while for algae, concentrations of several hundreds of ng/g d.w. were determined for BP-3, BS (Benzyl salicylate), and BPE (Bisphenol E). Environmental risk assessment revealed that some UVFs and BPs detected in seawater samples were hazardous to the marine organism of the Black Sea.