We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Assessment of organophosphate flame retardants in Mediterranean Boops boops and their relationship to anthropization levels and microplastic ingestion
AI summary Read the abstract
Flame retardant chemicals called organophosphates were detected in the muscle tissue of bogue fish from the Mediterranean, with higher concentrations in fish from more urbanized areas. Microplastics may act as carriers for these chemicals, concentrating them in fish tissue and potentially in people who eat seafood.
Plastic litter pollution is increasing in the seas and oceans worldwide, raising concern on the potential effects of plasticizer additives on marine fauna. In this study, muscle samples of 30 bogues (Boops boops; Linneaus, 1758) from the North Western Mediterranean Sea were analysed to assess the concentrations of 19 organophosphate flame retardant (OPFR) compounds and to inspect any relationship with microplastic ingestion and relative levels of anthropization. Out of the 19 OPFRs analysed, 6 compounds were detected, being tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), 2-ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) the most abundant. As expected, OPFR concentrations were higher in samples collected off the most anthropized area of the city of Barcelona than in those from the Cap de Creus Marine Protected Area, while no significant correlation was detected between OPFR concentrations and microplastic ingestion. The results of this manuscript provide a first evidence of OPFR presence in the muscle of the bogue and identify the coastal area off Barcelona as a possible concentration area for contaminants, further supporting the use of the bogue as an indicator species of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.
More Papers Like This
Occurrences of organophosphorus esters and phthalates in the microplastics from the coastal beaches in north China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated organophosphorus esters and phthalates associated with microplastics collected from 28 coastal beaches across the Bohai and Yellow Sea in northern China, finding that these plastic-associated chemical pollutants may transfer to organisms via plastic ingestion.
Phthalates and organophosphate esters in surface water, sediments and zooplankton of the NW Mediterranean Sea: Exploring links with microplastic abundance and accumulation in the marine food web
AI summary Read the abstract
Phthalate esters and organophosphate esters were measured alongside microplastics in surface seawater, sediment, and zooplankton from Marseille Bay in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Co-occurrence of microplastics and plastic additive chemicals in multiple environmental compartments including zooplankton confirmed trophic transfer of both particle and chemical contaminants.
Evaluating Contaminants in Fish: Plastic Additives and Pesticides in the Context of Food Safety
AI summary Read the abstract
This study analysed plastic additives (organophosphate esters) and pesticides in Atlantic Ocean fish sold at Portuguese supermarkets, finding these contaminants present in commercially consumed seafood. The work highlights how chemicals associated with plastic manufacturing can accumulate in fish and potentially reach people through their diet.
Using Boops boops (osteichthyes) to assess microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion in 884 Boops boops fish caught at 20 coastal sites across Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, finding microplastics in 46.8% of individuals with an average of 1.17 items per fish, predominantly filaments composed of polyethylene and polypropylene.
Preliminary evaluation of microplastic ingestion and phthalates load in Mediterranean Lanternfish (Myctophum punctatum)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastic ingestion and phthalate contamination in Mediterranean lanternfish (Myctophum punctatum), a species that migrates vertically through the water column where floating plastic debris accumulates. The study confirmed both microplastic uptake and measurable phthalate levels in fish muscle tissue, suggesting these small fish are a pathway for plastic-associated chemicals to enter marine food webs.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.