Plasticizers levels in four fish species from the Ligurian Sea and Central Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) and potential risk for human consumption

Plastic materials contain additives such as plasticizers and flame retardants, which are not covalently bound to plastic polymers and can therefore be unintentionally released into the marine environment. This study investigated three families of compounds, phthalates (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and non-phthalate plasticizers (NPPs) currently used as plastic additives, in 48 muscle samples of bogue (Boops boops), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) sampled in the Central Adriatic and the Ligurian Seas. The additional goal of this study is to assess the potential risk to human health from fish consumption with the objective of determining whether the detected levels might potentially pose a concern. PAEs represent the majority of the plastic additives detected in the selected species, with ubiquitous distribution across the study areas, whereas for OPEs and NPPs, there is a more pronounced difference between the two study areas, suggesting that these compounds may represent different exposure levels in the two seas. Among PAEs, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) were the most abundant compounds, reaching levels up to 455 ng/g ww. OPEs were detected at higher concentrations in samples from the Ligurian Sea, and triethyl phosphate (TEP) was the most abundant compound. Among the NPPs, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) was most frequently detected. From the results obtained, fish consumption may not pose a risk to human health (Hazard Quotient<1) but needs to be considered in future studies. Given the limited number of studies on PAEs, OPEs and NPPs in the Mediterranean Sea, further research is necessary to understand their potential bioaccumulation in marine organisms.

This work was financially supported under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4, Component 2 Investment 1.4 - Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU (Award Number: Project code CN_00000033 , Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP D33C22000960007, Project title “National Biodiversity Future Center - NBFC”). Additionally, the study was partially supported by the Interreg Mediterranean project “Plastic Busters MPAs”, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (grant agreement No 4MED17_3.2_M123_027 ) and also received partial support from the AdriCleanFish project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture Food and Forestry Policies (MASAF) under the PO FEAMP 2014/2020, Measure 1.40 lett: a), g), i), Reg. (UE) n. 508/2014, grant number: 48/RBC/18 . The study was also supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya – Consolidated Research Group 2021 SGR 01150). IDAEA-CSIC is a Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Project CEX 2018-000794-S).

Peer reviewed