Organophosphate esters (OPEs) in corals of the South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation

Annan Yan; Ruijie Zhang; Kefu Yu; Yaru Kang; Xueyong Huang; Junjie Hu; Songlin Xie; Xinyu Yang; Jingyu Wang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172212

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) in corals of the South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 1:927:172212. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172212. Epub 2024 Apr 3.

Authors

Annan Yan¹, Ruijie Zhang², Kefu Yu³, Yaru Kang⁴, Xueyong Huang⁵, Junjie Hu⁶, Songlin Xie⁷, Xinyu Yang⁸, Jingyu Wang⁹

Affiliations

¹ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2027301029@st.gxu.edu.cn.
² Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China. Electronic address: rjzhang@gxu.edu.cn.
³ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China. Electronic address: kefuyu@gxu.edu.cn.
⁴ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2127402001@st.gxu.edu.cn.
⁵ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: huangxueyong@gxu.edu.cn.
⁶ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2227402004@st.gxu.edu.cn.
⁷ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2227301038@st.gxu.edu.cn.
⁸ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2227301039@st.gxu.edu.cn.
⁹ Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: 2215393066@st.gxu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38580121
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172212

Abstract

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have garnered significant attention in recent years. In view of the enormous ecosystem services value and severe degradation of coral reefs in the South China Sea, this study investigated the occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation of 11 OPEs in five coral regions: Daya Bay (DY), Weizhou Island (WZ), Sanya Luhuitou (LHT), Xisha (XS) Islands, and Nansha (NS) Islands. Although OPEs were detected at a high rate, their concentration in South China Sea seawater (1.56 ± 0.89 ng L^-1) remained relatively low compared to global levels. All OPEs were identified in coral tissues, with Luhuitou (575 ± 242 ng g^-1 dw) showing the highest pollution levels, attributed to intense human activities. Coral mucus, acting as a defense against environmental stresses, accumulated higher ∑₁₁OPEs (414 ± 461 ng g^-1 dw) than coral tissues (412 ± 197 ng g^-1 dw) (nonparametric test, p < 0.05), and their compositional characteristics varied greatly. In the case of harsh aquatic environments, corals increase mucus secretion and then accumulate organic pollutants. Tissue-mucus partitioning varied among coral species. Most OPEs were found to be bioaccumulative (BAFs >5000 L kg^-1) in a few coral tissue samples besides Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Mucus' role in the bioaccumulation of OPEs in coral shouldn't be ignored.

Keywords: Bioaccumulation; Coral mucus; Coral tissue; Organophosphate esters (OPEs); South China Sea.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anthozoa*
Bioaccumulation
China
Coral Reefs
Environmental Monitoring*
Esters* / analysis
Organophosphates* / analysis
Organophosphates* / metabolism
Seawater / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / metabolism

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Organophosphates
Esters