Use of comprehensive target analysis for determination of contaminants of emerging concern in a sediment core collected from Beppu Bay, Japan

Abstract

In recent years, concern about the release of anthropogenic organic micropollutants referred to as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) has been growing. The objective of this study was to find potential CECs by means of an analytical screening method referred to as comprehensive target analysis with an automated identification and quantification system (CTA-AIQS), which uses gas and liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS and LC-QTOF-MS). We used CTA-AIQS to analyze samples from a sediment core collected in Beppu Bay, Japan. With this method, we detected 80 compounds in the samples and CTA-AIQA could work to useful tool to find CECs in environmental media. Among the detected chemicals, three PAHs (anthracene, chrysene, and fluoranthene) and tris(isopropylphenyl)phosphate (TIPPP) isomers were found to increase in concentration with decreasing sediment depth. We quantified TIPPP isomers in the samples by means of targeted analysis using LC-MS/MS for confirmation. The concentration profiles, combined with previous reports indicating persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic properties, suggest that these chemicals can be categorized as potential CECs in marine environments.

Keywords: Automated identification and quantification system (AIQS); Comprehensive target analysis (CTA); Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs); Marine sediment core; tris(isopropylphenyl)phosphate isomers (TIPPPs).