Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of PAHs in tropical marine food webs from coral reef ecosystems, the South China Sea: Compositional pattern, driving factors, ecological aspects, and risk assessment

Minwei Han; Haolan Li; Yaru Kang; Huanxin Liu; Xueyong Huang; Ruijie Zhang; Kefu Yu

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136295

Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of PAHs in tropical marine food webs from coral reef ecosystems, the South China Sea: Compositional pattern, driving factors, ecological aspects, and risk assessment

Chemosphere. 2022 Dec;308(Pt 1):136295. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136295. Epub 2022 Sep 2.

Authors

Minwei Han¹, Haolan Li², Yaru Kang³, Huanxin Liu⁴, Xueyong Huang⁵, Ruijie Zhang⁶, Kefu Yu⁷

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: 1727301003@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. Electronic address: 2115392036@st.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. Electronic address: 1827301008@st.gu.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: 1432922513@qq.com.
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; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519080, China. Electronic address: rjzhang@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; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519080, China. Electronic address: kefuyu@scsio.ac.cn.

PMID: 36064010
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136295

Abstract

Multiple environmental pressures caused by global warming and human activities have aroused widespread concern about PAHs pollution in tropical marine coral reef regions (CRRs). However, the trophodynamics of PAHs in the food webs of the CRRs and the related influence factors have not been reported. This study investigated the occurrence, trophic amplification, and transmission of PAHs in various organisms selecting between at least representative species for each level in CRRs of the South China Sea (SCS); revealed their driving mechanisms; and explored the trophodynamics of PAHs in the food web of the coral reef ecosystem. Results showed that more PAHs can be accumulated in the mantle tissue of Tridacnidae, and the proportion of mantle tissue of Tridacnidae increases with the increase of latitude (y = 0.01x + 0.17, R² = 0.49, p < 0.05). Latitude drives the differential occurrence level and bioaccumulation of PAHs in tropical marine organisms, and also affects the trophodynamics of PAHs in aquatic ecosystem food webs. PAHs undergo trophic amplification in the food webs of tropical marine ecosystems represented by coral reefs, thus further aggravating the negative environmental impact on coral reef ecosystems. The cancer risk caused by accidental ingestion of PAHs by humans through consumption of seafood in CRRs is very low, but we should be alert to the biomagnification effect of PAHs.

Keywords: Coral reef organisms; Driving mechanisms; PAHs; Trophic amplification; Trophodynamics.

MeSH terms

Animals
Bioaccumulation
China
Coral Reefs
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Fishes
Food Chain
Humans
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons*
Risk Assessment
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Water Pollutants, Chemical