High production volume chemicals in the most consumed seafood species in Tarragona area (Spain): Occurrence, exposure, and risk assessment

Abstract

Seafood consumption has become a potential exposure route towards high production volume chemicals (HPVs) due to the pathway of these compounds reaching the aquatic environment via industrial and domestic discharges. The present study focuses on the determination of phthalate esters (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), benzothiazoles (BTs), benzotriazoles (BTRs) and benzenesulfonamides (BSAs) in the ten most consumed fish species in Catalonia. A total of 120 commercially available seafood specimens were purchased throughout February 2019-February 2020 in three different stores (supermarket, local market, and local fishmonger) of the city of Tarragona, Spain, to cover the most typical places where seafood can be obtained. ΣOPEs, ΣBTs, ΣBSAs and ΣPAEs concentrations ranged between 5.99 and 139.45 ng g^-1 w.w., 8.41-54.08 ng g^-1 w.w., 8.38-304.47 ng g^-1 w.w and 2.86-323.80 ng g^-1 w.w., respectively. BTRs were not detected in any of the samples. PAEs and BSAs had similar contributions which combined represented nearly the 70% of detected compounds and sardine resulted as the species with the higher HPVs mean concentration. No considerable threat was posed due to the individual intake of these compounds via seafood consumption.

Keywords: Benzenesulfonamides; Benzothiazoles; Exposure and risk assessment; Organophosphate esters; Phthalate esters; Seafood.