Bisphenol A and its analogues in sedimentary microplastics of Hong Kong

Hoi Shing Lo; Beverly Hoi Ki Po; Laam Li; Aman Yi Man Wong; Richard Yuen Chong Kong; Lei Li; William Ka Fai Tse; Chris Kong Chu Wong; Siu Gin Cheung; Keng Po Lai

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112090

Bisphenol A and its analogues in sedimentary microplastics of Hong Kong

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Mar:164:112090. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112090. Epub 2021 Jan 30.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Science, School of Science and Technology, The Open University of Hong Kong, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
² Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
³ Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁴ Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, City University Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁶ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
⁷ Center for Promotion of International Education and Research, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
⁸ Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁹ Department of Chemistry, City University Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: bhsgche@cityu.edu.hk.
¹⁰ Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Integrative Omics, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, PR China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Microenvironmental Regulation, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, PR China; Department of Chemistry, City University Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: kengplai@cityu.edu.hk.

PMID: 33529876
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112090

Abstract

The occurrence and spatial distribution of bisphenol A (BPA) and analogues bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) were investigated in microplastic on 11 beaches in Hong Kong. At 10 sites, BPA was the only detected chemical with concentrations ranged from 82.4-989 ng g^-1 microplastic. BPA, BPB and BPS co-occurred at only one site, where it is located close proximity to the outfall of a sewage treatment plant. There was no significant spatial difference of BPA concentrations in microplastic when all the sites were considered, indicating that some remote and presumably cleaner beaches have been contaminated. PE, PP and PS (represented >90% of total polymers) were the most dominated polymers, but there was no correlation between polymer types and BPA concentrations. No evidence was found that the BPA and its analogues accumulate on microplastic since the concentrations were comparable to those found in the sediment.

Keywords: Bisphenol analogues; Ecotoxicity; Endocrine disrupting chemicals; Microplastics.

MeSH terms

Benzhydryl Compounds / analysis
Hong Kong
Microplastics*
Phenols
Plastics*

Substances

Benzhydryl Compounds
Microplastics
Phenols
Plastics
bisphenol A