Organophosphate ester plasticizers in edible fish from the Mediterranean Sea: Marine pollution and human exposure

Concentrations of organophosphate esters (OPEs) plasticizers were analysed in the present study. Fifty-five fish samples belonging to three highly commercial species, European sardine (Sardina pilchardus), European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), and European hake (Merluccius merluccius), were taken from the Western Mediterranean Sea. OPEs were detected in all individuals, except for two hake samples, with concentrations between 0.38 and 73.4 ng/g wet weight (ww). Sardines presented the highest mean value with 20.5 +/- 20.1 ng/g ww, followed by anchovies with 14.1 +/- 8.91 ng/g ww and hake with 2.48 +/- 1.76 ng/g ww. The lowest OPE concentrations found in hake, which is a partial predator of anchovy and sardine, and the higher delta 15N values (as a proxy of trophic position), may indicate the absence of OPEs biomagnification. Eleven out of thirteen tested OPEs compounds were detected, being diphenyl cresyl phosphate (DCP) one of the most frequently detected in all the species. The highest concentration values were obtained for tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDClPP), trihexyl phosphate (THP), and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), for sardines, anchovies, and hakes, respectively. The human health risk associated with the consumption of these fish species showing that their individual consumption would not pose a considerable threat to public health regarding OPE intake.

Automated summary

The study analyzed concentrations of organophosphate esters (OPEs) plasticizers in European sardine, European anchovy, and European hake from the Western Mediterranean Sea. OPEs were found in all individuals, with sardines having the highest concentrations and hakes the lowest, suggesting no biomagnification of OPEs in the food chain.