Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2023, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (5): 30-37.doi: 10.11978/2022223CSTR: 32234.14.2022223

• Marine Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Bioaccumulation characteristics and source apportionment of organophosphate esters in Acanthaster planci from the South China Sea

WANG Chenyan1(), SHI Jingwen1, YAN Annan1, KANG Yaru1, WANG Yuxuan1, QIN Suli1, HAN Minwei1, ZHANG Ruijie1,2,3(), YU Kefu1,2,3   

  1. 1. School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
    2. Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
    3. Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning 530004, China
  • Received:2022-10-19 Revised:2022-12-16 Online:2023-09-10 Published:2022-12-19
  • Supported by:
    Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(2020GXNSFDA297005); Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea Independent Project(GXLSCRSCS2021101); Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Guangxi University(202210593887); National Natural Science Foundation of China(42030502); National Natural Science Foundation of China(42090041)

Abstract:

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) is a new type of organic pollutants in the environment, which are ubiquitous in seawater and organisms in the South China Sea. However, the bioaccumulation characteristics of OPEs in the Acanthaster planci of the South China Sea have not been studied. Therefore, in this study, gas chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the bioaccumulation characteristics and sources of 11 typical OPEs in the Acanthaster planci in coral reef regions of the South China Sea. The results showed that chlorinated OPEs were ubiquitous in the tissues of Acanthaster planci, accounting for 95% ~ 98% of the total concentrations of 11 OPEs (∑11OPEs). ∑11OPEs (dry weight) in Acanthaster planci showed significant differences among tissues, and ∑11OPEs in the pyloric caecum (60.2 ~ 1130 ng·g-1) and stomach (68.2 ~ 1181 ng·g-1) were significantly higher than those in the epidermis (9.31 ~ 569 ng·g-1) (p < 0.05), pyloric caecum and stomach played an important role in the accumulation of OPEs in the Acanthaster planci. Tri (1,3-dichloro-2-isopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) showed strong bioaccumulation ability in the tissues of Acanthaster planci (The bioconcentration factor BAFs of TDCIPP in the Acanthaster planci exceeds 5000 L·kg-1). Tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), TDCIPP, and Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP) showed a biomagnification effect in the Acanthaster planci, indicating that these four OPEs can be accumulated by feeding on coral. OPEs in the Acanthaster planci of the South China Sea may mainly come from the release of fishery activities, island and reef buildings, and domestic wastes from surrounding countries, and a small part may come from the release of ship transportation.

Key words: organophosphate esters, South China Sea, Acanthaster planci, bioaccumulation, source apportionment