Eutrophication impacts on seasonal endocrine disrupting compounds (PAE and AP) accumulation in estuarine microplankton.

Abstract

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), such as phthalate esters (PAE) and alkyl phenols (AP) in marine primary trophic levels, are still underexplored. We present their seasonal changes and the potential impacts of environmental factors during Summer (2022), Autumn (2022), and Spring (2023) in a polluted environment. Plankton samples (55-1000 μm) were collected in duplicate, processed for PAE and AP solvent extraction, and analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. All PAEs and APs, except di-isodecyl phthalate, were detected in plankton through seasons, ranging between 3276 and 134,436 and 3.27-12,101 ng/g dw, respectively. The composition was dominated by di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and nonylphenols (NP), ranging between 207 and 117,861, 793-13,224, and 3.27-12,050 ng/g dw, respectively. Rivers primarily drive EDC distribution in microplankton, with eutrophication and suspended matter potentially influencing their seasonal changes. This study presents EDC seasonal dynamics in marine microplankton and the potential impacts of environmental changes.