Unraveling profiles of organic ultraviolet filters in coastal waters of the East China Marginal Seas

Ultraviolet filters (UVFs), which are applied in all aspects of life, constitute an emerging class of pollutants of great concern. Coastal areas facing intense anthropogenic pressure are negatively impacted by UVFs sourced from land- or sea-based activities. In this study, 107 coastal surface water samples collected from the East China Marginal Seas were analyzed for 22 organic UVFs (OUVFs) in four categories, namely, benzophenone (BP), triazine (TA), salicylate (SC), and benzotriazole derivative (i.e., drometrizole trisiloxane, DTS). The total concentration of BP-UVFs, TA-UVFs, and SC-UVFs were 0.40–7.16, 0.04–1.43, and 0.14–10.3 ng/L, respectively, while DTS ranged from nondetect to 0.31 ng/L. Cosmetic OUVFs presented relatively high detection frequencies and concentrations in national coastal waters, which is consistent with their increasing sales and extensive application in China. The OUVF profiles in the coastal waters of the investigated bays and estuaries were basically dominated by BP-UVFs, followed by SC-UVFs and TA-UVFs. Significant spatial variation was observed for the concentrations of BP-UVFs, SC-UVFs, and DTS, with higher-concentration sites located at the periphery of the Bohai Rime, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta. Statistical analyses revealed spatial differences in site-specific OUVF composition, which may be due to multiple factors. The exposure risk of marine organisms to cosmetic OUVFs was low to medium, with higher risks observed in Hangzhou Bay. The environmentally relevant parameters of cosmetic OUVFs predicted by quantitative structure−property relationship models, the current production situation and interaction with particulate organic matter suggest the need for continuous monitoring of cosmetic OUVFs in light of their persistence and toxicity.