Optimization of the ultrasound-assisted extraction method for determining high production volume chemicals in fish liver and skin samples.

The aquatic ecosystem is one of the most delicate environments, housing a diverse range of organisms, including fish, all of which are exposed to a wide variety of pollutants. The accumulation of these harmful substances in fish, which are part of the human diet, presents a significant health risk to humans. In our study, we have optimized an extraction technique to determine the presence of 25 high production volume chemicals in liver and skin samples taken from commonly consumed fish species. We have employed ultrasound-assisted extraction in conjunction with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to achieve this goal. Apparent recoveries of the method ranged from 50% to 111% for both sample types with some exceptions such as most of the benzosulfonamides and benzothiazole. Additionally, the method's detection and quantification limits varied from 0.1 to 1.7 ng g-1 (dry weight, d.w) and 0.2-4.5 ng g-1 (d.w), respectively. Our investigation focused on three frequently consumed fish species in Tarragona: sea bass, sea bream, and turbot. Almost all of the samples we analysed contained traces of contaminants, with phthalates being the most commonly detected. The highest concentrations were observed for diethyl phthalate, with levels peaking at 8350 ng g-1 (d.w.). Organophosphate esters, such as triethyl phosphate and tributyl phosphate, also showed notable presence, with peak concentrations of 93.6 and 34.0 ng g-1 (d.w.), respectively.

Seafood consumption as a source of exposure to high production volume chemicals: A comparison between Catalonia and the Canary Islands.

Seafood plays an important role in diet because of its health benefits. However, the fact that chemical compounds such as high production volume chemicals may be present in seafood means that its consumption can be a potential risk for population. To assess the occurrence of HPVs and estimate the exposure and risk associated with their consumption, specimens of the most consumed seafood species in Catalonia and the Canary Islands, Spain, were collected and analysed. Results showed higher levels of HPVs in samples from Catalonia and a prevalence of phthalate esters and benzenesulfonamides over the other target compounds in samples from both locations. Multivariate analysis showed spatial differences between the mean concentration profiles of HPVs for the samples from Catalonia and the Canary Islands. Exposures were higher for the samples from Catalonia, although the intake of HPVs via seafood was not of any real concern in either of the locations.

Determination of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzenesulfonamides in seafood using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe extraction followed by gas chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry: Method development and risk assessment.

The common use of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzenesulfonamides has led to widespread ubiquity in several environmental matrices. Their occurrence in edible fish could represent an additional exposure route for the population. The present study aims to develop a method for the simultaneous determination of these three compound families in seafood samples. Based on QuEChERS extraction, different salt combinations and clean-up strategies have been evaluated to achieve the highest recoveries while reducing the matrix effect in low and high lipidic content species. The best results were obtained with the original method salts and the lipid-selective push-through clean-up, which combined with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry led to recoveries between 50 and 112% with negligible matrix effects and method detection limits between 0.15-9.50 ng g-1 dw. The application of the method to commercially available samples confirmed the presence of BTs as well as BSAs, with the latter being determined in seafood for the first time. Exposure and risk assessment calculations indicated a minor risk for the population when consuming fish.

High production volume chemicals in the most consumed seafood species in Tarragona area (Spain): Occurrence, exposure, and risk assessment.

Seafood consumption has become a potential exposure route towards high production volume chemicals (HPVs) due to the pathway of these compounds reaching the aquatic environment via industrial and domestic discharges. The present study focuses on the determination of phthalate esters (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), benzothiazoles (BTs), benzotriazoles (BTRs) and benzenesulfonamides (BSAs) in the ten most consumed fish species in Catalonia. A total of 120 commercially available seafood specimens were purchased throughout February 2019-February 2020 in three different stores (supermarket, local market, and local fishmonger) of the city of Tarragona, Spain, to cover the most typical places where seafood can be obtained. ΣOPEs, ΣBTs, ΣBSAs and ΣPAEs concentrations ranged between 5.99 and 139.45 ng g-1 w.w., 8.41-54.08 ng g-1 w.w., 8.38-304.47 ng g-1 w.w and 2.86-323.80 ng g-1 w.w., respectively. BTRs were not detected in any of the samples. PAEs and BSAs had similar contributions which combined represented nearly the 70% of detected compounds and sardine resulted as the species with the higher HPVs mean concentration. No considerable threat was posed due to the individual intake of these compounds via seafood consumption.