Occurrence of Free-Form and Conjugated Bisphenol Analogues in Marine Organisms

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Marine Biology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Bisphenol analogues (BPs) are common environmental contaminants.
• Most BPs are metabolized to conjugates within organisms.
• Previous studies primarily focused on free-form BPs, neglecting conjugated forms, especially in marine ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify free and conjugated bisphenol analogues (BPs) in marine organisms.
• To assess the impact of hydrolysis on BP concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs).
• To provide a comprehensive understanding of BP occurrence in marine organisms.

Main Methods:

• Collected marine organisms (13 species) and seawater from the East China Sea.
• Analyzed for bisphenol A (BPA) and eight analogues using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
• Performed enzymatic hydrolysis to determine the proportion of conjugated BPs.

Main Results:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) were the predominant BPs in marine organisms.
• Enzymatic hydrolysis increased BP concentrations by 1.8 to 3.7 times.
• Significant percentages of BPA (74%), BPS (48%), and BPAF (45%) were found in conjugated forms.

Conclusions:

• Conjugated BPs represent a substantial fraction of total BPs in marine organisms.
• Hydrolysis is crucial for accurate assessment of BP levels and bioaccumulation in marine life.
• This study provides the first determination of conjugated BPs in marine organisms, enhancing environmental risk assessment.