Assessing the chemical burden of the North-East Atlantic ecosystem through targeted and untargeted HRMS-based approaches
Human activities have introduced significant amounts of anthropogenic chemicals into marine ecosystems, posing threats to aquatic biodiversity and human health. Although, traditional marine monitoring focus primarily on legacy pollutants, the presence and potential risks associated with complex emerging chemical mixtures should not be neglected. In the context of the present study organized via OSPAR Commission and supported by NORMAN network, 52 marine samples were gathered from North-East Atlantic Ocean. State-of-the-art HRMS-based analytical workflows were employed to identify their chemical fingerprint. 132 organic pollutants were identified through wide-scope target screening of more than 2,400 environmentally relevant organic pollutants. The HRMS data were digitally stored in NORMAN DSFP and 134 additional chemicals were tentatively identified through suspect screening of more than 65,000 chemicals. The list included legacy pollutants, along with emerging pollutants, their metabolites and transformation products. A simplified environmental risk assessment was conducted, aiming to prioritize substances based on their potential risks to the marine ecosystem. This study provides a valuable snapshot of the marine pollution, offering insights into chemical occurrence and risks. The findings can support marine scientists, environmental managers and policymakers in identifying pollutant sources, understanding their impacts, and informing regulatory measures to mitigate threats to marine ecosystems.
Authors
- Brendan McHugh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7852-7705)
- K. Parmentier
- Konstantinos Vasilatos
- Thierry Burgeot
- Peter C. von der Ohe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7350-8962)
- Ulrike Kammann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3738-148X)
- Anne L. Soerensen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8490-8600)
- Georgios Gkotsis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1744-4228)
- Νikolaos S. Τhomaidis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4624-4735)
- Torben Kirchgeorg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5253-8318)
- Jaroslav Slobodnı́k (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2622-6318)
- A. Mauffret (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6007-7849)
- Mário Mil-Homens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1570-2641)
- Susana Sá (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1339-5745)
- R.P.M. Berbee
- Jonathan L. Barber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1495-680X)
- Johan Näslund (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7296-1463)
- L. Viñas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3816-5359)
- Nikiforos Alygizakis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5727-4999)
- Peter Oswald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3088-9771)
- Maria‐Christina Nika (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0050-8923)
- Johan Gustafsson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5843-2971)
- Jan Koschorreck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1043-3278)
- Martin Mørk Larsen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4331-8548)
- Ulrike Pirntke
- Simon Wilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1999-5103)
- Ana Paula dos Santos Campos
- Lynda Webster
- Dag Ø. Hjermann
- Andrew Power
- Antonia Athanasopoulou
- Anne Munch Chistensen
- Irene Van der Stap
Institutions
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (GB)
- Ifremer (FR)
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
- Aarhus University (DK)
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany (DE)
- Institute of Natural Sciences (BE)
- Scottish Government (GB)
- Swedish Museum of Natural History (SE)
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NO)
- Danish Ministry of Defence (DK)
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (NL)
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES)
- Arctic Monitoring And Assessment Programme (NO)
- Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (DE)
- Environmental Institute (SK)
- Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SE)
- Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (PT)
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SE)
- German Environment Agency (DE)
- Technological University Dublin (IE)
- Marine Institute (IE)
- Hospital Comarcal de Inca (ES)
- University of Aveiro (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Published
- 2025-04-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138393
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.20
Funders
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
- A.G. Leventis Foundation
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior
- Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico
- Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Marinhos, Universidade de Aveiro
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
- Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu