Decoding Adverse\nEffects of Organic Contaminants in\nthe Aquatic Environment: A Meta-analysis of Species Sensitivity, Hazard Prediction, and Ecological\nRisk Assessment

Aquatic organisms in the environment are frequently exposed\nto\na variety of organic chemicals, while these biological species may\nshow different sensitivities to different chemical groups present\nin the environment. This study evaluated species sensitivity, hazards,\nand risks of six classes of organic chemicals in the aquatic environment.\nNone of the taxonomic groups were the most sensitive or tolerant to\nall chemicals, as one group sensitive to one class of chemicals might\npossess adaptations to other chemical groups. Polychlorinated biphenyls\nwere generally the most toxic chemical group, followed by polybrominated\ndiphenyl ethers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and pharmaceuticals\nand personal care products, while per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\nand phthalate esters were the less toxic chemical groups. The hazard\nof organic chemicals was closely related to their physicochemical\nproperties, including hydrophobicity and molecular weight. It was\nshown that 20% of the evaluated chemicals exhibited medium or high\necological risks with the worst-case scenario in the Pearl River Estuary.\nThis novel work represented a comprehensive comparison of chemical\nhazards and species sensitivity among different classes of organic\nchemicals, and the reported results herein have provided scientific\nevidence for ecological risk assessment and water quality management\nto protect aquatic ecosystems against organic chemicals.