Nontarget screening for marine pollutants and elucidation of their biomagnification mechanisms

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19984
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 64010:Environmental load and risk assessment-related
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Goto Akitoshi 愛媛大学, 沿岸環境科学研究センター, 特定研究員 (90825689)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ノンターゲットスクリーニング / GCxGC-HRToFMS / 有機ハロゲン化合物 / 生物濃縮 / 海洋生物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study performed target/nontarget screening of marine pollutants in the environment and biota from Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The results of screening analyses revealed the bioaccumulation of various organohalogen compounds such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), marine natural products, and structurally unknown compounds. Notably, several organochlorine compounds, identified as synthetic by-products or environmental/biological transformation products of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and chlordane (CHL), were found to accumulate in not only marine fish but also fish-eating birds. The results indicate chronic exposure of marine biota to these compounds, and their biomagnification potential in the marine food web.

Free Research Field

環境化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、多次元クロマトグラフィーと精密質量分析を統合した分離計測技術を精緻化し、環境・生物汚染モニタリングに適用した結果、法的な監視や規制が及んでいない潜在的な有害物質群の検出に成功した。この成果は、応用計測科学や自然科学分野における研究の発展のみならず、自然環境や野生生物種の保全、そして化学物質の適正なリスク管理に資する有用な情報となり得る。