Examination of barnacles' potential to be used as bioindicators of persistent organic pollutants in coastal ecosystem: A Malaysia case study

Vaezzadeh V 1 , Thomes MW 2 , Kunisue T 3 , Tue NM 3 , Zhang G 4 , Zakaria MP 5 Show all authors , Affendi YA 5 , Yap FC 6 , Chew LL 7 , Teoh HW 8 , Lee CW 5 , Bong CW 9

Affiliations 

  • 1 Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, GD 510640, China; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, 790 8577, Ehime Prefecture, Japan
  • 4 Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, GD 510640, China
  • 5 Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 6 Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Sec. 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
  • 7 Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 8 China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 9 Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: cwbong@um.edu.my
Chemosphere, 2021 Jan;263:128272.
PMID: 33297216 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128272

Abstract

Barnacles are ubiquitous in coastal ecosystems of different geographical regions worldwide. This is the first study attempting to assess the suitability of barnacles as bioindicators of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in coastal environments. Barnacles were collected from the coasts around Peninsular Malaysia and analyzed for POPs including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Among POPs, PCBs showed the highest concentrations with elevated contributions of CB28 and CB153. As for PBDEs, BDE47 was the most frequently detected congener, while BDE209 was detected in barnacles from two stations in Port Klang and the levels reached up to >70% of total PBDE concentrations. Concentrations of OCPs detected in barnacles were in the order of CHLs > DDTs > HCHs > HCB and 4,4'-DDE and cis- and trans-chlordane were the predominant OCP compounds. A comparison with previous studies in Malaysia showed consistent levels of POPs. Green mussels collected from selected barnacles' habitats, for the sake of a comparison, showed almost similar profiles but lower concentrations of POPs. The spatial distribution of POPs observed in barnacles and comparison of POP levels and profiles with mussels indicated that barnacles can be useful bioindicators for monitoring POPs contamination in the coastal ecosystems.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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