Bisphenol A alternatives continuously contribute to the endocrine disruption in cetaceans

Cetaceans as Bioindicators to Assess Alkylphenol Exposure and Hormone-Disrupting Effects in the South China Sea

“…Of all nine cetacean species, the highest hepatic 4-NP and 4-t-OP concentrations were found in SW (1712 ng g –1 dw) and IPHD (570 ng g –1 dw), respectively (Table ). In both mature and immature groups, large-bodied whales (SW, SPW, MW, and FW) generally exhibited greater average AP loads than small-bodied cetaceans (IPFP, IPHD, DSW, FD, and SD; Figure E), most likely due to difference in dietary uptake source, including quantities and species of fishes . Among the five small-bodied cetaceans, IPFP and IPHD showed the greater AP loads (Figure E), possibly as a result of their habitat’s close proximity to the coast, which suffers a higher level of anthropogenic APs.…”

“…First, there is a temporal lag in the response of changes in marine AP fluxes to the social activities due to their leaching and accumulation processes . Previous studies have reported temporal lags in response to social policies for PFAS and BPs in SCS. , Second, there were regional differences in the production of plastics during the pandemic due to the interruptions in supply chains as a result of lockdown policies . Considering that China’s plastics production increased slightly in 2020 compared to 2019, the plastic consumption increase in the coastal area of the SCS is also likely to be slight.…”

“…First, a significant correlation does not fully mean cause and effect. Hormone homeostasis can be affected by a variety of confounding factors, including reproductive status, disease, nutritional conditions, and chemical contamination . Second, rather than a single pollutant, the cocktail of pollutants is responsible for pollutant-mediated endocrine disrupting effects .…”

“…All samples were pretreated following a modified QUECHERS-based procedure and then analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry . The pretreatment and instrumental methods are detailed in the Supporting Information (Tables S3–S6).…”

“…The final AP concentrations were converted into nanograms per gram of dry weight (ng g –1 dw). The cortisol and testosterone data (ng g –1 lipid weight) for IPHD and IPFP were acquired from our published research. , …”