Identification and accumulation of aromatic sensitizers in fish from paper recycling in Japan

Abstract

Aromatic sensitizers and related compounds (SRCs) originating from thermal recording material as impurities in waste paper have been detected in aquatic environments near cities where the paper industry is flourishing. In the present study, the levels of exposure to such SRCs and the stable isotope ratios (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) in different fish species (Konosirus punctatus, Takifugu niphobles, and Tribolodon hakonensis) were analyzed. These fish species were collected from the vicinity of waste paper recycling plants in Japan. Eleven SRCs were identified in fish muscle at total concentration levels (ΣSRCs) of 64 to 818 ng/g wet weight (mean 181 ng/L wet wt). The dominant SRCs in the fish samples were 1,1-di(4-methylphenyl)ethane, 1,2-bis(3-methylphenoxy)ethane, and 1,4-dibenzyloxybenzene. Stable isotope ratios showed that, although three species feed on the same trophic level, K. punctatus and T. niphobles live in waters farther offshore than those in which T. hakonensis live. The contributions of various factors to the accumulation were also assessed. The lipid content (r(2) = 0.512, p < 0.001) was found to be the significant factor that influenced accumulation of SRCs in fish. The results also revealed significant positive correlation between the accumulation patterns and SRC components in water (r(2) = 0.512-0.658, all p values <0.05), but they showed negative correlations between the SRCs in fish and log K(OW) values. This suggests that the aqueous route is the predominant route for the accumulation of SRCs in fish. This is the first study on the accumulation of aromatic sensitizers in aquatic biota.

Non-Target Screening Method for the Identification of Persistent and Emerging Organic Contaminants in Seafood and Sediment from Jakarta Bay

“…concentrations in selected fish species in the present study are in line to that reported values for fish samples from Shizuoka coastal waters, which were 3-66 ng/g ww (Terasaki et al, 2012).…”

“…Contamination of DIPN in sediments of Jakarta Bay in the present study, was the highest concentration reported in coastal sediments (Franke et al, 2007;Terasaki et al, 2012). Additionally, DI PNs concentrations in selected fish species from Jakarta Bay were comparable to reported values of fish from Himeji Coast and Shizuoka coastal waters Japan, which concentrations were 1,2 and 9,0 ng/g respectively (Suzuki et al, 2012;Terasaki et al, 2012).…”

“…Acute toxicity test on rainbow trout showed LD 50 and NOEL value of PMN was >0.69 mg/L. Earlier studies showed that the occurrence of PMN in aquatic environments is related to paper industry emissions (Terasaki et al, 2008(Terasaki et al, & 2012. Textile manufacturing may also contribute in the emission of PMN contamination into environment (Bridgen et al, 2012), which is used as dye solvent.…”

Identification of characteristic organic contaminants in wastewaters from modern paper production sites and subsequent tracing in a river

“…2). Both compounds are components of paperboards made from recycled fibres [25] and were identified in water that was sampled at the outfall of paper-recycling facilities [11,12]. They are employed as colour sensitizers for manufacturing of thermal papers.…”

“…Complexing agents, solvents, colour sensitizers, photoinitiators and adsorbents were detected in the outflow of Japanese paper-recycling sites and a German paper production site [10,11]. Some of these recently identified compounds from paper-recycling facilities were shown to accumulate in fish [12].…”