Transfer of 7 Organic UV Filters from Sediment to the Ragworm Hediste diversicolor: Bioaccumulation of Benzophenone-3 and Further Proof of Octocrylene Metabolism

Abstract

Organic UV filters are continuously released in aquatic ecosystems due to their widespread use, especially in touristic coastal environments. Generally, organic UV filters are poorly soluble in water and tend to accumulate in the sediment compartment. This represents a conceivable risk for sediment-dwelling organisms and a potential for transfer of the UV filters up the food chain. This study aimed to assess the potential transfer of seven UV filters including benzophenone-3 (BP3), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BM), methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT), 2-ethylhexyl salicylate (ES), diethylhexyl butamido triazone (DBT), and octocrylene (OC) from artificial spiked sediment (10 µg·g−1 dry weight) to sediment-dwelling worms. All UV filters were detected in the worms after 28 days of exposure, but only BP3 was apparently bioaccumulated, with a biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) of 12.38 ± 4.65. However, metabolomic profiling revealed that OC was metabolized by the worms into 11 fatty acid conjugates, demonstrating that OC did also accumulate in the worms in the form of OC–fatty acid conjugates. Here, the sole quantification of the parent organic UV filter underestimated the accumulation factor and the exposure of organisms. In general, it is therefore important to pair the conventional method (BSAF calculus) with other techniques, such as metabolomics, to assess the actual potential for bioaccumulation of xenobiotics including transformed xenobiotics.

A Comparative Metabolomics Approach Demonstrates That Octocrylene Accumulates in Stylophora pistillata Tissues as Derivatives and That Octocrylene Exposure Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Cell Senescence

“…The fact that identical and structurally related compounds have been described in the marine worm Hediste diversicolor and in humans suggests that the mechanism by which octocrylene is transformed, in this case by a coral holobiont, may be widespread in the living world and that contamination rates of living organisms, from coral to dolphins and humans, may have been largely underestimated until now. 2,3,19 Increased Acylcarnitine Concentrations in Coral S. pistillata Exposed to Octocrylene. One of the key objectives of this work was to examine the effect of octocrylene contamination on acylcarnitine concentrations in the coral S. pistillata.…”

“…24 This is of particular concern as octocrylene transformation processes may be ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. 2,3,19 In our previous work, we demonstrated that when the coral Pocillopora damicornis was exposed to octocrylene, the tissue concentration of 15 acylcarnitines increased drastically. 25,26 The elevation of acylcarnitines in the treated coral suggested that there may be abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism.…”

Impact of Egg Exposure to UV Filter-Spiked Sediment on the Survival, Hatching Success, Cardiac Frequency, and Metabolic Scope of Zebrafish Embryos

“…UV filters have low solubility and tend to accumulate in organisms and sediment. Sediment contact is therefore an important method of contamination that was chosen in this study [11,12]. Among the six UV filters studied, OC is one of the most widely and increasingly used UV filters in cosmetics.…”

“…Among the six UV filters studied, OC is one of the most widely and increasingly used UV filters in cosmetics. Due to the high lipophilicity of OC and its low biodegradability [12], OC has a considerable tendency for bioaccumulation. This is especially true as we have demonstrated that OC can bioaccumulate in the form of analogues [12,13].…”

“…Due to the high lipophilicity of OC and its low biodegradability [12], OC has a considerable tendency for bioaccumulation. This is especially true as we have demonstrated that OC can bioaccumulate in the form of analogues [12,13]. Previous studies reported OC concentrations ranging from 0.4 ng g −1 in Japanese river sediment to a concentration of 652 ng g −1 in lake sediment [14][15][16][17][18][19].…”