Occurrence and prioritization of hydrophobic pollutants in China's coastal marine biota

Pollutants in the marine environment directly affect biota and can be transmitted to humans through the food chain. However, comprehensive biomonitoring data for coastal marine biota remain limited. In this study, a suspect screening analysis (SSA) workflow using gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-QTOF/MS) was conducted to investigate 830 hydrophobic pollutants in 130 marine biota samples collected from four major coastal seas in China (the Bohai, Yellow, East China, and South China Seas). A total of 165 hydrophobic pollutants were identified, with 40 high-frequency compounds across eight groups. Plasticizers were present at the highest concentrations, followed by ketones and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The identified pollutants exhibited regional variations across the four seas, with higher pollution levels in the southern seas compared to the northern ones. Based on the Toxicological Priority Index framework, dibutyl phthalate was identified as the compound with the highest toxicity. The hazard quotient values for 28 compounds exceeded 1, with 4-Methylphenol ranking first, indicating potential risks from emerging chemicals in coastal marine biota. These findings provide comprehensive data for monitoring hydrophobic pollutants in coastal biota across China and highlight the need for expanded biomonitoring of emerging chemicals of concern in marine ecosystems.