Untargeted lipidomic profiling reveals the effect of hexabromocyclododecane exposure on a branching coral

The bioaccessibility of plastic additives to particle feeders substantially increases with the occurrence of microplastics in the ocean, raising concerns about the detriment effects on coral health. In this study, untargeted lipidomics was adopted to identify signs of health risks in coral exposed to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). A perturbation of lipid metabolism, which primarily showed a dose-dependent variation in polyunsaturated phospholipids (particularly 20:4, 20:5, 22:4 and 22:6-possessing species) due to a feedback effect boosting lipogenesis, was observed in the coral. A decrease in transcription activity affects the lipid biosynthesis, leading to a reduction in lipid oxygenation and peroxidation, which was inferred to be induced by HBCD in the coral. Based on their functions, variations in lipids, particularly ether glycerophosphocholines and vinyl ether glycerophosphoethanoamines, can compromise the physiological health of coral cells. Therefore, HBCD pollution in the ocean poses a potential threat to coral health.