Abstract

The kinetics for uptake and depuration of nine emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) by the New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) under experimental conditions were investigated. Nominal environmentally relevant (upper range) concentrations (≈ 5 μg/L) of EOCs belonging to different chemical classes with a range of log Kow (n-octanol/water partition coefficient) values were used for the exposure. Mussels were exposed to 17 α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) singly as well as in a mixture with 4-nonylphenol (NP), benzophenone-1 (BP1), benzophenone-3 (BP3), benzyl paraben (bzParaben), bisphenol A (BPA), chlorophene, methyl paraben (mParaben) and triclosan (Tric) for an 11-day exposure period followed by a 17-day depuration phase. All investigated EOCs were bioconcentrated during the uptake phase. The mussels that accumulated EOCs demonstrated a higher elimination potential for EOCs during the depuration process, ranging from 70 % to 98 %. Uptake and depuration kinetics of the EOCs did not have a direct relationship with their log Kow and log Dow (distribution coefficient) values. The bioconcentration and elimination dynamics for EE2 in the EOC mixture and individual exposure were not significantly different. The findings of this study indicate that a depuration step may be a practicable measure to improve seafood safety of bivalves grown in EOC impacted water.

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