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The World Health Organization reports that foodborne illnesses cause millions of disease cases globally, resulting in approximately 33 million lost healthy years of life. Over the past decade, global awareness of food safety grew significantly, highlighting various hazards from biological, chemical, and environmental factors in our food supply, including marine sources. Emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, plastic additives, and microplastics are concerning, with some remaining unregulated. Our work focused on analyzing plastic additives and pesticides in fish captured in the Atlantic Ocean and available in local Oporto supermarkets. We used QuEChERS extraction and gas chromatography for the analysis of organophosphate ester compounds in fish samples. Our goal is to ensure safe and healthy seafood, aligning with the principles of the blue economy and sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric pollution by motor vehicles is considered a relevant source of damage to architectural heritage. Thus the aim of this work was to assess the atmospheric depositions and patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in façades of historical monuments. Eighteen PAHs (16 PAHs considered by US EPA as priority pollutants, dibenzo[a,l]pyrene and benzo[j]fluoranthene) were determined in thin black layers collected from façades of two historical monuments: Hospital Santo António and Lapa Church (Oporto, Portugal). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for morphological and elemental characterisation of thin black layers; PAHs were quantified by microwave-assisted extraction combined with liquid chromatography (MAE-LC). The thickness of thin black layers were 80–110 μm and they contained significant levels of iron, sulfur, calcium and phosphorus. Total concentrations of 18 PAHs ranged from 7.74 to 147.92 ng/g (mean of 45.52 ng/g) in thin black layers of Hospital Santo António, giving a range three times lower than at Lapa Church (5.44–429.26 ng/g; mean of 110.25 ng/g); four to six rings compounds accounted at both monuments approximately for 80–85% of ∑PAHs. The diagnostic ratios showed that traffic emissions were significant source of PAHs in thin black layers. Composition profiles of PAHs in thin black layers of both monuments were similar to those of ambient air, thus showing that air pollution has a significant impact on the conditions and stone decay of historical building façades. The obtained results confirm that historical monuments in urban areas act as passive repositories for air pollutants present in the surrounding atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]