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Rare information on the seafood safety and the coastal water-food-energy nexus sustainability in terms of seafood safety is available. This study investigated the distribution of heavy metals in 3 kinds of seafood (bivalve molluscs, fish, and crustaceans) collected from coastal areas along the 18,000 km coastline of China. Risk assessment and source apportionment of heavy metals, and the coastal water-food-energy nexus sustainability in terms of heavy metal pollution were also performed. The results showed that total concentrations of 8 heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Hg, As, and Ni) in seafood varied with sampling sites and species by following the order of bivalve molluscs > crustaceans > fish. Estimated daily intake (EDI) analysis indicated that it was safe for humans to consume seafood in all sampling sites. Non-cancer risks posed by heavy metals were acceptable for 99.1% of adult and 97.7% of children. However, Cr and As in 72% of fish samples caused high cancer risks for children. The farmed fish posed relatively low risk in comparison with the wild fish suggested that it might be safer to consume farmed fish than wild fish. Source apportionment demonstrated that the fossil energy consumption (coal combustion and vehicle exhaust), seawater, and metallurgic dust might serve as the possible main sources of heavy metals in seafood. Based on the policy scenario analysis, the fossil-energy-controlling policy and clean coastal water action were beneficial to the seafood safety by reducing target heavy metals in seafood. These findings provided comprehensive information on seafood safety and the water-food-energy nexus sustainability in coastal regions at continental-scale in terms of heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive information on heavy metals in coastal waters at national scale of China is limited. Therefore, this study investigated the distribution, pollution, and ecological-health risks of heavy metals in coastal waters along 18,000 km coastline of China. Total 13 target heavy metals in coastal waters along coastline of China showed drastic spatial variations with average concentrations ranging from.14 (Cd) to 136.26 (Cu) μg/L. Cu was the dominant heavy metal with the maximal concentration of 1485.92 μg/L. Three methods including heavy metal pollution index (HPI), Nemerow index (NI), and contamination degree (CD) were adopted to explore heavy metal pollution. HPI obtained the worst-case evaluation results to illustrate that heavy pollution occurred at over 50% of sampling sites. Anthropogenic sources were the main sources of heavy metals in the coastal waters. Approximately 28.13% and 9.38% of sampling sites illustrated considerable and very high ecological risks, respectively. Metals including Cu, As, and Hg were the main pollution and risk contributors. Heavy metals in coastal waters posed high cancer risks and unacceptable non-cancer risks to both adults and children. Therefore, effective control of heavy metals is necessary for regional sustainability and well-beings of residents in coastal regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the distribution, sources, and potential risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coastal waters along over 18,000 km of coastline in China. Concentrations of PAHs in coastal waters ranged from 141.99 to 717.72 ng/L. Approximately 84.38% of sampling sites were determined at moderate PAH pollution level. PAHs in coastal waters at most of sampling sites mainly originated from combustion based on characteristic ratios of PAHs. Ecological risks posed by PAHs in coastal waters were evaluated as high level at 59.38% of sampling sites and moderate level at 40.63% of sampling sites although toxic equivalent quotients of PAHs only ranged from 2.86 to 126.52 ng/L benzo[a]pyrene that was not detected at all sampling sites. Maximal cancer risk/hazard quotient of total PAHs in coastal waters for adults and children reached 6.34 × 10−4/5.85 × 10−2 and 2.25 × 10−3/7.72 × 10−2, respectively. PAHs exerted high cancer risks for children at 31.25% of sampling sites. Health risks posed by PAHs in coastal waters of this study were higher than those of Japan, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Spain, USA, and Australia, but much lower than those of Singapore, Iran, Brazil, and Egypt. These findings indicate that PAH pollution has become a crucial stress affecting the sustainable development of coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed the distribution and speciation of seven heavy metals in sediments in Jiaozhou Bay. The ecological risk was assessed using three index approaches (i.e., risk assessment code (RAC), contamination factor (CF), and potential ecological risk index (PERI)) and by a comparison with sediment quality guidelines (Chinese Marine Sediment Quality Standards (CMSQS), and threshold effect level (TEL) and probable effect level (PEL) from the USEPA). Pb, Cr, As, Cu, Zn, and Hg contents at most sites were above the corresponding TEL and Class I criteria (CMSQS) value. Particularly, high contents of Cu, detected at sites S7(124.5 mg kg−1) and S8(118.3 mg kg−1), exceeded the respective PEL value, indicating that harmful biological effects might occur. Speciation analysis, individualCF, andRACcalculations suggested that Cd had the highest bioavailable fraction and thus posed a very high risk to aquatic ecosystem; Cu and Zn showed a medium–high risk. Both globalCFandPERIanalysis indicated a high pollution risk at sites S7, S1, S3, and S2, but the assessments of specific sites were different. The incomplete consistency suggested that it is necessary to consider both total contents and chemical speciation for providing a more realistic appraisal for the risk of heavy metals in sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Information on ecological and health risks posed by antibiotics in coastal waters at continental or national scale is limited although antibiotics have continuously entered the natural environments due to extensive usage for human beings and animals. This study collected coastal water samples along nearly 18,000 km of coastline of China to investigate the distribution, possible sources, and potential ecological-health risks of antibiotics. Only 7 out of 13 target antibiotics were detected in coastal water samples. Total concentrations of antibiotics ranged from 389 to 3302.3 ng/L. Norfloxacin (NFC), roxithromycin (RTM), and ciprofloxacin (CFC) were the most frequently detected antibiotics, with the maximal concentrations of 1990, 1230, and 109 ng/L, respectively. Antibiotics in coastal waters might be affected by three possible factors including veterinary-drug sources, anthropogenic sources, and mixed sources. Detected NFC and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) exerted high ecological risks in the short and long terms. CFC posed moderate short-term risks but insignificant long-term risks for aquatic organisms. RTM exerted low short-term risks while it posed moderate risks in the long term. Antibiotics exerted very low cancer risks and negligible non-cancer risks for both adults and children at all sampling sites. Health risks for children posed by antibiotics were generally higher than those for adults. Antibiotics in coastal waters of China still need effective control due to potential ecological-health risks they pose. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Seven target antibiotics were detected in coastal waters along Chinese coastline. • Total concentrations of target antibiotics were in the range of 389–3302.3 ng/L. • Veterinary, anthropogenic and mixed sources affected the distribution of antibiotics. • Norfloxacin and sulfamethoxazole exerted high ecological risks. • Antibiotics posed very low health risks for adults and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal waters are the critical ecologically fragile regions under the influence of the fastest economic developing pace and the extensive anthropogenic activities in coastal zone. Little information on the seasonal distribution, risks, and sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which are emerging contaminants to pose potential risks at very low concentrations in coastal waters at continental-scale is available. This study investigated the coastline-based distribution, risks, and sources of target EDCs in coastal water of China. EDCs in coastal waters of China showed significant spatio-temporal variation with phenolic compounds serving as predominant EDCs. Bisphenol A (BPA) was detected in all water samples with average concentration of 449.2/186.3 ng/L in winter/summer while estrone was the main steroidal estrogen with the average concentration of 87.2/2.7 ng/L in winter/summer. EDCs in coastal waters of South China Sea Area showed higher concentrations. EDCs in coastal waters exerted high ecological risks and estrone/BPA averagely accounted for over 61%/71% of total risk quotient in winter/summer. Average estradiol equivalent concentration of all target EDCs reached 68.87/1.76 ng/L in winter/summer. EDCs in coastal waters did not pose potential non-cancer health risks for humans. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was firstly used to identify and quantify possible sources of EDCs. The PMF analysis showed that wastewater and sewage might be the main source for EDCs in coastal waters. EDCs in coastal waters showed high estradiol equivalent concentration and ecological risks at continental-scale, highlighting that EDCs contamination has become a crucial stress affecting the sustainable development of coastal regions. Image 1 • EDCs in coastal waters showed significant spatio-temporal variation. • EDCs in coastal waters exerted high ecological risks. • Average estradiol equivalent concentration of EDCs in winter/summer exceeded 1 ng/L. • Non-cancer risks posed by EDCs in coastal waters were negligible. • Wastewater and sewage might be the main source for EDCs in coastal waters. Continental-scale distribution, risks, and sources of EDCs in coastal waters were investigated and potential high ecological risk was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]