Organophosphorus flame retardants and persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic contaminants in Arctic seawaters: On-board passive sampling coupled with target and non-target analysis

Abstract Organic pollutants in the Arcticseas have been of concern to many researchers; however, the vast dynamic marine water poses challenges to their comprehensive monitoring within appropriate spatial and temporal scalesin the Arctic. In this study, on-board passive sampling of organic pollutants using a self-developed device coupled with triolein-embedded cellulose acetatemembranes (TECAMs) was performed during an Arcticcruise. The TECAM extracts were used for target analysisof organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), and non-target screening of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) contaminants using two-dimensional gaschromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS). Sixteen chemicals were screened out as PBT contaminants from the 1500 features in the non- target analysisand further identified. Consequently, two chlorinated PFRs (tris(chloroisopropyl)phosphate and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate) and four PBT contaminants (4- tert -butylphenol, 2-isopropylnaphthalene, 1,1,3-trimethyl-3-phenylindane, and 1-phenylnonan-1-one) were accurately quantified, with the temporally and spatially integrated concentrations ranging from 0.83 ng L −1 to 20.82 ng L −1 in the seawaters. Sources and transport of the contaminants were studied, and ocean currenttransport (West Spitsbergen Current, WSC) and local sources ( human settlement, Arcticoil exploitation, and petroleum fuel emissions) were found to contribute to the presence of the different contaminants. Finally, annual transport fluxes of the contaminants from the North Atlantic to the ArcticOcean by WSC were estimated, and the results indicate that their hazard to the Arcticshould be concerned.