Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in marine biota from the Belgian North Sea: Distribution and human health risk implications.

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent chemicals, which pose a potential risk for aquatic wildlife due to their bioaccumulative behaviour and toxicological effects. Although the distribution of PFAS in marine environments has been studied worldwide, little is known on the contamination of PFAS in the southern North Sea. In the present study, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) was studied in liver and muscle tissue of seven fish species and in whole-body tissue of two crustacean species, collected at 10 sites in the Belgian North Sea.

The relevance of European Biota Quality Standards on the ecological water quality as determined by the multimetric macro-invertebrate index: A Flemish case study.

European Biota Quality Standards (EQS), for compounds with low water solubility and high biomagnification, were created to sustain water quality and protect top predators and humans from secondary poisoning. In reality, for multiple compounds, an exceedance of these standards is often reported in literature without a decrease in ecological water quality determined by biotic indices. In the present study, threshold concentrations were defined in biota (from 44 sampling locations throughout Flanders (Belgium)), above which a good ecological water quality, assessed by the Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Flanders (MMIF), was never reached.

Trace metal concentrations in the abiotic and biotic components of River Rwizi ecosystem in western Uganda, and the risks to human health.

The distribution of metals in the Rwizi River ecosystem was investigated and human health risks were assessed. Samples of water, sediment, damselfly larvae () and fish species ( and were collected at six sites. In all samples the trace elements As, Al, Au, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Zn, were quantified.

Mercury accumulation in muscle and liver tissue and human health risk assessment of two resident freshwater fish species in Flanders (Belgium): a multilocation approach.

Detrimental effects of chemical pollution-primarily caused by human activities-on aquatic ecosystems have increasingly gained attention. Because of its hydrophobic qualities, mercury is prone to easily bioaccumulate and biomagnify through the food chain, decreasing biodiversity and eventually also affecting humans. In the present study, accumulated mercury concentrations were measured in muscle and liver tissue of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla) collected at 26 sampling locations in Flemish (Belgian) waterbodies, allowing a comparison of these species within a variety of environmental situations.

Effect of abiotic factors and environmental concentrations on the bioaccumulation of persistent organic and inorganic compounds to freshwater fish and mussels.

Many aquatic ecosystems are under persistent stress due to influxes of anthropogenic chemical pollutants. High concentrations can harm entire ecosystems and be toxic to humans. However, in case of highly hydrophobic compounds, their low water solubility precludes direct measurement in water, and thus alternative monitoring strategies are needed.