Personal care products: an emerging threat to the marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has been a growing interest in understanding the behavior of personal care products (PCPs) in the aquatic environment. In this regard, the aim of this study is to estimate the accumulation and effects of four PCPs within the clam Ruditapes philippinarum. The PCPs selected were triclosan, OTNE, benzophenone-3, and octocrylene. A progressive uptake was observed and maximum concentrations in tissues were reached at the end of the exposure phase, up to levels of 0.68 µg g−1, 24 µg g−1, 0.81 µg g−1, and 1.52 µg g−1 for OTNE, BP-3, OC, and TCS, respectively. After the PCP post-exposure period, the removal percentages were higher than 65%. The estimated logarithm bioconcentration factor ranged from 3.34 to 2.93, in concordance with the lipophobicity of each substance. No lethal effects were found although significant changes were observed for ethoxyresorufin O-demethylase activity, glutathione S-transferase activity, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage.