Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Marine Environment : Current Challeng...

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Contaminants in the Marine Environment: Modern Challenges in Marine Pollution reviews the available data in relation to CECs in the marine environment: main sources, transport pathways, distribution in seawater and sediments, bioaccumulation and biological effects, including traditional biomarkers and “omic responses. Each chapter recaps the most relevant information about the main groups of CECs, describing the particularities and specificities of each group and focusing on the most relevant individual contaminants.

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are not regulated substances, and therefore not considered in national and international monitoring programs, with potential impact in the environment due to their continuous input, relative persistence and/or toxicity. CECs are relevant not only in continental and coastal areas close to their main sources, but also in the open sea, because some of them are capable to be transported long distances through air deposition or absorbed on particulate material. The persistence of many degradable substances in the marine environment increases when they are absorbed on particulate material/sediments and/or when they are subjected to anaerobic conditions which slow down the degradation kinetic for many contaminants. The bioaccumulation of several CECs has been confirmed in different coastal organisms; however, in general, very limited information (species and trophic levels considered) is available because most studies are mainly centered in specific coastal areas. Contaminants in the Marine Environment offers useful information about not regulated contaminants that are not considered in international monitoring programs but with potential impact in coastal and open sea areas. Consequently, the use of th will permit them to improve their view about the real impact of current-use contaminants in the marine environment.

• Presents a comprehensive view of the most relevant groups of CECs
• Includes general description of each group of CECs, including uses, properties, analysis, distribution, bioaccumulation and effects
• Provides information on all environmental compartments and marine areas (coastal, continental shelf and open sea)