Study of the occurrence, sources and distribution trends of emerging contaminants in the Saronikos Gulf and Elefsis Gulf, Greece, utilizing ion mobility tandem high resolution mass spectrometry

This study investigates the occurrence, distribution and ecological risk of emerging contaminants (ECs) and priority pollutants (PPs) in seawater and sediments of the Saronikos Gulf, and Elefsis Bay, Greece. The occurrence of more than 4,000 LC-amenable organic micropollutants was investigated through wide-scope target and suspect screening. A total of 171 analytes were detected, with pharmaceuticals identified as the most prevalent class. Semi-polar ECs with higher molar mass were determined exclusively in sediments near WWTPs, possibly due to their high logP values, reflecting their affinity for particulate matter. Additionally, seawater circulation was found to play a significant role in controlling the spatial distribution of ECs. Comparison with earlier studies suggests a shift in pharmaceutical usage by local population. Risk assessment revealed that PFAS exceeded annual average environmental quality standard values in 92% of seawater samples, whereas 20 ECs in seawater and 12 in sediments exceeded predicted no-effect concentrations, indicating potential adverse effects on marine biota.