Toxic anthropogenic pollutants reach the deepest ocean on Earth

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (PCBs and PBDEs) were analysed in sediment core samples (0-2 cm) from the southern Mariana Trench at water depths of 7000- 11000 m. ΣPCBs concentrations ranged from 931 to 4195 pg/g, far higher than those recorded before in marine sediments from shallower depths. Toxic Equivalence (TEQ) of dl-PCBs ranged from 0.650 - 14.9 pg/g, which is higher than most marine surficial sediments at <500-2500 m ocean depth, recovered from semi-industrial to industrial areas. However, Σ8PBDEs values (averaging ∼136 pg/g) were lower than those in surficial sediments from shelf areas recorded in past studies. Evidently, anthropogenic pollutants have reached the deepest realm on Earth, and the Mariana Trench acts as a repository for POPs amplification. The high concentration of PCBs is an eye-opener, which is directly affecting our deep sea ecosystems, considering their pervasiveness and persistence in trench sediments.