First nationwide report on the presence of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in coastal environmental samples from Sri Lanka: A potential threat to ecosystem health and seafood safety

The presence of twenty-four emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) from a range of chemical classes including antimicrobial agents, biocides, industrial chemicals, plastic precursors, preservatives and UV filters in sediment and shellfish samples collected from fifteen sampling sites across Sri Lanka (a tropical developing country) was investigated. Sixteen EOCs were detected in sediments at concentrations ranging from 0.32 to 370.07 ng/g d.w. All target EOCs were detected at least once in shellfish, at concentrations ranging from 0.55 to 247.90 ng/g d.w. Urbanisation, tourism, and industrialisation were identified as potential sources of EOCs based on their spatial correlation with higher contaminant concentrations, the specific types of chemicals detected, and their links to wastewater discharge and human activities at the sampling sites. The limited connectivity with the open ocean was found to further contribute to higher EOC occurrence. In contrast, season was not a determining factor. This study provides important baseline data on coastal EOC pollution and its ecological health and seafood safety risk in Sri Lanka for environmental monitoring and policy planning.