Aquat Toxicol 2026 May 14;297:107856. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2026.107856.

Coupling passive sampling with Paracentrotus lividus embryo toxicity assay for assessing biological effects in Mediterranean harbour waters: insights from a three-year monitoring study.

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The discrepancy between measured chemical contamination levels and observed biological effects in coastal systems represents a major challenge for environmental risk assessment. To address this, integrated chemical and ecotoxicological analyses using the Paracentrotus lividus embryonic development bioassay were conducted on extracts from silicone rubber (SR) passive samplers deployed in the Port of Livorno during a three-year monitoring campaign (2021-2023). Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) detected in the port ranged from approximately 4.5 × 10³ pg/L to 1.4 × 10⁵ pg/L, with the highest levels recorded at the inner harbour station. PCB levels varied between 0.04 ng/L and 0.68 ng/L. Although PAH and PCB concentrations were within low-to-moderate ranges compared with global standards, widespread and increasing embryotoxicity was observed across all sampling stations, with the most severe effects occurring at the inner harbour station. The seaward and alongshore progression of toxicity toward stations DE02 and DE10 suggests complex contamination dynamics driven by the convergence of port-derived contaminants transported via coastal drift and land-based inputs from the Scolmatore Channel. These findings demonstrate that integrating SR passive samplers with embryo development bioassays provides a comprehensive and sensitive approach for assessing marine contamination in harbour environments and reveals toxic effects that are not predictable from chemical concentrations alone.

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