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The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a critically endangered species. The impact of environmental contamination on this species has been highlighted as contributing to the decline in recruitment. The Mar Menor hypersaline coastal lagoon (SE Spain) is one of the most productive fisheries of European eel in Europe, making it a critical habitat for species conservation. The present study aimed to provide an initial overview of the impact of organic chemical contaminants on the European eel and the potential sublethal effects of chemical pollution on pre-migrating eels in this hypersaline habitat. We investigated muscle bioaccumulation of main persistent and hazardous organic contaminants (including some current-use pesticides) and genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and xenobiotic detoxification system responses. The findings show that lagoon eels were exposed to high levels of legacy organochlorine contaminants, recently banned pesticides (chlorpyrifos), and some emerging chemicals. Some individuals surpassed the maximum levels of CBs authorized by the European Commission for human consumption. In this species, residuals of chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin, and chlorthal dimethyl have been reported for the first time. This field study provides relevant data to stock management and human health consumption and provides the first biomarker responses in European eel under permanent hypersaline conditions. Furthermore, the high frequency of micronuclei in peripheral erythrocytes of lagoon eels indicates sublethal genotoxic effects on the organism. Overall, the European eels growing and maturing in the Mar Menor lagoon are exposed to toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. The lack of seafood safety regulations for human consumption for some legacy chemicals that were measured in high concentrations in our study requires special action. Further biomonitoring and research are recommended to protect the animal, public, and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are widely recognised as a contaminant of emerging concern in the marine environment. This work provides original data of the presence of MPs in coastal sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf. Ten surface sediment samples were collected in order to document baseline microplastic distribution from Algeciras to Barcelona. Microplastics were extracted from bulk sediments by density separation. The number of microplastics per kilogramme of dry weight ranged from 45.9 ± 23.9 MPs/kg d.w. observed at Palma de Mallorca to 280.3 ± 164.9 MPs/kg d.w. noted at Málaga, with an average value of 113.2 ± 88.9 MPs/kg d.w. The lower limit is defined by the pore filter size used (1.2 μm). For all analysed locations, the dominant microplastic type was fibres (82.9%), followed by fragments, and the main colours were transparent and blue. Microplastic size distribution was presented; in the case of fragments, 85% was lower than 0.5 mm, and in the case of fibres, the three studied intervals (0.5–1, 1–2, 2–5 mm) had similar distribution (35, 34 and 31%, respectively). Attending to all available data, no statistically significant relationship (Spearman's correlation) was found between microplastic average size and distance to the coast, the depth, density population and sediment grain size. Neither relationship was observed between these variables and microplastic concentration using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test. This study has confirmed the widespread distribution of MPs in surface sediments from the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf, and these data are useful to define baselines for MPs in the Western Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]