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Microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments can be associated with various substances, including persistent organic pollutants, which add to the problem of plastic ecotoxicity. The abundance of 1-5 mm microplastics and concentrations of particle-adsorbed organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sandy sediments from three beaches in recreational areas along the upper Ob River in Western Siberia were assessed. MP pollution levels in the Ob River beach sands ranged from 24 ± 20.7 to 104 ± 46.2 items m -2 or, in terms of mass concentration, from 0.26 ± 0.21 to 1.22 ± 0.39 mg m -2 . The average abundance of MP particles reached 0.67 ± 0.58 items kg -1 or 8.22 ± 6.13 μg kg -1 in the studied sediments. MP concentrations were significantly higher in number ( p < 0.05) and mass ( p < 0.01) at the riverbank site downstream of the Novosibirsk wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfall compared to these at the upstream and more distant beaches. Most MPs (70-100%) were represented by irregularly shaped fragments. The polymer composition of MPs varied between sites, with a general predominance of polyethylene (PE). The study revealed associations of MPs with PCBs and OCPs not previously detected in the riverbed and beach sediments, suggesting that these substances are circulating in the Ob River basin. Although MP concentrations were higher downstream of the WWTP, the maximum levels of particle-associated OCPs were observed in the beach sands of the site farthest from the urban agglomeration. The pesticides γ-HCH, 4,4-DDT, and 4,4-DDE were detected on MPs at relatively low concentrations. PCBs were more abundant in the studied samples, including 118 dioxin-like congener. The results obtained indicate that the Ob River is susceptible to plastic and persistent organic pollutant (POP) contamination and serve as a starting point for further studies and practical solutions to the problem.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are well-known contaminants that raise serious concerns, even more than 20 years after they were banned. Their worldwide distribution and persistence necessitate continuous monitoring in all components of the environment. The most challenging issues of POP regulation are associated with international water resources because their solutions require international cooperation in environment protection. This review provides data on various POPs (DDT, HCH, endrin, dieldrin, and PCBs) and their concentrations in aquatic organisms inhabiting the Amur River basin, one of the most poorly explored regions of Northeast Asia. Most studies have been conducted in the Songhua River (China), a tributary of the Amur River, which indicates that large inland bodies of water, especially those of international importance, require more extensive research.

The widespread application of pesticides in the territories of the former USSR still exerts negative impacts on their ecological status. In this regard, dedicated programs for monitoring persistent organic pollutants (POP) in humans are implemented in several countries. Our study aimed to assess the accumulation of organic pollutants in breast milk of women residing the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (CAO). Organochlorine pesticides (OCP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) concentrations in breast milk samples were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The POP concentrations in the samples varied from 13 ng/g lipid weight (lw) to 620.6 ng/g lw (median 58.3 ng/g lw). An assessment of health risk to infants fed breast milk from CAO women did not show any exceedance of the estimated daily intake (EDI). The results obtained are the indirect evidence of the presence of these compounds in the environment and their negative effects on ecosystems and human health., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study aimed to assess the biotransport of POPs, including OCPs and PCBs, by Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) on the northwestern Pacific Ocean. In 2008-2012, the Amur River basin, the eastern Kamchatka, and the mainland coast of the Sea of Okhotsk received the largest amounts of pesticides. In 2018, the transport of OCPs to the Russian northwestern Pacific reached only 1 kg, and the total OCP levels in muscles of fish from this region were significantly lower than in previous years. The average concentration of PCBs for all species under study differed from that of OCPs, with the highest concentration recorded from sockeye salmon. In 2018, pink salmon brought the largest amount of PCBs to the Russian northwestern Pacific. Coastal water pollution has decreased significantly in recent years due to the ban on the use of POPs in the Northwest Pacific (according to the measurements in 2010 and 2018)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the present study was to determine levels of POPs (dieldrin, endrin, HCH isomers, DDT metabolites, and PCB congeners) in organs of chum (Oncorhynchus keta), pink (O. gorbuscha), sockeye (O. nerka), masu (O. masou), and Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and to identify the patterns of toxicants' distribution in organisms and the environment of the northwestern Pacific. Principal component factor analysis showed that all the salmon species typically exhibit relationships between the PCB congeners and are characterized by a similar pattern of entry of PCBs 101, 118, and 153. The OCPs levels in the organs of Pacific salmon are decreasing from 2012 to 2018, which suggests the elimination of these toxicants from the northwestern Pacific Ocean., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study is a stage of the regular POP monitoring conducted in the framework of the Russian Federation's National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The POPs concentration (ΣHCH+ΣDDT+ΣPCB) in the samples ranged from 23 to 878 (with a mean of 151.4) ng/g lipid. The ranges of concentrations of OCPs (ΣHCH+ΣDDT) and PCBs were 2.8-291 and 3.2-720 ng/g lipid, respectively. The mean values of OCPs and PCBs amounted to 80.1 and 74.9 ng/g lipid, respectively. As suggested by the results of the EDI calculation, intake of PCBs is slightly high in infants. The fact that most studies have associated PCB with effects, such as development of congenital deformity, reduced immunity, lower weight, and small baby size at birth, makes it an alarming situation.

The present review provides information on the main organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), widely used in world agriculture in the 1940s-1960s. The patterns of their distribution in the environment, as well as the toxicity, metabolism, and degradation are described. Some data on OCPs distribution in components of aquatic ecosystems in different regions of the World and, particularly, in the Far Eastern Seas of Russia-the Sea of Japan/East Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Bering Sea-is considered for the period 2000-2017. The obtained results are discussed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Concentration of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (α-, β-, γ- hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)) in four species of Pacific salmon (pink, chum, chinook, and sockeye) are presented. OCPs in salmon organs increased in the following order: muscle < liver < eggs < male gonads. Concentrations of the OCP in salmon organs increased in following order: DDE < γ-HCH < α-HCH. The level of pollutants in salmon is compared with the sanitary and epidemiological norms of Russia and other countries. Cancer and noncancer hazard ratios through consumption of salmon in Russian Far East for both men and women also were summarized. Noncancer and cancer hazard ratio values were far below threshold values (<1.0)., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study is to establish the presence of POPs in the Bering flounder (Hippoglossoides robustus) from the Sea of Okhotsk (North-West Pacific). Concentration of OCPs (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDE) and PCBs (28, 52, 155, 101, 118, 143, 153, 138, 180, 207) in samples were measured by GC-MS and GC-ECD. The mean OCP concentrations in flounder from East and South areas of the Sea of Okhotsk were 99.8 ± 125.4 and 53.6 ± 40.5 ng/g lipid, respectively; PCB congeners - 112 ± 94.2 and 88.8 ± 50.8 ng/g lipid, respectively. POPs in fish tissue decreased in the order: PCBs > HCHs > DDTs. Our results indicate that consumers will have no health risk due to fish consumption from Sea of Okhotsk. OCP and PCB levels in the Sea of Okhotsk may be considered as background level for the North Pacific., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides by marine organisms is one of the methods of environmental quality. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (HCH isomers (α-, β-, γ-HCH), p,p'-DDT and its metabolites (p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE)) in samples of seabirds (Northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, Crested auklet Aethia cristatella, Auklet-crumb Aethia pusilla, Pacific gull Larus schistisagus, and Gray petrel Oceanodroma furcate) and marine mammals (Gray whales Eschrichtius robustus and Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens) were measured by a GC-MS. The total concentration of OCPs in mammals was higher than in seabirds. Environmental biomonitoring with the use of seabirds and marine mammals, as a long-lived species, is used for global monitoring, since bioaccumulation in these organisms occurs throughout life. The environmental assessment of the Northwest Pacific marine ecosystems revealed that the levels of OCP contamination in this area are similar to the other subarctic regions of the World Ocean., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The trace OCP concentrations, such as α-, β-, and γ-HCH, DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) in blood and urine of residents from the south of the Russian Far East was revealed. A large range of OCPs was found in the urine: α- and γ-isomers of HCH, DDT and DDE. The only β-HCH was detected in the blood; this indicates its persistence and the difficulty of excretion this substance from the organism. The total trace OCP concentration, found in the biological fluids of residents of the south of the Russian Far East, providing further evidence that these organic contaminants persist in the environment.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), such as HCHs and DDTs, are still used as pesticides in the Southern Hemisphere and can reach the North Pacific due to long range atmospheric transfer. Marine mammals (Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens, gray whale Eschrichtius robustus), the seabirds (Pacific gull Larus schistisagus, crested auklet Aethia cristatella, auklet crumb Aethia pusilla, northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, and grey petrel Oceanodroma furcata) and Pacific salmon (pink Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, chum O. keta, chinook O. tshawytscha, and sockeye O. nerka) were collected near the Kuril Islands (the northern-western part of the Pacific Ocean), in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. The total OCPs concentration (HCHs + DDTs) was found in each organism, including the Pacific walrus (70-90,263 ng/g lipid), the seabirds (29-16,095 ng/g lipid), and the Pacific salmon (41-7103 ng/g lipid). The concentrations and possible sources of OCPs in marine organisms as biological indicators are discussed.

Kuril Islands of the Sea of Okhotsk and the western part of the Bering Sea are an area of natural feeding of Pacific salmon, and the catch area of ones for food market. Food safety of products is an important task of aquaculture. Сoncentrations of HCHs (α-, β-, γ-) and DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) were determined in organs of the pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum (O. keta), chinook (O. tshawytscha), and sockeye (O. nerka), which caught from the natural aquaculture region of Russia (near the Kuril Islands (the northern-western part of the Pacific Ocean), the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea). The average total concentration of OCPs in organs of salmon from Western Pacific is lower than that in salmon from the North Pacific American coast and the Atlantic Ocean. The region can be used to grow smolts, which will be later released into the ocean., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-, β-, and γ-), DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) were detected in five individuals of Northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis Linnaeus, 1761 from the Sea of Okhotsk. The average amount of HCHs in the organs of fulmars ranged from 608±177ng/g lipids in the total homogenate of the organs to 2093±264ng/g lipids in the feathers with skin. The average range of the amounts of DDTs was from 3606±333ng/g lipids in the feathers with skin to 4076±1624ng/g lipids in the feathers. The bioaccumulation of DDTs by seabirds of the Sea of Okhotsk is approximately equal to that of birds from other regions of the world's oceans, while the HCHs concentration is significantly higher., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Concentrations of isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (α-, β-, γ-HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were assessed in organs of the pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum (Oncorhynchus keta), chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), caught near the Kuril Islands (the northern-western part of the Pacific Ocean), in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. Pesticides have been found to accumulate in fish organs in the following: muscles < liver < eggs < male gonads. The highest concentrations in muscles and liver have been recorded from sockeye. Of the DDT group, only DDE has been detected. The average concentration of HCHs + DDE in the muscles of pink, chum, chinook, and sockeye was 141, 125, 1241, 1641 ng/g lipids, respectively; and in the liver, 279, 183, 1305, 3805 ng/g lipids, respectively. The total concentration of HCHs isomers was higher than that of DDE. Average HCHs + DDE concentration in organs of salmon from study area is lower than that in salmon from Pacific coast of North America., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect of carrageenans and fucoidans on the activity of Hantavirus is studied. It has been found that among carrageenans a significant antiviral effect is exerted by the ι-type, which decreases the viral titer by 2.5 log focus forming units per mL; among fucoidans, by a preparation from Laminaria cichorioides, which reduces the number of infected cells from 27.0 to 5.3 after pretreatment of both the macrophage culture and Hantavirus. The antiviral effect of fucoidan from Laminaria japonica is shown to grow in direct proportion to the increase of dose of the preparation.

The Kuril Islands region is considered promising for development of salmon aquaculture. There are 41 salmon fish hatcheries in the Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands, 34 of them are hatcheries of the chum. Therefore, concentrations of six elements (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, As, and Hg) were determined in chum salmon were caught in this region. The contents of toxic elements (Cd, Pb, As, and Hg) don't exceed their maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) according to the Russian sanitary standards, but concentration of Pb are closely to MPC. Increased concentrations of Pb in wild chum have the natural origin. The unusual conditions of the Western Pacific are formed under the influence such factors as volcanism and upwelling., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The feeding habits of a gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) and a Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), caught from the western Bering Sea in the summers of 2010 and 2011, have been studied, and concentration of persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in their organs determined. The total OCP concentration (∑HCH+∑DDT) in muscles and liver of the gray whales varies from 297 to 3581 and from 769 to 13,808 ng/g lipids, respectively. The total OCP concentration (∑HCH+∑DDT) in muscles and liver of the Pacific walruses varies from 197 to 5659 and from 4856 to 90,263 ng/g lipids, respectively. The specifics of diet as a source of pesticide accumulation in these two marine mammal species are discussed., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The content of organochlorine pesticides in blood of residents of the Russian Far East is assessed. Among hexachlorocyclohexane isomers, only β-HCH has been found. This fact indicates that contamination of the environment and human organisms by this pesticide began long ago. Its concentration varies from 2060 to 22,230 ng/g lipid. The probable sources of the toxicant found in human organisms are discussed.