Multimedia distribution and ecological risks of bisphenol a in the Arctic Ocean: Insights from the east Siberian and Chukchi seas

Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used chemical and known endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC), has estrogen activity and the ability to migrate over long distances, which could pose a potential threat to polar ecosystems. This study examines the pollution levels, degradation mechanisms, and ecological risks of BPA and its analogs in the southeastern Arctic Ocean, focusing on the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas, through systematic sampling and analysis of seawater, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment cores collected during the 2023 Arctic scientific cruise. BPA concentrations in surface seawater ranged from below the detection limit to 23.19 ng/L, with higher levels near the Beaufort Gyre. BPA levels in SPM (106.72–2864.50 ng/g dw) were significantly higher than in sediments (10.06–70.49 ng/g dw), identifying SPM as a primary transport vector. Sediment core analysis showed a historical rise in BPA deposition since the 1950s, aligning with the growth of BPA production industries. Ecological risk assessments using Risk Quotient (RQ) values indicated a high risk to marine organisms under current conditions, although lower-trophic-level species, such as Daphnia magna , showed increased vulnerability. This work offers essential data for understanding BPA's environmental fate in the Arctic Ocean and highlights the need for long-term monitoring and interdisciplinary research to address the ongoing presence and ecological risks of BPA amid its increasing global use. • BPA is widespread in Arctic seas, enriched in SPM as a key transport vector. • Sediment cores reveal a historical increase in BPA since the 1950s. • BPA tends to diffuse from seawater to sediment in the study area. • BPA poses higher ecological risk in solid media (SPM, sediment) than seawater. • BPA persists in the Arctic seas due to cold and reduced microbial activity.