Research Progress in Area 2 方向 ( 二 ) 課題進展 131 Abstract The marine ecosystem receives a wide variety of chemical species carried in water that have gone past sewage treatment systems and water treatment plants without being fully degraded. Upon being discharged into the water bodies, these chemicals would be absorbed and bioaccumulated in aquatic plants and microorganisms and could eventually threaten the health of the ecosystem. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the toxicological effects of chemical pollutants on marine life using chemical approaches. Specifically, they will conduct a largescale surveillance for emerging environmental pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals (e.g. anti-depressants), perfluorooctane sulfonate, pesticides, antibiotics, etc, in the marine ecosystem. They will perform toxicology studies to investigate the potential threats marine pollutants posing to marine organisms. Research Activities and Progress • Identified major DNA binding proteins in cells exposure to environmentally derived oxidizing and methylating agents (see attached paper published); • Identified naturally produced aristolochic acids (AAs) as emerging environmental pollutants in both soil and aquatic environments (see attached paper published); • Quantitated antiseptic chloroxylenol (PCMX) in fresh and seawaters bodies of Hong Kong. Key Findings • Histone H2B3B and poly(rC) binding protein 2 were identified as the most frequent DNAprotein cross-links-forming proteins in cells exposed to oxidizing and methylating agents; • AAs were identified as a class of previously unaware environmental pollutants in herbal medicine cultivation areas, released from the decay of the unwanted parts of AAs-containing herbs; • The COVID 19 pandemic has increased the concentrations of PCMX in both fresh and sea water of Hong Kong, even Victoria harbor, which may pose risk to aquatic organisms. Research Output Publication 2 Trained personnel 3 Marine Pollution, Focusing on Novel Technology of Pollution Detection and Remediation Prof. Simon W. Chan The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Fig 1. Chemical contamination through drinking water.
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