Bourgeoning Impact Of The Technology Critical Elements In The Marine Environment

Contamination of the Technology Critical Elements (TCE) through e-wastes and beach plastic wastes are some of the attributes to the recent rise in marine pollution. A generalized study of pollutants in the marine waters showed no evidence of the effect of TCE. However, an in-depth study revealed the mean TCE concentrations in the sequence of gallium (Ga) > thallium (Tl) > niobium (Nb) > tellurium (Te) > tantalum (Ta) > germanium (Ge) > indium (In) in wastewater (0.38 ng.L-1) > sediment (0.3 ng g(-1)) e-wastes (0.29 ng g(-1)) > coastal water (0.26 ng.L-1) > plastic wastes (0.133 ng g(-1)) > fish (0.13 ng g(-1)). The mean site-wise analysis of all the samples showed high TCE during winter than in the summer seasons as well, in the sequence of Site-II>Site-I>Site-V>Site-IV>Site-III. The mean distribution coefficient (K-d) of TCE was high in the summer (1.95) than during the winter (1.60) seasons but, the reverse seasonal effects were observed with the bioavailability (%BA) and geo-accumulation index (I-geo). This index quantified TCE in e-wastes and plastic materials. Furthermore, these indicators labeled TCE as one among the sources for 'Fish Kill,' a futuristic threat to seafood consumers and a biomonitoring tool to marine pollution. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.