Plastic-derived contaminants in sediments from the coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea

Abstract Plastics may leach out harmful chemicals, such as plastic additives and monomers, to the environment. This study focused on three intrinsic plastic-derived contaminants, viz. bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), bisphenol A (BPA), and styrene, based on surface (0–5 cm) sediment samples taken from transition areas located in the human-impacted coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea. The concentrations of DEHP in the sediments from the Gulf of Gdansk and the Szczecin Lagoon ranged from 38 to 228 ng/g d.w. and from 494 to 807 ng/g d.w., respectively. The levels of sedimentary BPA varied from