Assessment of spatial distribution of organic contaminants and metallic compounds on a tropical island’ coral reef fish communities

Contamination by mining-related elements (Ni, Cr) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is widespread throughout New Caledonia's lagoon, extending from coastal areas to the barrier reef. A study analyzing 36 contaminants in ~400 coral reef fish revealed that fish body size was the strongest predictor of contaminant concentrations, followed by monthly rainfall for POPs and reef area for metallic compounds (MTEs). Mining activity significantly influenced contamination levels, particularly for Ni and Cr, while mercury (Hg) contamination showed strong dependence on biological variables. The research used boosted regression trees modeling to predict and map contaminant distribution at the community level, providing critical spatial data for policy-making.

Wejieme, N., Vigliola, L., Parravicini, V., Nicolay, A., Wafo, E., Bustamante, P., & Letourneur, Y. (2025). Assessment of spatial distribution of organic contaminants and metallic compounds on a tropical island’ coral reef fish communities. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 217, 118031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118031