New study uncovers 'major red flag' in the brains of dolphins: 'We must be concerned about the potential for similar effects in humans'

Chemicals from discarded TV, computer, and phone screens are building up inside two threatened cetacean species in waters off southern China, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology.

What's happening?

Scientists at City University of Hong Kong examined tissue from Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and finless porpoises gathered over a 14-year span. The team tested for 62 liquid crystal monomers, a class of synthetic chemicals found in LCD screens that control the way images appear on televisions, laptops, and phones.

LCMs turned up in muscle, blubber, brain, liver, and kidney samples from both species. Concentrations were highest in fatty tissues like blubber, but finding LCMs in brain tissue alarmed scientists. Only a handful of pollutants can get past the blood-brain barrier in wild cetaceans.

"If these chemicals can cross the blood-brain barrier in dolphins, we must be concerned about the potential for similar effects in humans who are exposed through contaminated seafood or even drinking water," Yuhe He, a study author based at City University of Hong Kong, told the Guardian.

Lab tests using cells from dolphins revealed that four of the most commonly detected LCMs triggered changes to genes tied to fixing damaged DNA and splitting cells.

Why is e-waste pollution concerning?

Liquid crystal monomers were engineered for stability inside your devices, which means they linger in nature long after those devices land in a dump. Researchers have already detected these chemicals in household dust, the open air, treated sewage, and seafloor sediment.

LCMs have turned up in the prey these animals eat, including fish and shellfish, meaning the chemicals move through their diet. People eat many of those same seafood species, and scientists say human exposure needs more study.

The planet generates millions of tons of electronic waste annually, and that total keeps climbing.

"This is a warning signal. If we wait until the damage to human health is fully proven, it will likely be too late. Acting now on e-waste regulation is about preventing a future public health crisis," He said, per the Guardian.

What's being done about e-waste pollution?

Screen manufacturers have begun moving from LCD technology to LED displays. The researchers observed that LCM levels in porpoise blubber fell after 2017 as that transition picked up pace.

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You can pitch in by keeping your electronics longer, choosing repairs over replacements, and dropping off old devices at approved e-waste recycling programs or selling them to interested refurbishers.

The study authors called for tighter rules on long-lasting chemical compounds in everyday electronic devices before products reach store shelves.

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