Our televisions, smartphones and computers often do not disappear completely when we throw them away. They change shape. They become dust, fragments, invisible molecules that travel through the air, flow into sewage, and finally reach the sea. There they enter marine organisms and accumulate, eventually reaching the brains of dolphins. This is the finding of a study published in Environmental Science & Technology, which for the first time documents the presence of liquid crystal monomers (LCMs ) in the tissues of endangered cetaceans in the South China Sea.
It is a precise chemical fingerprint that can be traced to the screens of electronic devices. Those same substances that enable sharp images and brilliant colors become persistent, biologically active pollutants when dispersed into the environment.
From the living room to the abyss
LCMs are synthetic organic compounds designed to be extremely stable. This is a key quality for ensuring the durability of screens, but it proves devastating when these molecules enter natural cycles. “Ironically, this very stability is what makes them a problem for the environment: they don’t decompose easily,”Yuhe He, a researcher at City University of Hong Kong and co-author of the study, explained to the Guardian .
For 14 years, the team analyzed samples of fat, muscle, liver, kidney and brain tissue from Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and finless porpoises, selecting 62 different LCMs. The highest concentrations were found in fat, but the most disturbing finding concerns their presence in the brain, evidence that these substances are able to cross the blood-brain barrier.
A biological wake-up call
Laboratory analyses show that the four most prevalent LCMs interfere with DNA repair mechanisms and cell division. Subtle alterations, but with the potential to compromise the animals’ health in the long run. “The presence of LCMs in their brains is an important red flag,” said He. “If they can cross the blood-brain barrier in dolphins, we need to worry about the risk of similar effects in humans exposed through contaminated seafood or even drinking water.”
Indeed, the food chain is the main vector of accumulation. The same contaminants have been traced in fish and invertebrates on which cetaceans feed, suggesting a direct pathway from e-waste to our plates.
The “fast tech” we don’t see
Each year the world produces about 62 million tons of electronic waste. Driving this growth is the logic of “fast tech”: cheap devices that are often difficult to repair and designed to last a short time. An industrial model that dumps the real costs of continuous innovation on the environment.
During the observation period, researchers noticed a correlation between the use of LCMs in screens and their presence in marine animals. When manufacturers began replacing them with LEDs, concentrations decreased. A clear signal: industrial choices have direct effects on ecosystems.
Preventing rather than chasing after damage
There is still no definitive evidence of a direct impact on human health, but waiting for absolute certainty could be a strategic mistake. “This is a warning sign. If we wait until the harm is fully demonstrated, it will probably be too late,” the authors warn.
Solutions exist and are immediate: extend the life of devices, encourage repair, use certified recycling channels, and, most importantly, introduce stricter regulations on the use of persistent chemicals before they are placed on the market.
