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— Digging Deeper with K.J. Britt (@kjbritt.bsky.social) March 15, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) swimming off the coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Photo by Leonard Reback, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Are the LCD screens in the smartphones, computers and TVs we use everyday be harming dolphins and other marine mammals? New research from the City University of Hong Kong has found that liquid crystal monomers (LCMs), a type of chemical used in the production of liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens, can accumulate in the bodies of cetacean marine mammals like dolphins and porpoises.

In a study published on Feb. 25 in the academic journal Environmental Science & Technology, a team of 19 authors (mostly associated with the City University of Hong Kong in China), presented alarming evidence that LCMs are accumulating in body tissues of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides). The study, titled Liquid Crystal Monomers Released from LCD Displays Accumulate in Endangered Marine Cetaceans Triggering Health Concerns is currently available online with open access.

Both the Indo-Pacific dolphins and the porpoises swim in the waters of the South China Sea. The team analyzed tissue samples collected from dead, stranded dolphins and porpoises by Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department. They found that LCMs accumulated in various tissues, including “muscle, brain, blubber, liver, and kidney tissues.” The LCMs entered the local environment as a result of “household electronics and coastal e-waste.”

The discovery of LCMs in brain tissue from the animals was especially alarming, as it indicated that LCMs have ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier “raises potential concerns regarding neurotoxicity”. According to the authors, LCM accumulation in brian tissue has not been documented before in mammals. The paper noted that:

“As apex predators, these cetaceans are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic pollutants, which can bioaccumulate within their bodies, affecting their health and survival.”