Synthetic flame retardant compounds turn up as marine natural products
Finding an alga that biosynthesises halogenated anilines increases likelihood of finding an organism that can degrade the toxic compounds too
Trihalogenated anilines are not purely anthropogenic chemicals. Researchers in Germany have discovered that marine diatoms also produce and release the compounds, which serve as flame retardants in building materials and attract substantial environmental concern as they are persistent and toxic if released.