TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes of accumulation profiles from PBDEs to brominated and chlorinated alternatives in marine mammals from the South China Sea
AU - Zhu, Bingqing
AU - Lai, Nelson L.S.
AU - Wai, Tak Cheung
AU - Chan, Leo L.
AU - Lam, James C.W.
AU - Lam, Paul K.S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC Nos. 41206080 and 41276111 ), supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (CityU 160610 ) and Environment and Conservation Fund. The authors thank the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR Government and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK) for their assistance with blubber collection in Hong Kong, China.
PY - 2014/5
Y1 - 2014/5
N2 - The present study investigated the composition profiles and levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and five PBDE alternatives in the blubber of two species of marine mammals, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from the South China Sea. Despite the fact that PBDEs were the most predominant brominated flame retardants in the samples analyzed, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 1,2-bis (2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), bis- (2-ethylhexyl) -tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and Dechlorane Plus (DP) were all detected in both cetacean species. In addition, significantly increasing temporal shifting trends of Deca-BDE to DBDPE, Octa-BDE to BTBPE, and Deca-BDE to DP were observed in porpoise samples between 2003 and 2012 and dolphin samples between 2003 and 2011. These patterns may be attributed to the replacement of PBDEs by alternative halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and the increasing usage of these alternatives following the restriction/voluntary withdrawal of the production and use of PBDE commercial mixtures. Our findings suggest that the study region may be a source of contamination by PBDE alternative flame retardants due to the high detection frequencies and levels of these compounds in marine mammals.
AB - The present study investigated the composition profiles and levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and five PBDE alternatives in the blubber of two species of marine mammals, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from the South China Sea. Despite the fact that PBDEs were the most predominant brominated flame retardants in the samples analyzed, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 1,2-bis (2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), bis- (2-ethylhexyl) -tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and Dechlorane Plus (DP) were all detected in both cetacean species. In addition, significantly increasing temporal shifting trends of Deca-BDE to DBDPE, Octa-BDE to BTBPE, and Deca-BDE to DP were observed in porpoise samples between 2003 and 2012 and dolphin samples between 2003 and 2011. These patterns may be attributed to the replacement of PBDEs by alternative halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and the increasing usage of these alternatives following the restriction/voluntary withdrawal of the production and use of PBDE commercial mixtures. Our findings suggest that the study region may be a source of contamination by PBDE alternative flame retardants due to the high detection frequencies and levels of these compounds in marine mammals.
KW - Biomonitoring
KW - Dolphin
KW - Halogenated flame retardants
KW - Marine mammals
KW - PBDE alternatives
KW - Porpoise
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893814716&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2014.01.023
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2014.01.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 24530800
AN - SCOPUS:84893814716
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 66
SP - 65
EP - 70
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
ER -
