Occurrence and Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Amphibian Species: Implications from Biomagnification Factors Based on Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis.

Contaminants pose a great threat to amphibian populations, but the bioaccumulation and distribution of contaminants in amphibians are still unclear. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) had median concentrations of 468-3560 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and 206-2720 ng/g lw in the muscle of amphibians, respectively. BDE 209 was the predominant PBDE congener, while CBs 118, 138, 153, and 180 were the main PCB congeners. The diet compositions of amphibians were estimated by quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA). Dragonfly contributed the most to the diet of amphibians. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) based on quantitative amphibian/insect relationships showed more credible results than BMFs based on amphibian/each insect or amphibian/combined prey relationships. BMFs derived from QFASA declined with log KOW from 5 to 6.5 and then showed a parabolic relationship with log KOW greater than 6.5. BMFs of PCBs were significantly influenced by the elimination capacity of PCBs in amphibians. Less-hydrophobic PCBs preferentially accumulated in the skin than in muscle, which was probably due to the dermal exposure of less-hydrophobic PCBs for amphibians. The biomagnification and distribution of contaminants may be affected by multiple exposure pathways and the toxicokinetics of contaminants in various life stages of amphibians.

Biomagnification of Persistent Organic Pollutants from Terrestrial and Aquatic Invertebrates to Songbirds: Associations with Physiochemical and Ecological Indicators.

Biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is affected by physiochemical properties of POPs and ecological factors of wildlife. In this study, influences on species-specific biomagnification of POPs from aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates to eight songbird species were investigated. The median concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in birds were 175 to 13 200 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and 62.7 to 3710 ng/g lw, respectively. Diet compositions of different invertebrate taxa for songbird species were quantified by quantitative fatty acid signature analysis. Aquatic insects had more contributions of more hydrophobic POPs, while terrestrial invertebrates had more contributions of less hydrophobic PCBs in songbirds. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) and trophic magnification factors had parabolic relationships with log KOW and log KOA. The partition ratios of POPs between bird muscle and air were significantly and positively correlated with log KOA of POPs, indicating respiratory elimination as an important determinant in biomagnification of POPs in songbirds. In this study, the species-specific biomagnification of POPs in songbird species cannot be explained by stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen and body parameters of bird species. BMFs of most studied POPs were significantly correlated with proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids in different species of songbirds.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in oriental magpie-robins from e-waste, urban, and rural sites: Site-specific biomagnification of POPs.

Plenty of banned and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dechlorane plus (DP), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), were measured in oriental magpie-robins from an e-waste recycling site, an urban site (Guangzhou City), and a rural site in South China. Median concentrations of DDTs, PCBs, PBDEs, DP, and DBDPE ranged from 1,000-1,313, 800-59,368, 244-5,740, 24.1-127, and 14.7-36.0 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Birds from the e-waste site had significantly higher concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs than those from urban and rural sites (p < 0.05), implying contamination of PCBs and PBDEs brought by e-waste recycling activities. DDTs were the predominant POPs in birds from urban and rural sites. The values of δ15N were significantly and positively correlated with concentrations of p,p'-DDE and low-halogenated chemicals in samples from the e-waste site (p < 0.05), indicating the trophic magnification of these chemicals in birds. However, concentrations of most POPs were not significantly correlated with the δ15N values in birds from urban and rural sites. PCBs and PBDEs in birds from urban and rural sites were not likely from local sources, and the biomagnification of POPs in different sites needed to be further investigated with caution.

Rapid and simultaneous analysis of tetrabromobisphenol A and hexabromocyclododecane in water by direct immersion solid phase microextraction: Uniform design to explore factors.

Direct immersion solid phase microextraction (DI-SPME) coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is of significant research interest because of its low solvent consumption, simple design, and efficient, sensitive, fast performance. In this work, a combination of these two methods (DI-SPME-LC-MS) for the determination of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in water was developed. Important factors, which included temperature, stirring rate, salt concentration, pH value and adsorption time, were evaluated in for the optimization of solid phase microextraction (SPME) method. The method was developed using spiked natural waters in a concentration range of 0.1-10 ng mL-1, and showed notable linearity with regression coefficients ranging between 0.992 and 0.999. The limits of detection varied from 0.01 to 0.04 ng mL-1 (at S/N = 3) and relative standard deviation (RSD < 11%) were obtained showing that the precision of the method was reliable. Recoveries were in relatively high levels for both analytes and ranged from 88% to 108%. Moreover, in comparison with the performance time of traditional sample pretreatment methods such as solid-phase extraction (SPE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), DI-SPME-LC-MS takes only approximately 35 min to perform. The optimized method was successfully applied for monitoring concentrations of TBBPA and HBCD in water.

Bioaccumulation of Persistent Halogenated Organic Pollutants in Insects: Common Alterations to the Pollutant Pattern for Different Insects during Metamorphosis.

Few studies have examined the accumulation and fate of persistent halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs) in insects. We measured HOPs, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls, and halogenated flame retardants, in insects from four taxonomic groups collected from an e-waste site. Dragonfly larvae collected from a pond contained the highest concentrations of all chemicals except DDTs, while the litchi stinkbugs contained the lowest. Different insect taxa exhibited different contaminant patterns which could be attributed to their habitats and feeding strategies. Bioaccumulation factors for dragonfly larvae and biomagnification factors for moth and grasshopper larvae were significantly positively correlated with the octanol-water partition coefficient of the chemicals (log KOW < 8). Common nonlinear correlations between the ratio of larval to adult concentrations and log KOW were observed for all taxa studied. The ratio of concentrations decreased with increasing values of log KOW (log KOW < 6-6.5), then increased (6 < log KOW < 8) and decreased again (log KOW > 8). This result implies that the mechanism that regulates organic pollutants in insects during metamorphosis is common to all the taxa studied.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Human Hair and Serum from E-Waste Recycling Workers in Southern China: Concentrations, Chiral Signatures, Correlations, and Source Identification.

Hair is increasingly used as a biomarker for human exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, the internal and external sources of hair POPs remain a controversial issue. This study analyzed polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in human hair and serum from electronic waste recycling workers. The median concentrations were 894 ng/g and 2868 ng/g lipid in hair and serum, respectively. The PCB concentrations in male and female serum were similar, while concentrations in male hair were significantly lower than in female hair. Significant correlations between the hair and serum PCB levels and congener profiles suggest that air is the predominant PCB source in hair and that hair and blood PCB levels are largely dependent on recent accumulation. The PCB95, 132, and 183 chiral signatures in serum were significantly nonracemic, with mean enantiomer fractions (EFs) of 0.440-0.693. Nevertheless, the hair EFs were essentially racemic (mean EFs = 0.495-0.503). Source apportionment using the Chemical Mass Balance model also indicated primary external PCB sources in human hair from the study area. Air, blood, and indoor dust are responsible for, on average, 64.2%, 27.2%, and 8.79% of the hair PCBs, respectively. This study evidenced that hair is a reliable matrix for monitoring human POP exposure.

Using compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis to trace metabolism and trophic transfer of PCBs and PBDEs in fish from an e-waste site, South China.

Two fish species (mud carp and northern snakehead) forming a predator/prey relationship and sediment samples were collected from a pond contaminated by e-waste. The concentrations and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ(13)C) of individual polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were measured to determine if compound-specific carbon isotope analysis (CSIA) could be used to provide insight into the metabolism and trophic dynamics of PCBs and PBDEs. Significant correlations were found in the isotopic data of PCB congeners between the sediment and the fish species and between the two fish indicating identical origin of PCBs in sediment and fish. Most PCB congeners in the fish species were enriched in (13)C compared with the PCB congeners in the sediments as a result of isotopic fractionation during the metabolism of PCBs in fish. The isotopic data of several PCB congeners showing isotopic agreement or isotopic depletion could be used for source apportionment or to trace the reductive dechlorination process of PCBs in the environment. The PCB isotopic data covaried more in the northern snakehead than in the mud carp when compared to the sediment, implying that a similar isotopic fractionation occurs from the prey to the predator fish for a PCB congener possibly due to similar metabolic pathways. The PBDE congener patterns differed in the three sample types with a high abundance of BDE209, 183, 99, and 47 in the sediment, BDE47, 153, and 49 in the mud carp and BDE47, 100, and 154 in the northern snakehead. The isotopic change of BDE congeners, such as BDE47 and BDE49, in two fish species, provides evidence for biotransformation of PBDEs in biota. The results of this study suggest that CSIA is a promising tool for deciphering the fate of PCBs and PBDEs in the environment.

A review of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and alternative brominated flame retardants in wildlife from China: levels, trends, and bioaccumulation characteristics.

Accelerated industrialization and urbanization, and unregulated disposal of waste of electric and electronic equipment (e-waste) in China have caused environmental pollution of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). This review summarized the levels, trends, and bioaccumulation characteristics of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other potential alternative BFRs including hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-dibromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE) and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) in wildlife from China. PBDE levels in wildlife from China were generally higher than those from other parts in Asia, and were comparable to those from Europe but were lower than those from North America. However, wildlife from the e-waste recycling sites in South China and East China contained much higher PBDEs compared to other reports around the world, suggesting the heavy contamination of PBDEs in these regions. The alternative BFRs were also detected in wildlife, revealing that the animals are exposed to these chemicals, in addition to PBDEs. Temporal trends indicated by levels in marine mammals from South China suggested that PBDE levels increased from the beginning of 1990s to 2000s, but decreased from the middle of 2000s, followed by relatively steady levels. In contrast, HBCDs were found to be continuously increasing from 1997 to 2007, indicating the increasing usage of HBCDs in China in recent years. Compared to PBDE profiles found in other parts, aquatic species and birds from China contained relatively higher contributions of BDE-28 and 209, respectively, suggesting the possible different usage pattern of PBDEs. Future works including keeping monitoring at a reasonable scale and frequency to make sure levels near urban centers indicative of population do not increase are needed. Additionally, focus effort on e-waste recycling regions to look for impacts and to determine if regulation/controls are resulting in lower environmental contamination, and incorporation of sentinel species in monitoring efforts are recommended.

Bioaccumulation of several brominated flame retardants and dechlorane plus in waterbirds from an e-waste recycling region in South China: associated with trophic level and diet sources.

The present study is primarily designed to examine the role played by dietary sources on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) congener profiles in waterbirds collected in an e-waste recycling region in South China. Some emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), such as dechlorane plus (DP), 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromoethyl benzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), were also quantified. Stable isotopes (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) were analyzed to assess the trophic levels and dietary sources of the birds. PBDEs were found to be the predominant HFRs, followed by DP, PBT, PBEB, and BTBPE. The birds in which BDE209 was predominant have differential δ(13)C and δ(15)N signatures compared with other birds, suggesting that dietary source is one of the important factors in determining the PBDE congener profile in birds. The levels of ΣPBDEs, PBEB, and PBT were significantly correlated with the trophic level (δ(15)N) for avian species which are located in a food chain, indicating the biomagnification potential of these compounds. No correlation was found between DP concentrations and trophic level of the birds. There is a significantly negative correlation between the fraction of anti-DP and δ(15)N, suggesting that the metabolic capability of DP in birds increases with the trophic level of the birds.

Biomagnification of higher brominated PBDE congeners in an urban terrestrial food web in north China based on field observation of prey deliveries.

As an important group of brominated flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) persist in the wildlife food webs. However, the biomagnification of PBDEs has not been adequately studied in the terrestrial food webs. In this study, a terrestrial food web composed of common kestrels, sparrows, rats, grasshoppers, and dragonflies in the urban environment from northern China was obtained. A field prey delivery study, reinforced by δ¹³C and δ¹5N analyses, indicates that sparrows are the primary prey items of common kestrels. Concentrations of PBDEs were in the following order: common kestrel > sparrow > rat > grasshopper and dragonfly with BDE-209 as the dominant congener. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) were calculated as the ratio between the lipid normalized concentrations in the predator and prey. The highest BMF (6.9) was determined for BDE-153 in sparrow/common kestrel food chain. Other higher brominated congeners, such as BDE-202, -203, -154, -183, -197, and -209, were also biomagnified in this terrestrial food chain with BMF of 1.3-4.7. BDE-47, -99, and -100 were found to be biodiluted from sparrow to common kestrel (BMFs < 1). Measured BMF values for BDE-153, -47, -99, and -100 were consistent with predicted values from a nonsteady-state model in American kestrels from another study. Retention factors and metabolism of BDE congeners may be confounding factors influencing the measured BMFs in this current study.

Brominated and phosphate flame retardants from interior and surface dust of personal computers: insights into sources for human dermal exposure.

It remains unclear whether internal or external sources play the more significant role in flame retardant (FR) contamination of surface dust from personal computers (PCs), which may lead to bias on dermal exposure assessment of FRs. In the present study, the occurrence and profiles of several brominated and phosphate FRs were measured in the interior dust, and the upper surface (keyboard) and bottom surface (bottom cover) wipes of PCs. BDE 209 (639 ng/g), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE, 885 ng/g), and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP, 1880 ng/g) were the most abundant chemicals in interior PC dust, while tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), TPHP, and DBDPE were dominant on both surfaces of PCs. No significant correlation between interior dust and both PC surfaces was observed for concentrations of most FRs except BDE 183. Different sources of FRs for interior and surface dust of PCs were further revealed by principal component analysis (PCA). FRs from external sources, rather than emission from inner PC components, are likely the main contributor for FR profiles on PC surfaces. Exposure assessment results demonstrated a minor contribution from PC dermal contact, compared with hand-to-mouth uptake, to total exposure. The applicability of surface wipes to assess dermal exposure to FR-treated products needs to be further investigated.

Tetrabromobisphenol-A and hexabromocyclododecane in birds from an e-waste region in South China: influence of diet on diastereoisomer- and enantiomer-specific distribution and trophodynamics.

Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and three diastereomers of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were examined in the muscles of six bird species and their diet collected from an e-waste recycling region (Qingyuan) in South China. Stable isotope ratios (delta15N and delta13C) were analyzed to measure the diet source and trophic levels (TLs) of the birds. The median TBBPA and HBCD concentrations in the birds ranged from 28 to 173 and not detectable to 1995 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. The diastereoisomeric pattern shows the predominance of alpha-HBCD in birds feeding in an aquatic environment and that of gamma-HBCD in birds feeding in a terrestrial environment, whereas no clear preference for alpha isomer or gamma isomer was found in birds that inhabited freshwater wetland. A significant positive correlation between delta13C and percentage of alpha-HBCD was observed, indicating the importance of diet exposure pathways in the determination of HBCD diastereoisomer pattern. The enantiomer fractions (EFs) for alpha-HBCD differed substantially between aquatic and terrestrial bird species with a significant enrichment of (+) alpha-HBCD enantiomer for aquatic birds and a preferential enrichment of (-) alpha-HBCD enantiomer for terrestrial birds. The similarity in diastereoisomer profiles of HBCD and the EFs of alpha-HBCD between prey (fish) and predator (Chinese pond heron) also suggested that dietary exposure is an important contributor for the observed diastereoisomer- and enantiomer-specific distribution of HBCD in birds. Trophic magnification was observed for alpha-HBCD and TBBPA as concentrations increased with the TLs of the birds defined by delta15N, but only alpha-HBCD showed a strong positive relationship (p=0.001). The biomagnification factors for alpha- and gamma-HBCD and TBBPA were calculated based on individual predator/prey feeding relationships for two species.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyles (PCBs), hydroxylated and methoxylated-PBDEs, and methylsulfonyl-PCBs in bird serum from South China.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and their derivatives, hydroxylated (OH) and methoxylated (MeO) PBDEs and methylsulfonylated (MeSO(2)) PCBs, were measured in sera of eight bird species collected from an e-waste recycling region in South China. Concentrations of summation operatorPCBs, ranging from 38 to 1700 ng/g lipid weight (lw), were one to two orders of magnitude higher than concentrations of summation operatorPBDEs (0.64-580 ng/g lw). The significantly positive relationship between PCB and PBDE concentrations suggested a similar pathway of exposure to these compounds. Compared with muscle in birds, serum might prefer to accumulate and/or retain less brominated/chlorinated congeners. 3-OH-BDE47 and 2'-OH-BDE68 were detected in more than 80% of the collected bird serum samples (range: not detectable (nd) to 13 and nd to 7.8 ng/g lw, respectively). The other three OH-PBDE congeners (4'-OH-BDE-17, 6-OH-BDE47, and 4'-OH-BDE-49) and two MeO-PBDE congeners (3-MeO-BDE47 and 6-MeO-BDE47) were occasionally detected in bird sera at concentrations ranging from nd to 2.5 ng/g lw. Both natural sources and metabolic transformation of PBDEs could contribute to the presence of these PBDE derivatives in the birds. The two MeSO(2)-PCB congeners (4-MeSO(2)-CB49 and 4-MeSO(2)-CB101) under investigation were detected at respective concentration ranges of nd to 12 and nd to 0.68 ng/g lw. 4-MeSO(2)-CB101 exhibited the highest concentration among the nine PCB and PBDE derivatives studied, indicating that biotransformation via the mercapturic acid pathway of PCBs might have occurred in the studied bird species.

Benzo(a)pyrene degradation by cytochrome P450 hydroxylase and the functional metabolism network of Bacillus thuringiensis.

The relationship between benzo(a)pyrene biodegradation and certain target biomolecules has been investigated. To regulate the degradation process, the associated metabolism network must be clarified. To this end, benzo(a)pyrene degradation, carbon substrate metabolism and exometabolomic mechanism of Bacillus thuringiensis were analyzed. Benzo(a)pyrene was degraded through hydroxylation catalyzed by cytochrome P450 hydroxylase. After the treatment of 0.5 mg L-1 of benzo(a)pyrene by 0.2 g L-1 of cells for 9 d, biosorption and degradation efficiencies were measured at approximately 90% and 80%, respectively. During this process, phospholipid synthesis, glycogen, asparagine, arginine, itaconate and xylose metabolism were significantly downregulated, while glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, citrate cycle, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were significantly upregulated. These findings offer insight into the biotransformation regulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Selection of passerine birds as bio-sentinel of persistent organic pollutants in terrestrial environment.

A broad suite of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, were analyzed in pectoral muscle of eight terrestrial passerine bird species from an extensive e-waste recycling site in South China. Concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, and DDTs in bird samples ranged from 1260-279,000, 121-14,200, and 31-7910ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Insectivorous birds had significantly higher levels of PCBs, PBDEs, and DDTs than those in granivorous birds. Concentrations of POPs in resident insectivorous birds were significantly greater than those in migrant insectivorous birds. PCBs were the predominant pollutants in all bird species from the e-waste site, followed by PBDEs and DDTs, indicating that PCBs were mainly derived from e-wastes. The granivorous birds had higher proportions of hepta-CBs in total PCBs and higher proportions of octa- to deca-BDEs in total PBDEs compared with the insectivorous birds. The various dietary sources, migration behavior, and possible biotransformation were suspected as reasons of the distinct profiles of POPs in different bird species. The δ15N values were significantly and positively correlated with concentrations of POPs in resident insectivorous birds, but not in other passerine bird species, suggesting the influence of trophic levels on bioaccumulation of POPs in resident insectivorous birds. The resident insectivorous birds seem to be promising bio-sentinel of POPs in terrestrial environment around the e-waste sites.

Dechlorane Plus in paired hair and serum samples from e-waste workers: correlation and differences.

Dechlorane Plus (DP) and a dechlorinated product of DP were measured in 34 matched human hair and serum samples (19 males and 15 females) collected from e-waste recycling workers in South China. The DP (sum of syn- and anti-DP) concentrations in hair and serum samples ranged from 6.3 to 1100 ng g(-1) dry weight and from 22 to 1400 ng g(-1) lipid weight (lw). The levels of anti-Cl11-DP ranged from 0.02 to 1.8 ng g(-1) in hair and from not detected to 7.9 ng g(-1) lw in serum. Significant positive correlations for both DP and anti-Cl11-DP concentrations between hair and serum samples were found (p<0.05), indicating hair to be a suitable matrix for human DP exposure. However, a significant difference was found in the DP isomer composition between hair and serum, suggesting stereoselective bioaccumulation during the absorption of DP into hair. A sharp gender difference was found in the levels of DP in hair. Moreover, syn-DP, anti-DP and anti-Cl11-DP in hair significantly correlated with those in serum for male samples, but not for female samples. The observed gender differences in the present study may be, in part, ascribed to the much longer hair exposure time for females than males due to the difference in sampling distance from the scalp.

Organohalogen contamination in passerine birds from three metropolises in China: geographical variation and its implication for anthropogenic effects on urban environments.

Contamination of organohalogen pollutants (OHPs), including dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in three metropolises of China, Beijing, Wuhan, and Guangzhou, and a reference rural site were determined using terrestrial residential passerine species as bioindicator. DDTs dominated in Wuhan whereas flame retardants dominated in Guangzhou and Beijing. No geographical variation was found for PCB levels but it exhibited different homologue profiles among different sites which could be attributed to different dietary sources of birds. Industry characteristics of the sampling location contributed to the geographical differences in the occurrence and contamination profile of OHPs. The transformation of traditional agriculture characterized contamination profiles to industry characterized profiles in Beijing and Guangzhou implicates significantly environmental concern on the flame retardants contamination in non-hot-spot regions of China.

Occurrence and biomagnification of organohalogen pollutants in two terrestrial predatory food chains.

Organohalogen pollutants (OHPs), including dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and dechlorane plus (DP), were determined in three raptor species, namely, the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), eagle owl (Bubo bubo), and little owl (Athene noctua), as well as in their primary prey items: Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) and brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). DDTs were the predominant pollutants in avian species followed by PBDEs and PCBs, then minimally contribution of HBCDs and DP. Inter-species differences in the PBDE congener profiles were observed between the owls and the common kestrels, with relatively high contributions of lower brominated congeners in the owls but highly brominated congeners in the kestrels. This result may partly be attributed to a possible greater in vivo biotransformation of highly brominated BDE congeners in owls than in kestrels. α-HBCD was the predominant diastereoisomer with a preferential enrichment of (-)-enantiomer in all the samples. No stereoselective bioaccumulation was found for DP isomers in the investigated species. Biomagnification factor (BMF) values were generally higher in the rat-owl food chain than in the sparrow-kestrel food chain. Despite this food chain-specific biomagnification, the relationships between the log BMF and log KOW of PCBs and PBDEs followed a similar function in the two food chains, except for BDE-47, -99, and -100 in the sparrow-kestrel feeding relationship.

Accumulation pattern of Dechlorane Plus and associated biological effects on rats after 90 d of exposure.

Recent studies have indicated that Dechlorane Plus (DP) is widespread in the environments. However, different isomer-specific enrichment pattern of syn-DP and anti-DP was reported in biological samples from the field. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were consecutively exposed to commercial DP 25 by gavage for 90 d at different doses (0, 1, 10, and 100 mg kg(-1) d(-1)) to investigate the accumulation pattern of syn-DP and anti-DP in liver, muscle, and serum of rats. The possible biological effects of DP on rats were also examined. Results showed that DP preferentially accumulated in the liver rather than in muscle at all exposure levels. No significant stereoselectivity of anti-DP or syn-DP in tissues was observed in the low DP exposure groups (0 and 1 mg kg(-1) d(-1)) with f(anti) values (defined as the concentration of the anti-DP divided by the sum of concentrations of anti- and syn-DP) ranging from 0.74 to 0.78. However, f(anti) values reduced (f(anti) ranged from 0.26 to 0.30) significantly in the high DP exposure groups (10 and 100 mg kg(-1) d(-1)) and syn-DP was predominant in all tissues. Biochemical parameters in serum, the mRNA expression levels of certain enzymes and their activities in liver were detected. There was no observable-effect in histopathology and death during the experiment, although the mRNA expression levels of some genes in the low dosage group decreased significantly and enzyme activity of CYP 2B2 increased.

Dechlorane Plus flame retardant in terrestrial raptors from northern China.

While a number of studies have addressed the environmental presence and behavior of the Dechlorane Plus (DP) flame retardant, there is still a dearth of information in terrestrial ecosystems. The present study revealed that median ∑DP (including anti- and syn-DP isomers) concentrations ranged from 10 to 810 ng/g lipid weight in muscle and liver tissues of six terrestrial raptor species collected in 2004-2006 from Beijing, China. Some concentrations rival the greatest DP burdens ever reported in global wildlife. Significant, positive correlations were observed between fanti (concentration ratio of anti-isomer to ∑DP) and ∑DP concentrations in the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) tissues. These results suggested that the DP burdens could be substantially driven by the accumulation of the anti-isomer in terrestrial birds. The tissue-specific accumulation of DP further suggested that factors (e.g., hepatic binding enzymes) other than lipid solubility could be important in determining tissue deposition of DP.