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Anthropogenic and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds in bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea
Pena-Abaurrea, M.; Weijs, L.; Ramos, L.; Borghesi, N.; Corsolini, S.; Neels, H.; Blust, R.; Covaci, A. (2009). Anthropogenic and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds in bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. Organohalogen Compounds 76(11): 1477-1482. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.07.004
In: Organohalogen Compounds. European Group for Organizational Studies/Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt): Vienna. ISSN 1026-4892, more

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Keywords
    Anthropogenic effects
    Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]
    MED, Mediterranean [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Wild bluefin tuna; Farmed bluefin tuna; Mediterranean Sea; PBDEs;MeO-PBDEs; PBHDs

Authors  Top 
  • Pena-Abaurrea, M.
  • Weijs, L., more
  • Ramos, L.
  • Borghesi, N.
  • Corsolini, S.
  • Neels, H., more
  • Blust, R., more
  • Covaci, A., more

Abstract
    Anthropogenic compounds, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), together with naturally-produced organobromines, such as methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs), polybrominated hexahydroxanthene derivates (PBHDs), 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) and a mixed halogenated monoterpene (MHC-1), were measured in muscle from 26 farmed and wild bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) caught in the Mediterranean Sea. This species is ecological attractive because of the changes of geographic habitat throughout its long lifespan which affect its feeding and because it is a part of human diet (especially for people living on coastal areas). PBDE concentrations were similar between tuna samples of different groups (17-149 ng/g lw in farmed tuna, 25-219 ng/g lw in longline-fished tuna and 26-126 ng/g lw in net-fished tuna). However, higher concentrations of naturally-produced MeO-PBDEs and PBHDs were observed in the two types of wild tuna (longline-fished and net-fished) compared to farmed tuna suggesting that wild tunas come easily in contact with sources of these compounds. In all cases, PBHDs presented the highest contribution to the sum of organobromines (50% in farmed tuna and > 90% in wild tuna). TBA was detected at low concentrations (< 6 ng/g lw), while MHC-1 was found at higher levels (up to 42 ng/g lw) in farmed tuna. The estimated daily ingestion of PBDEs from tuna was 830 ng PBDEs/day, regardless of the origin of the tuna. While this value is approximately 600 times lower that the minimum risk level set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is approximately 8 times higher than the total intake of PBDEs via diet, suggesting that consumption of tuna can add considerably to the total daily intake of PBDEs.

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