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Biomagnification of anthropogenic and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds in a marine food web from Sydney harbour, Australia
Losada, S.; Roach, A.C.; Roosens, L.; Santos, F.J.; Galceran, M.T.; Vetter, W.; Neels, H.; Covaci, A. (2009). Biomagnification of anthropogenic and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds in a marine food web from Sydney harbour, Australia. Environ. Int. 35(8): 1142-1149. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.07.008
In: Environment International. Pergamon: New York. ISSN 0160-4120; e-ISSN 1873-6750, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Chemical compounds > Halogen compounds > Bromine compounds
    Control > Quality control
    Environmental factors > Anthropogenic factors
    Fish
    Food chain
    Invertebrates
    Polybrominated biphenyls
    Quality assurance
    PSE, Australia, New South Wales, Sydney Harbour
    Marine/Coastal; Brackish water
Author keywords
    Biomagnification; PBDEs; Brominated natural compounds; MeO-PBDEs; PBHDs;Fish; Invertebrates; Australia; Food chain

Authors  Top 
  • Losada, S., more
  • Roach, A.C.
  • Roosens, L., more
  • Santos, F.J.
  • Galceran, M.T.
  • Vetter, W.
  • Neels, H., more
  • Covaci, A., more

Abstract
    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds, such asmethoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs), have been scarcely studied in the Southern Hemisphere. Yet, sources ofthe latter group of compounds were found in Southern regions, specifically in Australia. The environmentaldistribution and biomagnification potential of organobrominated compounds were therefore investigated ina representative aquatic food chain (invertebrates and fish) from the Sydney Harbour, Australia. Mean PBDEconcentrations ranged from 6.4 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in squid to 115 ng/g lw in flounder. BDE 47 was thedominant congener, followed by BDE 100. Mean levels of MeO-PBDEs (sum of congeners 2’-MeO-BDE 68 and6-MeO-BDE 47) were as high as 110 ng/g lw in tailor, with a slight dominance of 2’-MeO-BDE 68.Polybrominated hexahydroxanthene derivates (PBHDs), another class of naturally-produced compounds,were found at variable concentrations and ranged from 4.7 ng/g lw in fanbelly and 146 ng/g lw in tailor. Thetribrominated PBHD isomer dominated in the samples, except for luderick and squid. The lower levels ofPBDEs found in luderick from the harbour compared to those obtained from the upper Parramatta Riverindicated a terrestrial (anthropogenic) origin of PBDEs, while the higher levels of MeO-PBDEs and PBHDs inthe samples from the harbour confirmed the marine (natural) origin of these compounds. The highesttrophic magnification factor (TMF) was found for sum PBDEs (3.9), while TMFs for sum MeO-PBDEs and sumPBHDs were 2.9 and 3.4, respectively. This suggests that biomagnification occurs in the studied aquatic foodchain for anthropogenic brominated compounds, but also for the naturally-produced organobromines.

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