Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their methoxylated and hydroxylated analogs in Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) plasma from Lake Ontario.

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs) and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) were detected and quantified in Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Ontario. Samples were collected in 2006 from three different locations near the city of Toronto: Frenchman's Bay, Toronto Island, and Tommy Thompson Park. A total of 117 plasma samples were pooled into 19 samples, separating males and females by site of capture. Pooled samples were analyzed for 36 PBDEs, 20 MeO-PBDEs and 20 OH-PBDEs, but only six PBDEs, five MeO- and eight OH-compounds were confirmed against standards currently available. These peaks were quantified as " identified" peaks, while peaks matching ion ratios but not matching the retention time of the available standards were quantified as " unidentified" peaks. Both " identified" and " unidentified" concentrations were combined to obtain a total concentration. No significant variations were obtained for total PBDE concentrations, ranging from 3.33 to 9.02ngg-1wet weight. However, OH- and MeO-PBDE totals ranged over 1 order of magnitude among the samples (not detected - 3.57ngg-1wet weight for OH-PBDEs and not detected -0.10ng/gwet weight for MeO-PBDE). The results of this study suggested that these compounds are ubiquitous in biota. Source estimation of MeO- and OH-PBDEs in freshwater fish were discussed. Considering that up to date no freshwater sources for MeO- or OH-PBDEs have been reported, concentrations found should be mainly related to bioaccumulation from anthropogenic sources, although other sources could not be dismissed.