Occurrence of Halogenated and Organophosphate Flame Retardants in Sediments and Eels (Anguilla anguilla) From Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia

• Published in: Frontiers in Environmental Science
• Main Authors: Mekni, Sabrine, Barhoumi, Badreddine, Touil, Soufiane, Driss, Mohamed Ridha, Eljarrat, Ethel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media 2020
• Subjects: Contamination; Flame retardants; Anguilla anguilla; Tunisia
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/213530; https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00067

Contamination by classic (polybromodiphenyl ethers, PBDEs) and emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) like pentabromobenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (HBB), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), and halogenated norbornenes (HNs), as well as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were investigated in sediment and eel (Anguilla Anguilla) samples from Bizerte Lagoon, northern Tunisia. For sediment samples, HFR levels ranged from 3.30 to 28.5 ng/g dry weight (dw), with a mean value of 10.6 ± 4.36 ng/g dw, while OPFR levels ranged between 9.77 and 164 ng/g dw, with a mean value of 53.6 ± 10.5 ng/g dw. As regards levels in fish, concentration of HFRs ranged between 4.72 and 151 ng/g lipid weight (lw) (mean value of 36.5 ± 28.5 ng/g lw), and OPFR levels ranged between 19.7 and 2,154 ng/g lw (mean value of 404 ± 367 ng/g lw). This is the first time that OPFR levels have been reporting in this area, being higher than those for HFRs. Statistical analysis of the relationship between OPFR and HFR concentrations in sediment and total organic carbon (TOC) was examined. Results suggested that OPFR levels were significantly correlated with TOC, whereas no correlation was found for HFRs and TOC. The health risk associated by the consumption of eel in Bizerte city was assessed and posed no threat to public health concerning PBDE and OPFR intakes. This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CEX2018- 000794-S), by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Group Water and Soil Quality Unit 2017 SGR 01404), and by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Peer reviewed