Brominated flame retardants and biomagnification factors in marine species in the North-East Atlantic

BACKGROUND: Concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are reported to increase in marine ecosystems. OBJECTIVES: Characterize exposure to BFRs in animals from different trophic levels in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient from southern Norway to Spi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jenssen, Bjørn Munro, Sørmo, Eugen G, Bæk, Kine, Bytingsvik, Jenny, Gaustad, Hege, Ruus, Anders, Skaare, Janneche Utne
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2007
Subjects:
International Polar Year (2007-2008)
IPY
Arctic tern
atlantic cod
Bear Island
Boreogadus saida
Common tern
Gadus morhua
harbor seal
International Polar Year
North East Atlantic
Phoca vitulina
polar cod
ringed seal
Sterna hirundo
Sterna paradisaea
Svalbard
Spitsbergen
Online Access:https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.811706
https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.811706
Description
Summary:BACKGROUND: Concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are reported to increase in marine ecosystems. OBJECTIVES: Characterize exposure to BFRs in animals from different trophic levels in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient from southern Norway to Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in the Arctic. Calanoid species were collected from the Oslofjord (59°N), Froan (64°N), and Spitsbergen (> 78°N); Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Oslofjord and Froan; polar cod (Boreogadus saida) from Bear Island (74°N) and Spitsbergen; harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) from the Oslofjord, Froan, and Spitsbergen; and ringed seal (Phoca vitulina) from Spitsbergen. Eggs of common tern (Sterna hirundo) were collected from the Oslofjord, and eggs of arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) from Froan and Spitsbergen. RESULTS: Levels of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) generally decreased as a function of increasing latitude, reflecting distance from release sources. The clear latitudinal decrease in levels of BFRs was not pronounced in the two tern species, most likely because they are exposed during migration. The decabrominated compound BDE-209 was detected in animals from all three ecosystems, and the highest levels were found in arctic tern eggs from Spitsbergen. HBCD was found in animals from all trophic levels, except for in calanoids at Froan and Spitsbergen. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the levels of PBDEs and HBCD are generally low in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems, there are concerns about the relatively high presence of BDE-209 and HBCD.

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