Accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the brain compared with the levels in other tissues among different vertebrates from an e-waste recycling site

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThis study aimed to investigate the accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the brain compared with that in other tissues among different vertebrates. We collected mice, chickens, ducks, frogs, and fish from an e-waste recycling region in Taizhou, China, and measured PBDE concentrations in brain, liver and muscle tissues. The levels of PBDE in the tissues of mice, chickens, ducks, frogs and fish ranged 0.45e206, 0.06e18.8, 1.83e112, 2.75e108, and 0.02e32.0 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Preferential distribution in the liver and muscle relative to the brain was observed for PBDEs in mice, chickens, ducks and frogs. However, a high retention in the brain compared to the liver and muscle was observed in fish. Comparison of the brain/liver concentration (B/L) ratios revealed differences in PBDEs accumulation in the brain among these vertebrates. PBDEs accumulation in the brain was greatest in fish, followed by frogs, while the lowest accumulation occurred in the brains of mammals and birds. The findings apparently coincided with the evolution of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) across vertebrates, i.e. the BBB of fish might be less efficient than those of mammals, birds and amphibian. Low brominated congeners (such as BDE-28, BDE-47 and BDE-99) were predominant in the brains of investigated vertebrates, whereas BDE-209 was most abundant in liver and muscle tissues of mice, chickens and ducks. Significant differences in B/L ratios among PBDE congeners were found in both mice and chickens (p < 0.05). Particularly in mice, the B/L ratios of PBDE congeners presented a declining trend with increased bromine number. Our findings suggested that low brominated congeners might have a higher capacity to penetrate the BBB and accumulate in the brain, whereas high brominated congeners such as BDE-209 might have less potency to pass through the barrier. Further experimental studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Decabromodiphenyl Ethane Mainly Affected the Muscle Contraction and Reproductive Endocrine System in Female Adult Zebrafish

“…Therefore, the exposure concentration in this study can be considered as environmentally relevant. Besides, the results indicated that DBDPE was prone to be accumulated in brain other than in liver and gonad, which was consistent with previous report that found a higher concentration of PBDEs in brain than in liver and muscle of fish from an e-waste recycling site . Similarly, relatively higher concentrations of PBDEs were found in brain than in liver, gonad, and muscle from wild silverside (Odontesthes bonariensis) .…”

“…DBDPE concentrations in liver, gonad, or brain (3 tissues per replicate, n = 3) were detected using an Agilent 7890A-5975C gas chromatograph–-mass spectrometer as previously described. , The tissues were selected based on the following reasons: (1) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been detected with higher concentrations in brain, liver, and gonad than in other tissues. , (2) DBDPE shares a similar structure and exhibits similar physicochemical properties to PBDEs, which may lead to similar distribution profiles in different tissues of organism . (3) DBDPE has shown similar distribution profiles among different tissues in chicken or rats. , Detailed protocols for sample pretreatment, analysis, quality assurance, and quality control (QA/QC) are available in the Supporting Information (Text S1).…”

Extended producer responsibility in developing economies: Assessment of promoting factors through retail electronic firms for sustainable e-waste management

“…Notwithstanding, environmental and health concerns associated with informal e-waste management, the adoption of the EPR principle provides sustainable employment to several households. Though there are copious research carried out on e-waste management in Ghana ( Agyei-Mensah and Oteng-Ababio, 2012 ; Feldt et al, 2014 ; Oteng-Ababio, 2010a ; Srigboh et al, 2016 ; Zhao et al, 2016 ), there is a gap in literature that concentrate on promoting factors for the adoption of EPR principle by retail electronic firms for sustainable e-waste management. To bridge the above gap and the paucity of studies on EPR principle adoption through retail electronic firms, the present study aims to evaluate promoting factors for the adoption of EPR principle through retail electronic firms in developing economies.…”

Hepatic oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis in adult zebrafish following sub‐chronic exposure to BDE‐47 and BDE‐153

“…However, a phase‐out policy by the European Union was started in 2004 because of the persistence, bioaccumulation, and the associated health implications of the commercial mixtures of PBDEs and has led to the banning of PBDEs 3 . However, the higher to lower brominated PBDEs transformation could account for the significant levels of PBDEs congeners found in most human and environmental matrices that have been reported in numerous studies, and 2,2′,4,4′‐tetrabrominateddiphenyl ether (BDE‐47) and 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′‐hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE‐153) are of the major congeners detected in most environmental and human samples 4,5 …”

“…3 However, the higher to lower brominated PBDEs transformation could account for the significant levels of PBDEs congeners found in most human and environmental matrices that have been reported in numerous studies, and 2,2 0 ,4,4 0 -tetrabrominateddiphenyl ether (BDE-47) and 2,2 0 ,4,4 0 ,5,5 0 -hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-153) are of the major congeners detected in most environmental and human samples. 4,5 Shunlong Meng and Xi Chen contributed equally to this study.…”