Hydroxylated and Methoxylated Brominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Red Algae Ceramium tenuicorne and Blue Mussels from the Baltic Sea

Abstract

Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) have recently been identified in fish and wildlife from the Baltic Sea. Both OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs are known natural products, while OH-PBDEs also may be metabolites of PBDEs. The aim of the present study was to determine if the red macroalga Ceramium tenuicorne could be a source for MeO- and OH-PBDEs in the Baltic environment. Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the same area were also investigated for their content of MeO- and OH-PBDEs. Seven OH-PBDEs and four MeO-PBDEs were present both in the red macroalga and the blue mussels. The mussels also contained a monochlorinated OH-tetraBDE. One of the compounds, 6-methoxy-2,2',3,4,4',5-hexabromodiphenyl ether, has never been reported to occur in the environment. The identification was based on comparison of relative retention times with reference standards, on two gas chromatographic columns of different polarities, together with comparisons of full-scan electron capture negative ionization (ECNI) and electron ionization (EI) mass spectra. It is shown that MeO-PBDEs and OH-PBDEs are present in algae, but at this stage it could not be confirmed if the compounds are produced by the alga itself or by its associated microflora and/or microfauna.

Levels and distribution of methoxylated and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers in plant and soil samples surrounding a seafood processing factory and a seafood market

“…6-MeO-BDE-47, 2 0 -MeO-BDE-68, 6-OH-BDE-47, and 2 0 -OH-BDE-68 were the dominant MeO-PBDEs and OH-PBDEs found in marine organisms (Kelly et al, 2008;McKinney et al, 2006;Verreault et al, 2005;Wan et al, 2009). These orthosubstituted OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs have been structurally identified and confirmed as natural compounds (Malmvarn et al, 2005(Malmvarn et al, , 2008. The meta-and para-substituted OH-PBDEs have been reported to be biotransformation products produced during PBDE exposure (Malmberg et al, 2005;Marsh et al, 2006;Qiu et al, 2007).…”

“…This suggested that they may have a common source or similar accumulation potential in plants and soil. 6-MeO-BDE-47, 2 0 -MeO-BDE-68 and 6-OH-BDE-47 have been considered as naturally occurring products in marine organisms (Malmvarn et al, 2005(Malmvarn et al, , 2008. The three compounds have a similarity in structure that they all have a methoxyl or hydroxyl group in the ortho position relative to the ether bond.…”

“…Up to now, OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs were mainly detected in marine organisms such as algae, mussels and fish (Malmvarn et al, 2005;Teuten et al, 2005;Unson et al, 1994). There has been a considerable interest in determining the sources and relationships among PBDEs, OHPBDEs and MeO-PBDEs.…”

Hydroxylated PBDEs and brominated phenolic compounds in particulate matters emitted during recycling of waste printed circuit boards in a typical e-waste workshop of South China

“…Ortho OH-substituted OH-PBDEs have been identified as naturally occurring formulations in marine organisms such as sponges, tunicates, and algae (Fu et al, 1995;Malmvarn et al, 2005;Unson et al, 1994). OH-PBDEs in the abiotic samples (surface water and precipitation) were dominated by ortho substituted congeners (Ueno et al, 2008).…”

“…Hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), which are a relatively new group of phenolic compounds, have been detected in biological samples including fish (Marsh et al, 2004;Valters et al, 2005), algae (Malmvarn et al, 2005(Malmvarn et al, , 2008, birds (Verreault et al, 2005), rats and mice (Malmberg et al, 2005;Qiu et al, 2007), as well as human blood Qiu et al, 2009;Yu et al, 2010). It has been shown that OH-PBDEs can be naturally formed in marine algae or by their associated microorganisms (Malmvarn et al, 2005(Malmvarn et al, , 2008Unson et al, 1994).…”