Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in freshwater mussels and fish from Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

The levels and distribution of PBDEs in zebra mussels and several freshwater fish species (eel, carp and gibel carp) were investigated for different sites in Flanders, Belgium. In parallel, other organohalogenated contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p[prime or minute]-DDE and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were also measured and their relationship with PBDEs was investigated. At most sites, individual PBDE congeners were present at detectable levels in mussel tissue, with the mean [summation operator]PBDE concentration ranging from 0.15 to 1.8 ng g(-1) wet weight (ww). The PCB concentrations in mussels ranged from 6.2 to 102 ng g(-1) ww. HCB and p,p[prime or minute]-DDE could be measured in mussels from most sites, mean values ranging from below the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 0.58 ng g(-1) ww and from 0.66 to 6.5 ng g(-1) ww, respectively. Except for one site (Blokkersdijk, Antwerp) where PBDEs were below the LOQ in carp muscle, all fish samples from other sites contained detectable PBDE levels, with the highest concentrations (14 +/- 14 ng g(-1) ww) being measured in eel liver from Watersportbaan (Ghent). The sampled sites covered a broad concentration range of organohalogenated pollutants with the highest values being consistently measured in eel liver. With few exceptions, all correlations between PBDEs and organochlorine pollutants for each species were low (r < 0.50) and most were statistically not significant (p > 0.05). This suggests that the exposure to contaminants arises from local sources possessing different signatures of PBDEs and organochlorine pollutants.

Determination by HRGC/HRMS of PBDE levels in edible Mediterranean bivalves collected from north-western Adriatic coasts

“…This fact is surprising as the areas under investigation have relatively few large harbors and industrial activities. Levels of ΣPBDEs in the bivalves analyzed in this study are comparable to, or slightly lower than, those from the North Sea [22,9].…”

“…Although numerous studies were conducted to monitor levels of PBDEs in various environmental compartments [3] and biological samples [8][9][10][11], only few measurements of PBDEs in seashells are available in Italy [12][13][14]. Moreover, regarding the northern Adriatic zone and Venice lagoon, no literature was found.…”

Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and eel (Anguilla anguilla) from Bizerte lagoon, Tunisia, and associated human health risk assessment

“…Sediment-associated organisms, like marine bivalves and fish have been used to monitor pollution (Bettinetti et al, 2011;Bodin et al, 2014;Covaci et al, 2005;Roosens et al, 2010;Tapie et al, 2011). They are specific indicators of different environmental compartments in relation to their habitat and food web position, and they exhibit different rates of biotransformation and/or bioaccumulation with respect to xenobiotics (Livingstone, 1998;Scaps, 2002).…”

The Case of Pollution of Lake Maggiore: a 12-Year Study with the Bioindicator Mussel Dreissena polymorpha

“…Moreover, the observed DDT concentrations are up to five to six times higher than those found in zebra mussels collected in freshwater environments of other Western countries (Hendriks et al 1998;Renaud et al 2004;Covaci et al 2005). In addition, they are totally comparable with DDT levels measured in freshwater mussels from developing countries (Yang et al 2006;Bian et al 2009), thus indicating that Lake Maggiore is exposed to DDT pollution typical of the severely deteriorated environments of Eastern countries.…”