Temporal Development of Brominated Flame Retardants in Peregrine Falcon(Falco peregrinus) Eggs from South Greenland (1986−2003)

Abstract

A time trend between 1986 and 2003 was found for brominated flame retardants in peregrine falcon eggs from South Greenland, with significantly increasing concentrations of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) 99, 100, 153, 154, and 209. For BDE-99 and -100, the concentration increased approximately 10% per year. The concentrations of PBDEs were among the highest detected in wildlife so far and ranged from 300 to 12,900 ng/g lipid weight (lw) for sigmaPBDE. While tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was below the limit of detection in all eggs, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), dimethyl-TBBPA, and brominated biphenyl BB-153 were detected in a majority of eggs, with median concentrations of 2.4, 230, and 550 ng/g lw, respectively. Analyses of eggs of the same bird showed no significant intra-clutch variation for PBDEs, BB-153, and HBCD but larger variations for dimethyl-TBBPA. Inter-clutch variations with increasing time trends exist for the BDEs 99, 100, 153, 154, and 209, while a decreasing contamination with the BDEs 183, 49, 47, 66 and 153 was indicated in a subset of eggs.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in eggshells of the Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) and Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) in South Africa

“…Regardless of these assertions, the comparison of the levels of the sum PBDEs in the SGH samples with those of peregrine falcon eggs which exhibit similar dietary preferences with the SGH was made. Generally, the observed levels for SGH in this study were comparable to those reported for peregrine falcons eggs in most European studies, Spain (160 -3600 ng g , lw) (Lindberg et al, 2004;Vorkamp et al, 2005;Chen et al, 2008;Johansson et al, 2009;Park et al, 2009;Guerra et al, 2012).…”

Hexabromocyclododecane in terrestrial passerine birds from e-waste, urban and rural locations in the Pearl River Delta, South China: Levels, biomagnification, diastereoisomer- and enantiomer-specific accumulation

“…HBCD was found to bioaccumulate in peregrine falcon eggs and sparrowhawk muscle from Europe with concentrations ranged from 9e2400 and 84e2400 ng/g lw, respectively (Lindberg et al, 2004;Janák et al, 2008;Johansson et al, 2011;Leslie et al, 2011). Using a GC-based method, Vorkamp et al (2005) reported that HBCD was detected in a majority of peregrine falcon eggs from South Greenland at concentrations ranged from less than 0.1e230 ng/g lw. A comparison of HBCD levels in birds between those previous studies and this study was not conducted since bird species reported in previous studies were different from those in the present study.…”

Brominated flame retardants in three terrestrial passerine birds from South China: Geographical pattern and implication for potential sources

“…Birds have been successfully used as sentinel species to monitor the levels and effects of BFRs in the environment because they are widespread and sensitive to environmental changes, and also occupy high trophic level in the food chain Voorspoels et al, 2006;Park et al, 2009). In Europe, North America and North China, predatory birds have been used intensively to monitor BFR contamination (Vorkamp et al, 2005;Voorspoels et al, 2006;Chen et al, 2007;Park et al, 2009;Fernie and Letcher, 2010). Recently, several studies reported the occurrence of BFRs in waterbirds in South China (Lam et al, 2008;Luo et al, 2009a;He et al, 2010;Zhang et al, 2011).…”