PH11 Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of POPs
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Thursday, 13 November 2003
(PH118) NOAA's Status and Trends "Mussel Watch" Program: PBDEs in bivalves from U.S. coastal areas.
Sericano, J.1, Wade, T.1, Denoux, G.1, Qian, Y.1, Sweet, S.1, Wolff, G.1, 1 Geochemical and Environmental Research Group - Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, U.S.A.
ABSTRACT- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are considered to be persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as they have been found to bioaccumulate and are now considered a worldwide pollution problem due to their detection in remote areas. PBDEs were analyzed in 134 bivalve samples collected in the Great Lakes and along the three coasts of the United States during the fourteenth year of the NOAA's National Status and Trends Program (1998-1999). Following one of the objectives of the NOAA's program, the present study is the first attempt to establish the geographical distribution of PBDEs in bivalves and identify areas of high concentrations. Thirty-nine PBDEs were investigated by HRGC/MS during this study. The levels of total PBDEs in these samples ranged from not detected to 366 ng/g dw, with BDEs 47, 49, 99, and 100 as the major congeners. Congeners 47, 99, and 100 are the primary components of the commonly used penta-BDE flame retardant formulation. Approximately 7% of the samples, mostly collected in Boston Harbor and San Francisco Bay, had concentrations higher than 100 ng/g dw. In contrast, more than 65% of the samples yielded total PBDE concentrations lower than 10 ng/g dw. Average and median, in parentheses, total PBDE concentrations for samples collected along the East, Gulf, West and Great Lakes coasts were 37.9±67.6 (5.98), 5.26±9.95 (2.17), 22.4±38.0 (8.59), and 18.8±40.9 (2.53) ng/g dw, respectively. The PBDE profiles determined for these samples are compared to commercial PBDE technical mixtures. A comparison between encountered PBDEs and other persistent organic pollutants in the same samples is also presented. Based on this study PBDEs appear to be widespread in the U.S. coastal environment with higher concentrations in areas of increased human activity. Continued monitoring of these compounds is warranted.
Key words: bivalves, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, coastal areas, Mussel Watch program