Higher brominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecane found in eggs of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) breeding in Sweden

Environ Sci Technol. 2004 Jan 1;38(1):93-6. doi: 10.1021/es034614q.

Abstract

Several brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were analyzed in peregrine falcon eggs collected in 1987-1999, including the constituents of the technical polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) products Penta (BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154), Octa (BDE-183), and Deca (BDE-209), hexabrominated biphenyl (BB-153), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). The eggs represented females from three different breeding populations, northern Sweden, southwestern Sweden, and a captive breeding population. All BFRs analyzed for were found, including BDE-183 and -209, and concentrations were much higher in wild falcons (geometric mean sigmaPBDE, BB-153, and HBCD for northern/southern populations of 2200/2700, 82/77, and 150/250 ng/g lw, respectively) than in captive falcons (39, 8 ng/g lw, and not detected, respectively). This is the first time, to our knowledge, that BDE-183 and -209 have been quantified in high trophic level wildlife.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Environmental Pollutants / pharmacokinetics*
  • Female
  • Flame Retardants / pharmacokinetics*
  • Food Chain
  • Ovum / chemistry
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls / pharmacokinetics*
  • Raptors* / physiology
  • Reproduction*
  • Sweden
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Flame Retardants
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls