Environmental pollutants in the Swedish marine ecosystem, with special emphasis on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

Abstract

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) were analysed in whole herring (Clupea harengus) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus), eggs from common eider (Somateria mollissima) and eggs and livers from herring gull (Larus argentatus) from the Swedish west coast. The contaminant values obtained were compared with published values from the Arctic marine ecosystem. Tetra- and penta-brominated PBDEs were detected at low levels in herring, sprat and common eider (ΣPBDE 0.3-2.0 ng g(-1) ww), while the levels were higher in the herring gull samples (ΣPBDE 1.3-29.9 ng g(-1) ww). Hexa-decaBDEs were also found in samples from herring gulls. Eggs from herring gulls from the sub-Arctic contained four times more PBDE than the Swedish herring gulls eggs. Fish samples from the Arctic had two times higher levels of PBDEs and DDTs than similar samples from Sweden. The higher levels of contaminants in fish and seabirds from the Arctic reflect differences in transport processes, feeding ecology (reflected by trophic levels) and metabolism. PBDEs contributed to <10% of the total contaminant load in all investigated samples. The relative contribution of DDTs was higher in fish and bird samples from the Arctic when compared to Swedish samples, e.g. 65% in glaucous gull livers compared to 10% in herring gull livers. This study shows that even though the Swedish west coast is more urban than the Arctic, higher pollutants levels are found in seabird species from the Arctic.