Equatorial Atlantic pelagic predators reveal low content of PBDEs in contrast to MeO-BDEs: An analysis of brominated diphenyl ethers in blue shark and yellowfin tuna

Dhoone Menezes-Sousa; Mariana Batha Alonso; Ana Carolina Pizzochero; Danielle Viana; Pollyana Roque; Fábio Hissa Vieira Hazin; João Paulo Machado Torres

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147820

Equatorial Atlantic pelagic predators reveal low content of PBDEs in contrast to MeO-BDEs: An analysis of brominated diphenyl ethers in blue shark and yellowfin tuna

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Sep 20:788:147820. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147820. Epub 2021 May 18.

Authors

Dhoone Menezes-Sousa¹, Mariana Batha Alonso², Ana Carolina Pizzochero³, Danielle Viana⁴, Pollyana Roque⁴, Fábio Hissa Vieira Hazin⁴, João Paulo Machado Torres⁵

Affiliations

¹ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Organic Micropollutants Laboratory Jan Japenga, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Radioisotopes Laboratory Eduardo Penna Franca, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: dhoone@biof.ufrj.br.
² Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Organic Micropollutants Laboratory Jan Japenga, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Radioisotopes Laboratory Eduardo Penna Franca, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
³ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Radioisotopes Laboratory Eduardo Penna Franca, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
⁴ Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Fisheries Oceanography Laboratory, R. Dom Manuel de Medeiros S/N, Recife, PE, Brazil.
⁵ Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, Organic Micropollutants Laboratory Jan Japenga, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 CCS - Bl. G, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

PMID: 34029810
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147820

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their methoxylated analogues (MeO-BDEs) are widely distributed in the environment. The main concern about the presence of PBDEs and MeO-BDEs in fish is due to their potential endocrine disruption effects in the specimens, and their potential risk to the health of human consumers. Considering these concerns, the goal of this study was to investigate the occurrence of PBDEs and MeO-BDEs in muscle tissues of blue shark (BSH), Prionace glauca, and yellowfin tuna (YFT), Thunnus albacares, caught in the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (EAO), North-eastern Brazilian waters, and to evaluate the potential risk of human exposure by consumption. Muscle tissues of YFT and BSH were extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus and an Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE), respectively. PBDEs and MeO-BDEs were analysed by GC-NCI-MS. Concentrations of PBDEs ranged from not detected (nd) to 10 ng g^-1 lipid weight (lw) in YFT muscle samples, while PBDE levels in BSH muscle samples ranged from <LOQ to 34 ng g^-1 lw. Regarding MeO-BDEs, the concentration ranged from 55 to 578 ng g^-1 lw and from <LOQ to 263 ng g^-1 lw in YFT and BSH muscle samples, respectively. MeO-BDE congeners contribution in both YFT and BSH indicated a predominance of 2'-MeO-BDE-68, which is associated to the sponges or sponge-microbiota metabolites. ∑PBDE were statistically similar between YFT and BSH, as well as observed for ∑MeO-BDE. PBDEs and MeO-BDEs in YFT and BSH represent a low potential risk of human exposure through the consumption of edible tissues. Further studies are necessary for a complete assessment of human safety and species conservation.

Keywords: Brominated flame retardants; Carcharhinidae; Halogenated natural products; Oceanic fish; Scombridae.

MeSH terms

Animals
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil
Environmental Monitoring
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers* / analysis
Humans
Sharks*
Tuna

Substances

Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers