title: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and selected organochlorine chemicals in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) in the North Sea.
abstract: Blubber samples from grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups were collected in 1998 through to 2000. Twenty four newly weaned pups were sampled in November 1998, 13 of which were re-sampled during their first year of life, between March and December 1999, and an additional 48 and 25 samples (new cohorts) were obtained in 1999 (November-December) and 2000 (May-September) respectively. SimgaPBDE concentrations (sum of Di-HxBDEs) ranged from 45 to 1500 ng/g lipid, with a geometric mean of 290 ng/g lipid. BDE 47 dominated the congener profile, followed by BDEs 100, 99, 153 and 154. SimgaPCB concentrations (sum of 41 congeners) ranged from 100 to 93000 ng/g lipid, with a geometric mean of 4600 ng/g lipid, with CB congeners 153, 138 and 180 making up 84% of the total PCB concentrations. The predominant OC pesticides were p,p'-DDE (geometric mean=860 ng/g lipid, range=160-3800 ng/g lipid) and p,p'-DDT (geometric mean=120 ng/g lipid, range=30-670 ng/g lipid). No significant differences were found between males and females, probably due to the young age of the animals. Significant decreases (P<0.01 for PBDEs and P<0.05 for PCBs/OCs) were observed between newly weaned seals in 1998 and 1999, but not for the majority of juveniles in 1999 and 2000. Significant differences (P<0.01) were also found between the different seasons in 1999 newly weaned and juvenile seals, reflecting changes in blubber mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, IENS, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK. o.i.kalantzi@lancaster.ac.uk
authors.forename: O I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Kalantzi
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004987:Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D046048:Seals, Earless
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004987:Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls