title: New evidences in the complexity of contamination of the lagoon of Venice: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) pollution.
abstract: This study presents the first evaluation of the current pollution by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) of surface sediments from the Lagoon of Venice. We focused the research on tri-to hepta-BDEs, the main components of penta- and octa-mixtures, which are considered to be the most toxic for the biocoenosis. The results pointed out a quite homogeneous contamination of this keystone European transitional environment, with ∑ (13)PBDEs values ranging from 0.39 to 6.78 ng/g dry weight; these values reflect low to moderate pollution levels, which is in conformity to other coastal European ecosystems. The average PBDE profile of the lagoon sediments follows this decreasing trend of congeners: BDE-47>BDE-99> >BDE-190>BDE-28>BDE-153>BDE-154>BDE-138, BDE-183, and BDE-17, which is similar to the worldwide distribution pattern. BDE-47 and BDE-99 revealed a recent use of a penta-BDE mixture, while the presence of hepta-BDEs (BDE-183 and BDE-190) in all of the sites can indicate the actual use of a deca-BDE formulation, because these congeners are considered to be debrominated byproducts of BDE-209 degradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy. marco.parolini@unimi.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parolini
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binelli
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matozzo
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masiero
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Provini
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical