title: Transplacental transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in arctic beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).
abstract: This study found that arctic beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) transferred, on average, 11.4% (7.5 mg) and 11.1% (0.1 mg) of their polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) blubber burden to their near-term fetuses. A single physicochemical parameter, log K(OW), largely explained this transplacental transfer for PCBs (r(2) =0.79, p < 0.00001) and PBDEs (r(2) = 0.37, p = 0.007), with congeners having a log K(OW) < 6.5 preferentially transferred to the fetus. Blubber concentrations of 257 ng/g lipid weight (lw) PCBs and 3.8 ng/g (lw) PBDEs in beluga fetuses highlights the exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds during a critical developmental stage. The implications of detecting these levels of legacy PCBs and the flame retardant PBDEs in unborn arctic beluga are unclear.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre W
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Desforges
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Loseto
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D050643:Beluga Whale / Q000378:metabolism*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism*; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls