title: Three decades (1983-2010) of contaminant trends in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Part 2: brominated flame retardants.
abstract: Brominated flame retardants were determined in adipose tissues from 294 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sampled in East Greenland in 23 of the 28years between 1983 and 2010. Significant linear increases were found for sum polybrominated diphenyl ether (ΣPBDE), BDE100, BDE153, and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). Average increases of 5.0% per year (range: 2.9-7.6%/year) were found for the subadult polar bears. BDE47 and BDE99 concentrations did not show a significant linear trend over time, but rather a significant non-linear trend peaking between 2000 and 2004. The average ΣPBDE concentrations increased 2.3 fold from 25.0ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 15.3-34.7ng/g lw) in 1983-1986 to 58.5ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 43.6-73.4ng/g lw) in 2006-2010. Similar but fewer statistically significant trends were found for adult females and adult males likely due to smaller sample size and years. Analyses of δ(15)N and δ(13)C stable isotopes in hair revealed no clear linear temporal trends in trophic level or carbon source, respectively, and non-linear trends differed among sex and age groups. These increasing concentrations of organobromine contaminants contribute to complex organohalogen mixture, already causing health effects to the East Greenland polar bears.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Denmark. rdi@dmu.dk
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Frank F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Rigét
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sonne
authors.forename: Erik W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: Thea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bechshøft
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McKinney
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Drimmie
authors.forename: Derek C G
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Letcher
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006116:Greenland; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D001503:Ursidae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C089796:hexabromocyclododecane
keywords: Brominated flame retardants; HBCD; PBDE; Polar bear (Ursus maritimus); Temporal trends