title: Experimental exposure of eggs to polybrominated diphenyl ethers BDE-47 and BDE-99 in red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and possible species-specific differences in debromination.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a bioaccumulative, persistent, and toxic class of flame retardants that can potentially impact turtles in natural habitats via exposure through maternal transfer. To simulate maternal transfer in the present study, PBDE congeners BDE-47 and BDE-99 were topically applied to the eggshell and were allowed to diffuse into the egg contents of the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) and snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). Eggs were topically dosed over 8 d to achieve a target concentration of 40 ng/g in the egg contents. Transfer efficiency was higher for BDE-47 than for BDE-99 in the red-eared sliders (25.8 ± 1.9% vs 9.9 ± 1.1%) and snapping turtles (31.3 ± 1.6% vs 12.5 ± 1.4%), resulting in greater BDE-47 and lower BDE-99 egg content concentrations relative to the 40 ng/g target. However, only 25.8 and 31.3% of the total BDE-47 and 9.9 and 12.5% of the total BDE-99 dose applied could be accounted for in the red-eared slider and snapping turtle egg contents, respectively. Additionally, increased BDE-47 in red-eared slider egg contents dosed with only BDE-99 indicate that BDE-99 might have been debrominated to BDE-47. The efficacy of topical dosing for administering desired embryonic exposures is clearly affected by the chemical properties of the applied compounds and was more successful for BDE-47 in both species.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Eisenreich
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000633:toxicity*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013045:Species Specificity; D014426:Turtles; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: C477694:2,2',4,4',5-brominated diphenyl ether; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C511295:2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether