title: Alternative flame retardants, Dechlorane Plus and BDEs in the blubber of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded or bycaught in the UK during 2008.
abstract: Thirty alternative flame retardant compounds and a suite of 17 brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners were determined in the blubber of 21 harbour porpoises stranded or bycaught around UK coasts during 2008 using GC-MS/MS. Of the 30 compounds, 19 were not detected. Of the remaining 11 compounds, some fell below the lowest calibration level and so were recorded as less than values, but were certainly present in the blubber samples (examples include tetrabromo-p-xylene (TBX), tetrabromo-o-chlorotoluene (TBCT) and 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (TBP-DBPE). Concentrations were low, the highest concentration being only 35μgkg(-1) wet weight. This contrasted with those of the BDEs, summed concentrations which ranged from 54.6 to 913μgkg(-1) wet weight, although levels in porpoise blubber have been declining since 1998. Both Dechlorane Plus (DDC-CO) isomers were detected in some samples, suggesting either that this product has been used in the UK or that its presence may result from atmospheric transport from source regions. BDE183, a marker for the octa-mix PBDE product, was found at low concentrations (0.63 to 1.7μgkg(-1) wet weight) and the four nona- and deca-BDE congeners were not detected in any sample.
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK. Electronic address: robin.law@cefas.co.uk.
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Losada
authors.forename: Jonathan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bersuder
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deaville
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brownlow
authors.forename: Rod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Penrose
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Jepson
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D050741:Phocoena; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: C547124:2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; C526360:dechlorane plus
keywords: Alternative BFRs; Blubber; Flame retardants; Harbour porpoise