title: Brominated and phosphorus flame retardants in White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nestlings: bioaccumulation and associations with dietary proxies (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and δ³⁴S).
abstract: Very little is known on the exposure of high trophic level species to current-use brominated (BFRs) and phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), although observations on their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicity have been made. We investigated the accumulation of BFRs and PFRs, and their associations with dietary proxies (δ(13)C, δ(15)N and δ(34)S), in plasma and feathers of White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nestlings from Trøndelag, Norway. In addition to accumulation of a wide range of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in both plasma and feathers, all non-PBDE BFRs and PFRs could be measured in feathers, while in plasma only two of six PFRs, i.e. tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and tris-(2,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (TDCPP) were detected. PFR concentrations in feathers (0.95-3,000 ng g(-1)) were much higher than selected organochlorines (OCs), such as polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (CB 153; 2.3-15 ng g(-1)) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE; 2.3-21 ng g(-1)), PBDEs (0.03-2.3 ng g(-1)) and non-PBDE BFRs (0.03-1.5 ng g(-1)). Non-significant associations of PFR concentrations in feathers with those in plasma (P ≥ 0.74), and their similarity to reported atmospheric PFR concentrations, may suggest atmospheric PFR deposition on feathers. Most OCs and PBDEs, as well as tris(chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(phenyl) phosphate (TPHP) and tri-(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) were associated to δ(15)N and/or δ(13)C (all P ≤ 0.02). Besides δ(15)N enrichment, δ(34)S was depleted in nestlings from fjords, inherently close to an urbanised centre. As such, both may have been a spatial proxy for anthropogenic disturbance, possible confounding their use as dietary proxy.
authors: Ethology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: igor.eulaers@uantwerpen.be.
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Eulaers
authors: Ethology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: veerle.jaspers@ntnu.no.
authors: Veerle L B
authors: VL
authors: Jaspers
authors: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Postboks 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: duncan.halley@nina.no.
authors: Duncan J
authors: DJ
authors: Halley
authors: MARE Centre, Oceanology, University of Liège, Allée de la Chimie 3, 4000 Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: G.Lepoint@ulg.ac.be.
authors: Gilles
authors: G
authors: Lepoint
authors: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Postboks 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: Torgeir.Nygard@nina.no.
authors: Torgeir
authors: T
authors: Nygård
authors: Ethology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: annie.pinxten@uantwerpen.be.
authors: Rianne
authors: R
authors: Pinxten
authors: Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: adrian.covaci@uantwerpen.be.
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Covaci
authors: Ethology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: marcel.eens@uantwerpen.be.
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Eens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020307:Eagles / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005241:Feathers / Q000378:metabolism; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism; D009664:Norway
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
keywords: BFR; Feather; Haliaeetus albicilla; PFR; Stable isotope