Facilitated Leaching of Additive-Derived PBDEs from Plastic by Seabirds' Stomach Oil and Accumulation in Tissues.
Our previous study suggested the transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants from ingested plastics to seabirds' tissues. To understand how the PBDEs are transferred, we studied leaching from plastics into digestive fluids. We hypothesized that stomach oil, which is present in the digestive tract of birds in the order Procellariiformes, acts as an organic solvent, facilitating the leaching of hydrophobic chemicals. Pieces of plastic compounded with deca-BDE were soaked in several leaching solutions. Trace amounts were leached into distilled water, seawater, and acidic pepsin solution. In contrast, over 20 times as much material was leached into stomach oil, and over 50 times as much into fish oil (a major component of stomach oil). Analysis of abdominal adipose, liver tissue, and ingested plastics from 18 wild seabirds collected from the North Pacific Ocean showed the occurrence of deca-BDE or hexa-BDEs in both the tissues and the ingested plastics in three of the birds, suggesting transfer from the plastic to the tissues. In birds with BDE209 in their tissues, the dominance of BDE207 over other nona-BDE isomers suggested biological debromination at the meta position. Model calculation of PBDE exposure to birds based on the results of the leaching experiments combined with field observations suggested the dominance of plastic-mediated internal exposure to BDE209 over exposure via prey.
Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
Kosuke
K
Tanaka
Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
Hideshige
H
Takada
Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
Rei
R
Yamashita
Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
Kaoruko
K
Mizukawa
Hokkaido National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency , Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0802, Japan.
Masa-Aki
MA
Fukuwaka
Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University , Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan.
Yutaka
Y
Watanuki
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010969:Plastics; C512045:2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6,6'-nonabromodiphenyl ether