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Concentrations and Characteristics of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Marine Zooplankton from the Gaoping Waters of Southwestern Taiwan
Summary
This study measured polybrominated diphenyl ethers — toxic flame retardant chemicals — in zooplankton from coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan, finding the highest concentrations near a major harbor. PBDEs enter the food chain through zooplankton and accumulate in fish and seafood, posing health risks to humans who consume contaminated seafood.
Bioaccumulation by zooplankton is the outset for persistent organic pollutants that enter the marine food chain. Owing to a full spectrum of anthropogenic activities, the Gaoping waters of southwestern Taiwan are exposed to large quantities of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). However, information on these contaminants in zooplankton in this study area is lacking. In this study, we analyzed 19 PBDE congeners concentrations in 36 zooplankton samples from the Gaoping waters. A high variation in the total PBDE concentrations in zooplankton (from not detected to 1415 ng g−1 dry weight) was found, with the highest PBDE levels being recorded near the entrance of the Kaohsiung Harbor (KH). Significantly higher levels were noted for the KH transect than for the Gaoping River estuary (GR) and Fengshan Township (FS) transects, indicating that PBDE inputs originate from the ocean sewage outfalls. BDE-15 (43%) and BDE-209 (16%) were the predominant PBDE congeners in the zooplankton. Our results suggest that anthropogenic activities might predominantly contribute to significantly high PBDE concentrations. The traditional food web may easily transport these higher levels of PBDEs in zooplankton to higher trophic levels of marine organisms, since the Gaoping waters serve as essential nursery and spawning grounds for invertebrates and fishes.