Higher brominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecane found in eggs of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) breeding in Sweden

• Several brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were analyzed in peregrine falcon eggs collected in 1987-1999, including the constituents of the technical polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) products Penta (BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154), Octa (BDE-183), and Deca (BDE-209), hexabrominated biphenyl (BB-153), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). The eggs represented females from three different breeding populations, northern Sweden, southwestern Sweden, and a captive breeding population. All BFRs analyzed for were found, including BDE-183 and -209, and concentrations were much higher in wild falcons (geometric mean SigmaPBDE, BB-153, and HBCD for northern/southern populations of 2200/2700, 82/77, and 150/250 ng/g lw, respectively) than in captive falcons (39, 8 ng/g lw, and not detected, respectively). This is the first time, to our knowledge, that BDE-183 and -209 have been quantified in high trophic level wildlife.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

biological samples

flame retardants

environment

exposure

pollutants

mercury

blood

biota

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)