Brominated Flame Retardants and Halogenated Phenolic Compounds in North American West Coast Bald Eaglet (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Plasma

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 40; no. 20; pp. 6275 - 6281
• Main Authors: McKinney, Melissa A, Cesh, Lillian S, Elliott, John E, Williams, Tony D, Garcelon, David K, Letcher, Robert J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.10.2006
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Birds; British Columbia; California; Eagles; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Flame retardants; Flame Retardants - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geography; Haliaeetus leucocephalus; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; PCB; Phenols - blood; Phenyl Ethers - blood; Plasma; Pollutants; Polybrominated Biphenyls - blood; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - blood; Trends; Wildlife conservation; North America; America; Canada, British Columbia; INE, USA, West Coast; ASW, Colombia, Santa Catalina I; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Phenols; Flame retardant; Bromine Organic compounds; Aves; Coastal zone; Haliaeetus leucocephalus; Blood plasma
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es061061l

We report on the identity, characterization, and spatial trends of several brominated flame retardants and hydroxylated (OH-) and methoxylated (MeO-) organohalogen contaminants in bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nestling plasma collected from sites along the west coast of North America. Samples were from four southwestern British Columbia (BC) locations, a reference site in northern BC (Fort St. James; FSJ), and from Santa Catalina Island, CA (SCI), an area of high DDT and PCB contamination. Mean concentrations of Σpolybrominated diphenyl ether (ΣPBDE (8 congeners monitored); 1.78−8.49 ng/g), ΣOH-polychlorinated biphenyl (ΣOH-PCB (30 congeners monitored); 0.44−0.87 ng/g), and ΣOH-PBDE (14 congeners monitored; 0.31−0.92 ng/g) were similar in eaglets from southwestern BC yet lower than for SCI and significantly higher than for FSJ. Dominant PBDE congeners were BDE47, BDE99, and BDE100, but SCI eaglets also contained low levels of higher brominated congeners. 4-OH-CB187 and 4‘-OH-CB202 accounted for 65−100% of ΣOH-PCB in all BC eaglets, with 4‘-OH-CB202 as well as 3‘-OH-CB138 and 4-OH-CB146 dominating in SCI eaglets. Ostensibly of biogenic origin, 6‘-OH-BDE49 and 6-OH-BDE47 were found in BC nestlings. Only 4‘-OH-BDE49 (2.10 ng/g) was found in SCI eaglets. MeO-PBDEs and total hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were not found in any birds, but the polybrominated biphenyl BB101 was detected in southwestern BC samples. This study demonstrates that west coast North American bald eagles contain previously unreported organohalogens, which have the potential to impact the health and survival of these raptors.