Bioaccumulation characteristics of PBDEs and alternative brominated flame retardants in a wild frog-eating snake. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Jiang-Ping; Wu, Si-Kang; Tao, Lin; She, Ya-Zhe; Chen, Xiao-Yun; Feng, Wen-Lu; Zeng, Yan-Hong; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Mai, Bi-Xian
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 258(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: PBDEs -- Alternative flame retardants -- Bioaccumulation -- Reptiles -- Snakes; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113661
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: While a large body of studies have examined polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative brominated flame retardants (ABFRs) in wildlife, information on the bioaccumulation of these contaminants in reptiles in general, and snakes in particular, are scarce. We investigated the bioaccumulation characteristics of PBDEs and several ABFRs including decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 1, 2-bis(2, 4, 6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), hexabromobenzene (HBB) and pentabromotoluene (PBT) in a frog-eating snake, the striped keelback snake ( Amphiesma stolata ), from an e-waste recycling site in South China. The concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ∑ABFRs in the snakes ranged 53–5200 and 3.1–87 ng/g lipid weight, respectively; with higher levels in males than females. Additionally, the concentrations of BDE-28, -47, and −66 were positively correlated with snake size (snout-vent length and body mass), while negative correlations were found for most of the higher brominated PBDE congeners and HBB, PBT and BTBPE. The biomagnification factors (BMFs) estimated in the snake/frog relationship indicated a mild to moderate biomagnification of BDE-28, -47, −66, −100, −153 and −154 (with mean BMFs of 1.1–5.3), while a lack of magnification for the other PBDE congeners and all the ABFRs. This is the first report on the sex- and size-related accumulation and biomagnification potentials of PBDEs and ABFRs in snakes. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: First report on the sex- and size-dependent accumulation of PBDEs and ABFRs in snakes. Male snakes accumulated higher concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ABFRs than the females. ∑PBDEs concentrations were positively correlated with snake size. The levels of PBT, HBB and BTBPE were negatively correlated with snake size. Moderate magnification of some lower brominated PBDEs occurred from frog to snake. Abstract : Sex- and size-dependent accumulation was observed for some PBDE congeners and ABFRs in a frog-eating snake.