Bioaccumulation Behavior and Human Health Risk of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in a Freshwater Food Web of Typical Shallow Lake, Yangtze River Delta

Bei Li, Juanheng Wang, Guocheng Hu (), Xiaolin Liu, Yunjiang Yu, Dan Cai, Ping Ding, Xin Li, Lijuan Zhang and Chongdan Xiang
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Bei Li: South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, The Postgraduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510530, China
Juanheng Wang: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Guocheng Hu: South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, The Postgraduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510530, China
Xiaolin Liu: South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, The Postgraduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510530, China
Yunjiang Yu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Dan Cai: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Ping Ding: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Xin Li: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Lijuan Zhang: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510530, China
Chongdan Xiang: South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, The Postgraduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510530, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been commonly found in aquatic ecosystems. Many studies have elucidated the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PBDEs in seas and lakes, yet few have comprehensively evaluated the bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and health risks of PBDEs in shallow lakes, and there is still limited knowledge of the overall effects of biomagnification and the health risks to aquatic organisms. Methods: In this study, a total of 154 samples of wild aquatic organism and environmental samples were collected from typical shallow lakes located in the Yangtze River Delta in January 2020. The concentrations of PBDEs were determined by an Agilent 7890 gas chromatograph coupled and an Agilent 5795 mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and the bioaccumulation behavior of PBDEs was evaluated in 23 aquatic organisms collected from typical shallow lakes of the Yangtze River Delta. Furthermore, their effects on human health were evaluated by the estimated daily intake (EDI), noncarcinogenic risk, and carcinogenic risk. Results: The concentrations of ΣPBDE (defined as the sum of BDE-28, -47, -100, -99, -153, -154, -183, and -209) in biota samples ranged from 2.36 to 85.81 ng/g lipid weight. BDE-209, BDE-153 and BDE-47 were the major PBDE congeners. The factors affecting the concentration of PBDEs in aquatic organisms included dietary habits, species, and the metabolic debromination ability of the PBDE congeners. BDE-209 and BDE-47 were the strongest bioaccumulative PBDE congeners in aquatic organisms. Additionally, except for BDE-99, BDE-153 and BDE-154, the trophic magnification factor (TMF) values of PBDE congeners were significantly higher than 1. Moreover, the log Kow played a significant role in the biomagnification ability of PBDE congeners. The noncarcinogenic risk of PBDE congeners and carcinogenic risk of BDE-209 from aquatic products were lower than the thresholds. Conclusions: PBDE congeners were bioaccumulated and biomagnified to varying degrees in aquatic organisms from typical shallow lakes. Both the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks assessment of edible aquatic products indicated that none of the PBDE congeners pose health risks to the localite. This study will provide a basis for a comprehensive assessment of PBDEs in aquatic ecosystems in shallow lakes and for environmental prevention measures for decision-makers.

Keywords: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); bioaccumulation; biomagnification; health risk; shallow lakes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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