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Polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in eggs may reduce reproductive success of ospreys in Oregon and Washington, USA

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Spatial and temporal assessments and reports of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in birds remain sparse. In the present study, PBDEs were detected in all 120 osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs collected. The eggs were collected from nests along the Columbia, Willamette and Yakima rivers of Oregon (OR) and Washington (WA) and in Puget Sound (WA) between 2002 and 2007. PBDE congeners: 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 85, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154 (possible coelution with brominated biphenyl 153 [BB153]), 183, 190 (detected in one egg), 209 (not detected), and BB101 (only detected in 2006 and 2007) and total-alpha-hexabromocyclododecane (only detected in five eggs) were analyzed for in the egg samples. Eggs from reservoirs in the forested headwaters of the Willamette River (2002) contained the lowest concentrations of SigmaPBDEs (geometric mean [range], 98 [55.2-275] ng/g wet weight [ww]), while those from the middle Willamette River (2006) contained the highest (897 [507-1,880] ng/g ww). Concentrations in eggs from the Columbia River progressively increased downstream from Umatilla, OR (River Mile [RM] 286) to Skamokoa, WA (RM 29), which indicated additive PBDE sources along the river. In general, regardless of the year of egg collection, differences in PBDE concentrations reported in osprey eggs along the three major rivers studied (Columbia, Willamette and Yakima) seem to reflect differences in river flow (dilution effect) and the extent of human population and industry (source inputs) along the rivers. PBDE concentrations increased over time at two locations (Seattle, WA; Columbia River, RM 29-84) where temporal patterns could be evaluated. Only during 2006 (on the middle Willamette River, RM 61-157) and 2007 (on the lower Columbia River, RM 29-84) did SigmaPBDE concentrations in osprey eggs exceed 1,000 ng/g ww with negative relationships indicated at both locations between productivity and SigmaPBDE concentrations in eggs (P = 0.008, P = 0.057). Osprey eggs from Everett, WA contained nearly twice the SigmaPBDE concentration (geometric mean 239 vs. 141 ng/g ww, range 124-384 vs. 22.2-819 ng/g ww, P < or = 0.05) as double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eggs collected at the same location and time, which is likely due to dietary differences. No significant relationship (all Ps > 0.147) was indicated between PBDE congeners (including SigmaPBDEs) and eggshell thickness at the concentrations observed in this study.
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... Overall, BDE concentrations were higher in osprey eggs in North America than in Europe. In eggs from the East Coast, regions of Chesapeake Bay (2000-2001) [48] and Delaware River and Bay (USA, 2002) [49] the levels were quite similar with those in Columbia, Willamette and Yakima Rivers in Oregon and Washington (USA, 1991(USA, -2000 [54]. ...
... The 5 most abundant congeners were mainly the same and the order abundance was similar both in pike and bream from Bothnian Sea, Archipelago Sea and Lake Päijänne [60][61][62] as well as in osprey eggs from different areas of Europe and North America with some variability only between the order of BDEs 99 and 100 as well as BDEs 153 and 154. Congener profile was very similar in unhatched osprey eggs from southern Norway [50], Sweden [53], USA East Coast [48,49], USA and Canada Pacific North West [54,85] as well as in sea eagle eggs from Sweden [52]. In these two species the proportion of BDE 47 was typically >50% of ∑BDE. ...
... Field studies in ospreys indicated that ∑BDE levels >1000 ng/g ww in eggs are linked to significantly reduced reproductive performance (productivity) by nearly 50%, but no adverse effects were observed at levels <1000 ng/g ww [54]. It is therefore very unlikely that the ∑BDE levels observed in this study would have had adverse effects on reproduction. ...
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... Owing to that, BDE47 and BDE99, which are the main congeners found in pentaBDE mixtures, typically predominate in various species, e.g. marine mammals (Rotander et al., 2012), birds (Henny et al., 2009;Eng et al., 2014;Sühring et al., 2022), fish and invertebrates (Aznar-Alemany et al., 2017;Menezes-Sousa et al., 2021). ...
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