[MARMAM] Emerging flame retardants in right whales

[Eric Montie]

Dear Colleagues,
I would like to inform you about our recent publication in Marine 
Pollution Bulletin:

Title: Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine contaminants in 
winter flounder, harp and hooded seals, and North Atlantic right whales 
from the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Authors: Eric W. Montie, Robert J. Letcher, Christopher M. Reddy, 
Michael J. Moore, Belinda Rubinstein, and Mark E. Hahn

Abstract: Various brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including 
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and current-use, non-PBDE BFRs, 
as well as organochlorine (OC) pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls 
(PCBs), were measured in winter flounder, harp and hooded seals, and 
North Atlantic right whales from the Eastern United States and Canada. 
The concentrations of PBDEs in winter flounder and right whales were 
similar in magnitude to the levels of PCBs, which was unlike the pattern 
observed in seals. In these marine mammals, the levels of PBDEs were 
orders of magnitude lower than the levels of OCs and PCBs detected. 
Evidence existed for the accumulation of methoxylated (MeO)-PBDEs of 
natural origin in seals and right whales. Current-use, non-PBDE BFRs 
(including hexabromocyclododecane, pentabromoethylbenzene, 
hexabromobenzene, and pentabromotoluene) were detected in winter 
flounder and marine mammals. Future research should focus on monitoring 
PBDEs, current-use, non-PBDE BFRs, and MeO-BDEs of natural origin in 
marine organisms from Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays.

If you would like a reprint of this publication, please contact me at 
the following email - emontie at marine.usf.edu.

Best regards,
Eric Montie

-- 
Eric W. Montie, M.S., Ph.D.
NOAA Oceans and Human Health Postdoctoral Fellow
College of Marine Science
University of South Florida 			
140 Seventh Avenue South; KRC 2107					
St. Petersburg, FL  33701-5016					
Office Phone: (727) 553-1237
Fax: (727) 553-1189
E-mail: emontie at marine.usf.edu