[MARMAM] New article on placental transfer of persistent organic pollutants in beluga whales

[Jean-Pierre Desforges]

Dear all,

A new article published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry is now
available online:

Transplacental transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated
diphenyl ethers in arctic beluga whales (*Delphinapterus leucas*)

Authors: JP Desforges, P.S. Ross, L.L. Loseto

Contact: jean-pierre.desforges at dfo-mpo.gc.ca

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.750/abstract


Abstract:
This study found that arctic beluga whales (*Delphinapterus leucas*)
transferred, on average, 11.4% (7.5 mg) and 11.1% (0.1 mg) of their
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)
blubber burden to their near-term fetuses. A single physicochemical
parameter, log *K*OW, largely explained this transplacental transfer for
PCBs (*r*2 = 0.79, *p* < 0.00001) and PBDEs (*r*2 = 0.37,*p* = 0.007), with
congeners having a log *K*OW < 6.5 preferentially transferred to the fetus.
Blubber concentrations of 257 ng/g lipid weight (lw) PCBs and 3.8 ng/g (lw)
PBDEs in beluga fetuses highlights the exposure to endocrine-disrupting
compounds during a critical developmental stage. The implications of
detecting these levels of legacy PCBs and the flame retardant PBDEs in
unborn arctic beluga are unclear.


Cheers,

-- 
J.P Desforges
M.Sc. Candidate
School of Earth & Ocean Science
University of Victoria
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