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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Food Animal Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #116071
Title: POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS IN CHICKENS.

Author
item Huwe, Janice
item Lorentzsen, Margaret
item THURESSON, KAI - STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY
item BERGMAN, AKE - UNIVERSITY OF STOCKHOLM

Submitted to: Organohalogen Compounds
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants which have been found to be increasing in the environment and in marine life. These compounds have similarities to the polychlorinated biphenyls and therefore have caused concerns that they may pose health risks to wildlife and perhaps even humans. In order to determine if livestock are exposed to this class of compounds, we have analyzed chickens from several sites in the U.S. for PBDEs. PBDEs were found in all chickens sampled; the levels varied from location to location. In most cases the levels were much lower than those found in fish and fish-eating mammals. However, at one location chickens had levels similar to levels reported in seals from the Arctic. Since all chickens were found to contain PBDEs it appears that humans can be exposed to these compounds through the food chain. The implications of such an exposure are currently not known.

Technical Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants which have been found to be increasing in the environment. Structural similarities to the polychlorinated biphenyls have caused concerns that PBDEs may pose health risks to biota. We have analyzed chickens from several sites in the U.S. for PBDEs to determine if livestock are exposed to this class of compounds. Analytical methods were developed which provided good recoveries for lower chlorinated congeners (73-110%) and lower recoveries for the most highly brominated congeners. The total concentrations of PBDEs on a whole weight basis ranged from 0.4 ppb in North Dakota chickens to 30.3 ppb in a chicken from Arkansas. On a lipid weight basis, these levels are lower than those generally found in fish and fish-eating mammals. The PBDE pattern is also different from other samples reported with penta-BDEs rather than tetra-BDEs the most prominent congeners.