Background Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of brominated flame retardants widely used in electronic products. As a group of environmental pollutants, PBDEs can accumulate through diet and eventually affect multiple systems of human body. Seafood intake is an important way for human body to accumulate PBDEs through food. The intake of seafood of residents in Shanghai, a coastal city, should not be underestimated. At present, however, there are few studies on PBDEs pollution level in seafood in Shanghai.
Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current PBDEs pollution in retail seafood in Xuhui District of Shanghai, and provide a basis for further investigation and policy making.
Methods A total of 50 seafood samples including sea fish, shrimp, and shellfish were collected from supermarkets and agricultural markets in Xuhui District. The concentrations of eight PBDEs monomers (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, and BDE-209) were determined by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The concentrations and detection rates of PBDEs monomers and total PBDEs were compared between supermarket and agricultural market samples and among different kinds of seafood.
Results In this study, a total of 50 samples were tested 400 times, and 130 times were found positive of PBDEs, with a detection rate of 32.5%. The highest detection rate was BDE-153 (64.0%), the highest median concentration was BDE-153 (2.35 ng/kg), and BDE-209 was below the limit of detection. There was no statistical difference in the overall detection rate between seafood samples from agricultural markets and supermarkets (χ2=0.73, P=0.39), but the detection rate of BDE-47 in agricultural market samples was significantly higher than that in supermarket samples (χ2=4.92, P=0.03). The median concentration of ΣPBDEs in sea fish samples was 62.00 ng/kg, significantly higher than the median concentrations in shrimp (54.20 ng/kg) and shellfish (57.40 ng/kg) (H=6.52, P=0.04); the detection rates of BDE-99 (χ2=12.29, P < 0.01), BDE-100 (χ2=11.91, P < 0.01), and BDE-153 (χ2=9.66, P < 0.01) were significantly different among the three kinds of seafood, with the highest rates found in sea fish samples.
Conclusion PBDEs are detected positive in retail seafood in Xuhui District. Although the concentrations and detection rates of PBDEs are at a low level compared with studies in other areas, the pollution of PBDEs in seafood should be concerned as food intake is a main exposure pathway for PBDEs.
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