Halogenated natural products in birds associated with the marine environment: A review

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-05, Vol.717, p.137000-137000, Article 137000
• Main Authors: Mello, Flávia V., Kasper, Daniele, Alonso, Mariana B., Torres, João Paulo M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Products - chemistry; Birds; Canada; Environmental contamination; Environmental Monitoring; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Methoxylated bromodiphenyl ethers; Methyl bipyrroles; Natural organohalogenated compounds; Norway; Sentinel organisms; Sweden
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137000

Halogenated natural products (HNPs) are widespread compounds found at high concentrations in top predators such as seabirds. This paper reviews available data on methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs), heptachloro-1′-methyl-1,2′-bipyrrole (Q1) and 1,1′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyrroles (HDBPs) in these animals. In all, 25 papers reported such HNPs in seabirds. White tailed sea eagle from Sweden was the seabird species with higher MeO-BDEs levels in eggs and blood, while in liver the European shag from Norway was the one. Regarding HDBPs, glaucous gull livers from North Water Polynya and Leach's storm petrel eggs from South Canada (NE Atlantic) showed the highest levels, while brown skua eggs presented the highest concentration of Q1. DBP-Br4Cl2 and DBP-Br6 were the most abundant HDBPs in seabirds, although only one study investigated DBP-Br6. Furthermore, 2′-MeO-BDE-68/6′-MeO-BDE-47 ratios were lower than one in mostly of the studies (91%). The main sources of methoxylated congeners found in seabirds might to be from sponges and/or associated organisms (bacteria). The scarcity of data in seabirds showed the gap in knowledge. Few studies were done especially in tropical areas and Southern Hemisphere and the most were conducted in the northwest part of the globe. This review arouses the need of knowledge about the distribution of these compounds in seabirds worldwide as well as it encourages toxicological studies to better understand the possible effects of HNPs on seabirds. [Display omitted] •25 papers reported MeO-BDEs, Q1 or HDBPs in birds associated with the sea.•North Hemisphere has most of the studies.•HNP studies are scarce in tropical areas and South Hemisphere.•Q1 was the most abundant HNP, specifically in brown skua eggs.•The main MeO-BDEs sources in seabirds might be sponges and/or associated organisms.