| Abstract
| - PBDEs were detected in approximately 98.4% of the 3797 biological samples collected between 1999 and 2005 from the Hudson River, NY.
- It has been hypothesized that a principal route of human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants, is through fish consumption. Between 1999 and 2005 PBDE-47, -99, -100, -153, and -154 were analyzed in 3797 biological samples of 33 species of the Hudson River, New York. Approximately 98.4% of the samples contained PBDEs between 0.5 and 37 169 ng g−1 lipid, with a median concentration of 772 ng g−1 lipid. Yearly median ΣPBDE concentrations fluctuated. Samples from river miles 112 and 153 contained higher ΣPBDEs than those from other locations of the river. The 7-year median ΣPBDE concentrations were the highest in large carnivorous fishes and the lowest in insects. The median abundance of congener PBDE-47 decreased from 80% to 63% with decreasing levels of ΣPBDEs in the samples, while an increase from 2% to 23% was observed for PBDE-99. The median abundance of other congeners did not change with concentrations of ΣPBDEs. Positive-, negative-, and no-correlation between ΣPBDE concentrations and fish weight were observed for different species and for the same species from different locations of the river. The sources of PBDE contamination, diet, metabolic activity, and sediment chemistry might affect the levels of PBDEs in a fish.
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