Dechlorane-Related Compounds in Franciscana Dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) from Southeastern and Southern Coast of Brazil

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 46; no. 22; pp. 12364 - 12372
• Main Authors: de la Torre, A, Alonso, M. B, Martínez, M. A, Sanz, P, Shen, L, Reiner, E. J, Lailson-Brito, J, Torres, J. P. M, Bertozzi, C, Marigo, J, Barbosa, L, Cremer, M, Secchi, E, Malm, O, Eljarrat, E, Barceló, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 20-11-2012
• Subjects: Age Factors; Analytical chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Bromobenzenes - metabolism; Chemical compounds; Chemical vapor deposition; Chromatography, Gas; Correlation analysis; Dolphins & porpoises; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geochemistry; Geography; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - metabolism; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - metabolism; Mammalia; Mass Spectrometry; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Sex Factors; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; South America; Brazil; America; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Cetacea; Dechlorane; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es302934p

Concentrations of Dechlorane (Dec) 603 (0.75 ng/g lipid weight (lw); mean) and Dec 602 (0.38 ng/g lw; mean) were quantified in more than 95% of the franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) dolphin samples, whereas the frequency of detection decreased to 75% for Dechlorane Plus (DP) (1.53 ng/g lw, mean). The presence of Chlordene Plus (CP) was also observed (0.13 ng/g lw, mean) in half of the samples. On the contrary, Dec 604, decachloropentacyclooctadecadiene (aCl10DP), and undecachloropentacyclooctadecadiene (aCl11DP) concentrations were below the limit of quantifications in all cases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article reporting the presence of Dec 603, Dec 602, and CP in mammals. For comparative purposes, levels of Mirex, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) are also reported. Considering geographic distribution evaluation together with the strong positive correlations found between DP and PBDEs (r s = 0.63; p < 0.01), highly anthropogenic areas were identified as potential sources of these chemicals in this dolphin species. However, local sources for Dec 602, 603, Mirex, CP, and DBDPE were not found indicating that in this case historical use and/or atmospheric transport and deposition may play an important role in their fate.