Brominated Flame Retardants in edible bivalves: food control and lack of specific legislation

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are among the most important classes of additive brominated flame retardants (BFR). They have been identified in every compartment of aquatic ecosystems, from abiotic to biotic matrices, and in industrialized areas as well as in remote ones. PBDEs are persistent, highly bioaccumulative and can move up to high trophic levels through biomagnifications [1]. Due to the growing concern about the potential health risks of PBDEs, their characterization in biological organisms that are widely and frequently consumed as food is paramount. Furthermore, at present there is no local or international regulatory limit for PBDEs in food. We investigated the spatial distribution and levels of PBDEs in two bivalve species (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Ruditapes philippinarum) sampled from the north-western coast of the Adriatic Sea, that are widely used in the regional cuisine. Analyses were carried out using analytical protocols already developed in the laboratory [2] and were performed by HRGC/HRMS for the simultaneous determination of 14 PBDE congeners in biota tissues. Quantifications were carried out by isotope dilution. The total concentrations ranged from 0.003 ng g-1 wet weight to 6.66 ng g-1, with strong variations within the same sampling site. No significant differences between species were found. As for decabrominated diphenyl ether, in literature the determination of the BDE-209 is often neglected. However, the results of this study show that Deca-BDE is one of the most abundant congeners. However high, the levels of PBDEs in the samples collected near an industrial area subject to a fishing ban are lower than the values of four edible samples gathered in aquaculture farms and intended for human consumption. The concentrations of ΣPBDEs detected in this study are relatively higher than those reported for the Mediterranean area. Considering the potentially toxic effects of PBDEs and the lack of specific legislation, this study emphasizes the need to further investigate these compounds and to establish maximum levels in foodstuff. This work was funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) through the project PRIN (Prot. 2010AXENJ8). [1] C.A. de Wit, Chemosphere 46 (2002) 583-624. [2] S. Pizzini et al., Microchemical Journal 121 (2015) 184-191.