Occurrence of POPs and other persistent organic contaminants in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from the Loire estuary, France

The chemical contamination of the Loire estuary by three classes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs): the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and the perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), and three families of organic contaminants, the alkylphenols (APs), the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (OH-PAHs) and the bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated in the muscles and bile of European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Yellow eels (n=30) were caught in three different points along the estuary to highlight variations between sites and sources of contaminations. Silver eels (n=15) were also studied to compare contaminant impregnation between different life stages of the species. Average concentrations in the muscles of the eel ranged between: 857 and 4358 ng/gLW for the PCBs, 26 and 46 ng/gLW for the PBDEs, 130 and 1293 ng/gLW for the PFAS; and in bile: 31 and 286 μg/g protein for the APs, 9 and 26 μg/g protein for the OH-PAHs and ND-1213 μg/g protein for the BPA. Among PCBs, PCB 153 (40% contribution to the sum of PCBs) was predominant in all eel muscles. PBDE 47 (60%) was the most predominant PBDE congeners, while perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (85%) was the most widely detected PFAS. For APs, 4p-nonylphenol (91%) was the most abundant and for the OH-PAHs, it was 1OH-Pyrene (63%). All the eels exceeded the environmental quality standards (EQS) for biota for the PBDEs and about 75% were higher than the EQS specific to PFOS. Finally, 20% of the analyzed eels presented TEQ concentrations above the maximum limits for lipid-rich species. These results supplied new data on the occurrence, levels, and patterns of 53 organic chemicals in the eels from the Loire estuary and they highlighted the need of further investigations focused notably on the potential effects of these chemicals on this species and their analysis in the water and sediments of the estuary.

Occurrence of legacy and emerging halogenated organic contaminants in marine shellfish along French coasts

Current contamination levels of selected legacy, currently-used and emerging halogenated contaminants were monitored in marine shellfish along French coastlines. The studied contaminants included polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromobenzene (HBB), 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromobiphenyl (BB-153) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).BDE-47, BDE-209, BTBPE, HBB and α-HBCDD were detected in 100% of the analyzed samples, whereas BB-153, DBDPE and PFOS were detected at frequencies of 97%, 90% and 55%, respectively. Concentrations were in the pg g−1 ww range and varied as follows: PFOS > BDE-47 ∼ α-HBCDD > BDE-209 > BTBPE ∼ DBDPE > HBB ∼ BB-153. Overall, non-PBDE Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) revealed concentrations between 3 and 59 times lower than those of PBDEs.PBDE pattern was dominated by BDE-47, followed by BDE-99 > BDE-100 > BDE-49 > BDE-209 > BDE-154; these 6 congeners represented 94% of the summed ten PBDEs. PFC pattern determination revealed PFOS as the predominant PFC in samples from the English Channel and Atlantic, whereas perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) prevailed in Mediterranean samples. Temporal trend investigations on archived samples from the Mediterranean coast collected between 1981 and 2012 showed a prevalence of PFOS until 1998; PFCAs subsequently increased and became more abundant than PFOS. High levels of PFCAs were observed until 2008, followed by a decrease and stabilization in 2010–2012. Amongst PFCAs, perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) were predominant and exhibited similar time trends, suggesting similar sources at the investigated site, home to major industrial activity.

Dietary exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids of specific French adult sub-populations: high seafood consumers, high freshwater fish consumers and pregnant women

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are globally found in various media, including food and especially fishery products. In the present study, the dietary exposure to 15 perfluoroalkyl acids was assessed for 3 French adult populations, namely high seafood consumers, high freshwater fish consumers, and pregnant women. Purified food extracts were analysed by LC-MS/MS and PFBA, PFPA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS and PFDS were monitored and quantified according to the isotope dilution principle. Under lower bound (LB) hypothesis (i.e. contamination values<LOD considered as 0), high freshwater fish consumers appear as the most exposed to PFOS (7.5 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)), PFUnA (1.3 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)), PFDA (0.4 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)) and PFHpS (0.03 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)) while high seafood consumers appear as the most exposed to PFOA (1.2 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)), PFNA (0.2 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)) and PFHxS (0.06 ng.kg(-1) bw.d(-1)). For all considered populations, the major exposure contributors are fish, seafood and water under LB hypothesis, while dairy products, bread and crispbread are the main contributors under upper bound (UB) hypothesis. Besides this food exposure assessment, further studies are needed to assess the more global PFAA exposure, taking into account indoor and outdoor air, dust and cutaneous contact, which could be other important contributors for this particular class of chemicals.

Food risk assessment for perfluoroalkyl acids and brominated flame retardants in the French population: results from the second French total diet study

To determine the exposure of the French population to toxic compounds contaminating the food chain, a total diet study was performed in France between 2007 and 2009. This study was designed to reflect the consumption habits of the French population and covered the most important foods in terms of consumption, selected nutrients and contribution to contamination. Based on French consumption data, the present study reports the dietary exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (16 congeners) and brominated flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, hexabromocyclododecane and polybrominated biphenyls). Comparison of the calculated dietary exposures with the generally accepted health-based guidance values revealed that most compounds do not pose any risk. There are however knowledge gaps for some congeners in these large chemical classes.

Levels and trends of the emerging contaminants HBCDs (hexabromocyclododecanes) and PFCs (perfluorinated compounds) in marine shellfish along French coasts

The levels and congener patterns of HBCDs (hexabromocyclododecanes) and PFCs (perfluorinated compounds) were determined in filter-feeding molluscs collected in 2008 and 2010 along the coasts of mainland France. α-HBCD and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) were detected in all samples, revealing widespread contamination of the coastal environment by these emerging contaminants. The spatial distribution of Σ-HBCD concentrations showed higher median levels in samples from the Mediterranean Sea and English Channel respectively, i.e. 0.19 ng g(-1) wet weight (ww) and 0.08 ng g(-1) ww, related to high anthropogenic pressure from urban and industrial activities, while the median concentration was 0.05 ng g(-1) ww in samples from the Atlantic coast. Among PFCs, PFOS was the only compound detected in all samples and PFDA (perfluorodecanoic acid) was the second most frequently-detected compound. PFOS median concentrations were 0.18 ng g(-1) ww, 0.09 ng g(-1) ww and 0.04 ng g(-1) ww in samples from the English Channel, the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean coast respectively. The highest PFOS concentration was found in the Loire estuary, possibly related to local industrial activities. The Mediterranean samples showed a different pattern, with predominant long-chain PFCAs (perfluorocarboxylic acids), suggesting the presence of alternative sources on the Mediterranean coast. The temporal trends studied in archived samples from the Seine estuary site showed a significant exponential increase in HBCD concentrations between 1981 and 2011, with a doubling time of 7 years, while PFOS levels underwent a significant linear decrease over time. These trends are coherent with current regulations on the use of these compounds. The results presented in this paper provide the first data on the contamination of the French coastal marine environment by the selected emerging compounds, and constitute a reference for the future monitoring of French coastal contamination by emerging contaminants.