Characterization and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in shellfish in Shenzhen coastal waters and assessment of human health risks

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the profiles of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in shellfish obtained from Shenzhen coastal waters and assess the potential health risks. We analyzed 74 shellfish samples from eight different species for PBDEs (BDE-28, −47, −99, −100, −153, −154, −183, −209). The concentrations of total PBDEs in different shellfish species ranged from 2.02 to 360.17 pg g−1 wet weight, with the highest levels found in Pectinidae, Babylonia areolate, Ostreidae, Perna viridis, Haliotis diversicolor, Corbiculidae, Pinctada margaritifera, and Veneridae in descending order. Among the PBDE congeners analyzed, BDE-47 was the most abundant, followed by BDE-154 and BDE-153. Furthermore, the estimated daily intake of PBDEs through shellfish consumption for Shenzhen residents were between 0.11 and 0.19 ng kg−1(bw) day−1. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically investigate the profiles of PBDEs in eight different shellfish species from Shenzhen's coastal waters and evaluate the potential human health risks associated with shellfish consumption.