Spatial distribution and hazard of halogenated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls to common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) from a region of South China affected by electronic waste recycling

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported bioaccumulation of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wildlife from electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sites. However, the concentrations and hazards of HFRs and PCBs in wildlife from non–e-waste sites which were not involved in any known e-waste recycling activities in the e-waste–impacted region are still unclear. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), alternative HFRs (AHFRs; including dechlorane plus, decabromodiphenyl ethane, and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane), and PCBs were quantified in common kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) from a region affected by e-waste recycling in South China, and potential adverse effects were evaluated. Concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ∑PCBs in kingfishers ranged from 2.1 × 103–1.3 × 105 ng/g lipid mass (lm) and 2.1 × 103–1.5 × 106 ng/g lm, respectively. At e-waste recycling sites, these concentrations were 100- to 1000-fold greater than those in kingfishers from non–e-waste areas, where concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ∑PCBs were 16–1.2 × 103 and 39–3.0 × 103 ng/g lm, respectively. Concentrations of ∑AHFRs in kingfishers from e-waste sites and non–e-waste sites ranged from 8.5 to 3.6 × 102 and 0.8–2.9 × 102 ng/g lm, respectively. The greatest concentrations of PCBs in kingfishers were measured from the e-waste sites. Additionally, kingfishers from four non–e-waste sites in the vicinity of e-waste sites had greater PCB concentrations compared to the other six non-e-waste sites. Concentrations of AHFRs were negatively and significantly correlated with distance from an e-waste site, which indicated that AHFRs from non–e-waste sites might be influenced by point sources. Further, a significant (r2 = 0.53, p = 0.02) positive correlation between human population density and concentrations of ∑PBDEs in kingfishers from non–e-waste sites was observed. Concentrations of either PBDEs or PCBs from e-waste sites might pose severe, adverse reproductive effects to kingfishers, while the potential for adverse effects of PBDEs and PCBs to kingfishers from most non–e-waste sites seemed minimal.