Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of halogenated organic pollutants in mangrove biota from the Pearl River Estuary, South China

Four biota species were collected from mangrove ecosystems of the Pearl River Estuary to investigate the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroe thane (DDT), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dechlorane plus (DP), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE). Concentrations of EPCBs, EDDTs, EPBDEs, DP, DBDPE and anti-Cln-DP (the dechlorination product of anti-DP) in mangrove biota ranged from 32.1-466, 153-3819, 3.88-59.8, 0.18-6.88, not detected (nd)-30.6 and nd-2.65 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Daggertooth pike conger (Muraenesox cinereus) had higher concentrations of contaminants than the other three biota species. Significant positive relationship between anti-C111-DP and anti-DP levels was observed in mangrove biota. DDTs were the predominant HOPs in all biota species, followed by PCBs and PBDEs. All the target compounds exhibited biomagnification, with biomagnification factors greater than 1 in the studied feeding relationships. Food web magnification was found for EPCBs, DDTs, EPBDEs and DP, with trophic magnification factors of 2.76, 2.61, 2.20 and 2.31, respectively. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.