Temporal Trends and Spatial Distribution of Non-polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Flame Retardants in the Eggs of Colonial Populations of Great Lakes Herring Gulls

The production and use of nonpolybrominated diphenyl ether (non-PBDE), brominated flame retardant (BFR) alternatives have been on the rise, although their assessment in environmental samples is largely understudied. In the present study, several non-PBDE BFRs were found in the egg pools of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) from seven colonies in the five Laurentian Great Lakes (collected in 1982 to 2006). Of the 19 BFRs monitored, hexabromobenzene (HBB), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), and alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-isomers of 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH) were present in eggs from all the colonies with the highest detection frequencies of 100%, 54%, 9% and 97%, respectively. In 2005 and 2006 eggs, the concentrations of HOPE were highest at three of the seven colonies (1.3 to 288 ng/g wet weight (ww)) and surpassed decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209). HBB (0.10 to 3.92 ng/g ww), BTBPE (1.82 to 0.06 ng/g ww), and Sigma-TBECH (0.04 to 3.44 ng/g ww; mainly the beta-isomer 52 to 100% of Sigma-TBECH) were detected at lower concentrations (and generally <