Interspecies comparisons of brominated flame retardants in relation to foraging ecology and behaviour of gulls frequenting a UK landfill

Tongue, A. D.W., Fernie, K. J., Harrad, S., Drage, D. S., McGill, R. A.R. and Reynolds, S. J. (2021) Interspecies comparisons of brominated flame retardants in relation to foraging ecology and behaviour of gulls frequenting a UK landfill. Science of the Total Environment, 764, 142890. (doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142890)

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Abstract

This study quantifies and compares concentrations and profiles of legacy and alternative (alt-) brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the eggs of three gull (Laridae) species of international/UK conservation concern – great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus; n = 7), European herring gulls (L. argentatus; n = 16) and lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus; n = 11) in relation to their foraging ecology and behaviour in order to investigate potential exposure pathways at a remote landfill in western Scotland, UK. Egg concentrations of sum (∑) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑8PBDEs) in all three species exceeded those for most reported avian species using landfill, except for those in North America. Despite relatively high detection frequencies of ∑hexabromocyclododecanes (∑3HBCDDs) (94–100%), concentrations of ∑8PBDEs exceeded ∑3HBCDDs and ∑5alt-BFRs, with ∑8PBDE levels similar in all three species. Egg carbon isotopic (δ13C) values highlighted a greater marine dietary input in great black-backed gulls that was consistent with their higher BDE-47 levels; otherwise, dietary tracers were minimally correlated with measured BFRs. ∑3HBCDD egg concentrations of herring gulls markedly exceeded those reported elsewhere in Europe. Decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) was the only alt-BFR detected (6–14% detection rate), in a single egg of each species. The great black-backed gull egg contained the highest concentration of DBDPE measured in biota to date globally and provides strong evidence for its emerging environmental presence as a BDE-209 replacement in UK wildlife. Correlations between δ13C (dietary source) and some measured BFRs in eggs suggest multiple routes of BFR exposure for gulls frequenting landfill through their diet, behaviour, preening, dermal exposure and likely inhalation. The frequent use of landfill by herring gulls and their increased egg BFR burdens suggest that this species may be an important bioindicator of BFR emissions from such sites.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:We gratefully acknowledge provision of a CENTA studentship award to ADWT by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC ref. NE/L002493/1), NERC Core Facility funding to SJR and ADWT for analytical support at the SUERC (NERC ref. EK290-13/17), and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for support to KJF. This research also received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 734522 (INTERWASTE) project. We are also grateful to the Waterbird Society and the Seabird Group for funding made available to ADWT.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:McGill, Dr Rona
Authors: Tongue, A. D.W., Fernie, K. J., Harrad, S., Drage, D. S., McGill, R. A.R., and Reynolds, S. J.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Journal Name:Science of the Total Environment
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0048-9697
ISSN (Online):1879-1026
Published Online:21 October 2020
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2020 Crown Copyright
First Published:First published in Science of the Total Environment 764: 142890
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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