Halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants in European aquaculture samples

- Flame retardants in European fish and shellfish farms: water, sediment, mussels.
- PBDEs were in 95% of the sediments (8.6 ± 23 ng g− 1 dw) and mussels (< 10 ng g− 1 lw).
- DBDPE was at levels lower than BDE-209 in sediment and similar levels in mussels.
- OPFRs levels were much higher; they are plasticisers and plastics are used in farms.
- Farms away from urban shores and river mouths minimize flame retardants input.

This work monitors flame retardants in sediment, mussel and water samples from European fish farms. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were detected in 95% of the sediment and mussel samples with mean levels of 8.60 ± 22.6 ng g−1 dw in sediments and 0.07 ± 0.18 ng g−1 dw in mussels. BDE-209 was the main contributor for the sediments and BDE-47 was found in about 60% of the samples of both matrices. Pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB) and hexabromobenzene (HBB) were detected in 42% of the sediments, but not in mussels. Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) was found in about 55% of the samples of both matrices. The same happened for dechloranes in mussels, but they were detected in 92% of the sediments. Syn-DP and anti-DP were always the main contributors. Methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs) were detected in all mussels and some sediments, mainly 6-MeO-BDE-47 and 2′-MeO-BDE-68. Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) were found in all matrices with concentrations of 0.04-92.8 ng g−1 dw in sediment, 0.50-102 ng g−1 dw in mussel and 0.43-867 ng l−1 in water. Only OPFRs were analysed in water samples as halogenated flame retardants and MeO-PBDEs are highly unlikely to be detected in water due to their physicochemical properties. Flame retardants have no application in fish farming so results should reflect the impact of human activity on the farm locations. A large majority of the most contaminated samples were collected from sampling spots that were at urban shores or in enclosed water bodies not completely open to the sea.

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