Blust, R.

Covaci, A.

Das, K.

Losada, S.

Neels, H.

Reijnders, P.J.H.

Roosens, L.

Weijs, L.

Open Marine Archive

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LEVELS OF NATURALLY PRODUCED METHOXYLATED MeO-PBDEs AND 
THEIR BIOMAGNIFICATION IN HARBOUR SEALS AND HARBOUR 
PORPOISES FROM THE NORTH SEA 
Weijs Liesbeth1,2, Sara Losada2,3, Krishna Das4, Laurence Roosens2, Peter 
J.H. Reijnders5, Hugo Neels2, Ronny Blust1 and Adrian Covaci1,2  
1 Universiteit Antwerpen, Departement Biologie, Onderzoeksgroep Ecofysiologie, Biochemie & 
Toxicologie, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium  
E-mail: liesbeth.weijs@ua.ac.be  
2 Universiteit Antwerpen, Toxicologisch Centrum, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium 
3 Universiteit van Barcelona, Analytical Chemistry Department, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 
Barcelona, Spain 
4 Universiteit Luik, MARE Center, Laboratory for Oceanology, 4000 Luik, Belgium 
5 IMARES – Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, Department of Ecology, PO 
Box 167, 1790 AD Den Burg, the Netherlands 
 
Harbour seals and porpoises are top predator species from the North Sea. Both species 
have long life spans and hence, are known to accumulate high levels of anthropogenic 
contaminants. To gain knowledge about the behaviour of naturally-produced 
compounds in these marine mammals, the biomagnification of naturally-produced 
methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) was assessed. The 
biomagnification of MeO-PBDEs (2’-MeO-BDE 68 and 6-MeO-BDE 47) was lower in 
harbour seals (all BMFs<1) compared to the same age-gender groups of the harbour 
porpoises (all BMFs>1), which might be an indication for a better developed metabolic 
breakdown of these compounds in harbour seals, as was previously also suggested for 
PBDEs. In both predators, 6-MeO-BDE 47 had the highest concentrations compared to 
2’-MeO-BDE 68. In general, the highest concentrations were found in juveniles, 
suggesting an increased biotransformation capacity with age or the influence of dilution 
by growth for both species. Here we show that brominated organic compounds 
produced by a natural source, most likely algae in the North Sea, can biomagnify and 
accumulate in these top predators, although to a lesser extent than anthropogenic 
lipophilic contaminants such as PCBs and PBDEs. 
 


Levels of naturally produced methoxylated MeO-PBDEs and their biomagnification in harbour seals and harbour porpoises from the North Sea

Levels of naturally produced methoxylated MeO-PBDEs and their biomagnification in harbour seals and harbour porpoises from the North Sea

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