NATURAL BROMINATED BIOACCUMULATORS
Halogenated organic compounds can accumulate in animal tissues, in some cases with potentially toxic consequences. Some of these, such as the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) used as flame retardants, have industrial origins. The origins of some classes of bioaccumulating compounds, such as methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs), have been uncertain.
Now, researchers have extracted more than 10 kilograms of blubber from a fatally stranded True's beaked whale, and isolated MeO-BDEs at 99% purity for radiocarbon analysis, which reliably distinguishes carbon of ancient and recent origin. The carbon content of MeO-BDEs was overwhelmingly recent, indicative of a natural rather than industrial origin for these compounds.
Science, Vol. 307, No. 5711, 11 February 2005,
pp. 917-920; Chemical & Engineering News, 02/14/05, p. 34.
(click here to sign up for a free two week trial of the FULL Regulatory Update newsletter)
Comments