Study examining the embryotoxicity of a PBDE mixture to common terns and American kestrels published in Chemosphere

A study funded in part by the Regional Monitoring Program that analyzed the embryotoxicity of a PBDE mixture to common terns and American kestrels has recently been published in Chemosphere. The manuscript by Rattner et al. (2013), “Comparative embryotoxicity of a pentabrominated diphenyl ether mixture to common terns (Sterna hirundo) and American kestrels (Falco sparverius)", is available online.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent and bioaccumulative flame retardants that have been in use since the 1970s. There is evidence that PBDEs cause sublethal reproductive, developmental, immunological, and biochemical effects in bird species. San Francisco Bay is critical bird habitat and PBDEs have been observed in the Bay food web. Therefore, this study examined the survival, pipping, and hatching success of common tern and American kestrel eggs when exposed to a commercial penta-BDE formulation. Common terns embryos were utilized as a surrogate for Forester’s and California least terns, both resident San Francisco Bay species.

The study found PBDE-treated common tern and American kestrel eggs hatched later than the control eggs. However, DNA damage, oxidative stress, and reduced thyroid weight was more pronounced in PBDE treated kestrels than in common terns. The study concluded that tern embryos may be less sensitive to PBDEs than kestrel embryos.