Citation

Eng ML, Williams TD, Elliott JE. Environ. Pollut. 2013; 178: 343-349.

Affiliation

Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada. Electronic address: mea10@sfu.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.envpol.2013.03.037

PMID

23603472

Abstract

Mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used as additive flame retardants, and BDE-99 is one of the most predominant congeners found in the environment. BDE-99 has been reported in avian samples worldwide, yet knowledge of its toxicity to birds is minimal. We assessed the short- and long-term effects of nestling exposure to environmentally relevant levels of BDE-99 in a model passerine, the zebra finch. Early exposure to BDE-99 did not affect hematocrit, oxidative stress, or thyroid hormones in either the juvenile or adult stages, and there were no effects on chick growth or survival. BDE-99 exposure caused a dose-dependent delay in timing of reproduction, but there were no other effects on reproductive success. In zebra finches, endpoints related to reproductive behavior appear to be the most sensitive to BDE-99. However, passerines overall appear to be less sensitive than birds of prey or mammals to PBDE exposure.

Language: en