Survey of polybrominated diphenyl ether levels in Spanish commercial foodstuffs

Concentrations of 15 BDEs flame retardants have been determined in a large variety of food samples purchased in different markets across Spain. This is the first time that BDEs 184, 191, 196, and 197; impurities from BDEs formulations; and/or degradation products of BDE 209, have been detected in foodstuffs. Values ranged from <0.01 to 2482 pg/g fresh weight. The highest total BDE concentrations were found in fish samples (median of 189, range of 24-880 pg/g f.w.), followed by oils (median of 119, range of 14.8-2958 pg/g f.w.), meats (median of 75.9, range of 6.82-2518 pg/g f.w.), shellfish (median of 75.7, range of 3.29-677 pg/g f.w.), eggs (median of 73.5, range of 12.8-557 pg/g f.w.), and dairy products (median of 66.1, range of 3.24-1588 pg/g f.w.). The total BDE values found in this study are consistent with research reported elsewhere. They are in the same range as those recently reported by other European and Asian studies and lower than those conducted in the U.S. BDE 47 was the predominant congener in fish, shellfish, dairy products (except butter), and meats, while BDE 209 was the predominant in oil and egg samples. The most remarkable findings in this study were the large contribution of the highest brominated BDEs (hepta- to deca-BDE), and principally BDE 209, to the total BDE concentration found in Spanish foods, except fish and shellfish, and the presence of BDE 184, 191, 196, and 197 in many of the samples. The calculated intake of 38.5 ng/day of BDEs was comparable to intake assessment from other UE countries.