Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in fish: Evidence of recent HBCD input into the coastal environment

Highlights: • HBCDs were measured in three fish species from the PRD region. • Plecostomus had significantly higher HBCD levels than mud carp and tilapia. • Highest HBCD levels were founded in fish from the e-waste site and a harbor. • HBCD concentrations were not correlated with population and GDP data. - Abstract: Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) are flame retardants and emerging persistent organic pollutants. In the present study, α-, β-, and γ-HBCDs were measured in several fish species from rivers and an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site in Pearl River Delta, South China. The concentrations of HBCDs were 12.8 to 640, 5.90 to 115, and 34.3 to 518 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), tilapia (Tilapia nilotica), and plecostomus (Hypostomus plecostomus), respectively. Plecostomus showed the highest HBCD concentrations among three fish species. The contributions of α-HBCD to total HBCDs were 78% to 97%, 93% to 99%, and 87% to 98% in carp, tilapia, and plecostomus, respectively. Fish samples from a harbor and the e-waste site exhibited the highest HBCD concentrations among all samples. The HBCD concentrations were not significantly correlated with the gross domestic product or population data. e-Waste recycling activities, harbor construction, and shipment might be recent HBCD sources.