Accumulation Features of Halogenated Phenolic Compounds in the Blood of Pinnipeds from Japanese Coastal Waters

The present study determined the residue levels and characteristic patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs) and bromophenols (BPhs) in the blood of pinnipeds collected in 1990–1999 from Japanese coastal waters. Except in ribbon seal, PCBs and OH-PCBs were detected in all species. Concentration ratios of OH-PCBs/PCBs in pinnipeds were the same or higher than cetaceans living in Japanese coastal waters, suggesting that the metabolic capacity of pinnipeds for organochlorines might be higher than cetaceans. In contrast, except for ribbon seal, PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs were detected in all species at extremely small amounts. Even though OH-PBDEs were detected in all species, concentrations of these compounds found in pinnipeds were significantly lower than in cetaceans. This result suggests that pinnipeds may have an enhanced ability to metabolize these natural products. BPhs were found in all species. However, BPhs concentrations in pinnipeds were higher than in cetacean species, and BPhs accumulation characteristics in pinnipeds were different from other brominated compounds and polychlorinated biphenyls.