Assessing the environmental impact of brominated flame retardants in Latin American aquatic ecosystems (BROMACUA)

María José López de Alda Villaizan, Silvia Díaz Cruz, Paula Guerra Gómez, Damià Barceló Culleres, Neyla Benítez Campo, Ethel Eljarrat Esebag, Joaquim Casal Fábrega, Rosa María Darbra Román, William Andrés Ocampo Duque, Martha Isabel Páez Melo, Rodrigo Andrés Sarria Villa, Ricardo Barra.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are pollutants whose industrial use and persistence are a threat to human and environmental health. They are bioaccumulative substances that also biomagnify in the trophic web, especially the aquatic food chain, where levels may increase with each step upwards.

The goal of this project is to assess the environmental impact of two families of BFRs; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). It will measure pollution and bioaccumulation and biomagnification processes in San Vicente Bay (Chile) and the Santa Marta marsh (Colombia). Results will be compared with those obtained from studies in Spain, in order to interrelate pollutant behavior with the characteristics of the ecosystem. Attention will also go to the possible repercussions for industries engaging in fish oil and flour production. The experimental data will be incorporated into mathematical models that can help predict behavior in other ecosystems as well as the risks posed to fish and humans.
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