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Toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a partial life-cycle test

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Abstract

Toxicological effects of the widely used flame retardant, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) were assessed in a partial life-cycle test with zebrafish (Danio rerio). Exposure of adult fish during 30 days to water-borne TBBPA in nominal concentrations ranging from 0 (control) to 1.5 μM was followed by exposure of the offspring in early life stages up to 47 days posthatching (dph) to the same concentrations. Adults exposed to 3 and 6 μM showed severe disorientation and lethargy shortly after beginning of exposure and were euthanized. Because semistatic exposure resulted in fluctuating water concentrations, pooled fish samples were chemically analyzed for internal dose assessment. Egg production was decreased in fish exposed to TBBPA concentrations of 0.047 μM and higher, and a critical effect level of 7.2 μg/g lipid with a lower 5% confidence limit of 3.9 μg/g lipid for 50% decreased egg production was calculated. Histology of adult ovaries indicated a relative increase of premature oocytes in two surviving females exposed to 1.5 μM. Hatching of TBBPA-exposed larvae was decreased except in animals exposed to 0.375 μM. In the highest exposure concentration, early posthatching mortality was high (81%) in larvae and the surviving juveniles showed a significant predominance of the female phenotype. Exposure of eggs from control parents up to 6 μM TBBPA resulted in increasing malformation and pericardial fluid accumulation from 1.5 μM; at higher concentrations, all embryos failed to hatch. The presented results indicate decreased reproductive success in zebrafish at environmentally relevant TBBPA concentrations.

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Acknowledgment

Dr. Wout Slob at RIVM, Bilthoven, is acknowledged for sharing his valuable statistical expertise. The authors thank Bhawani Nagarajah, Helena Priem, and Wil Steenbergen for dedicated histotechnical assistance. This study was carried out in the EU-supported project “Flame-retardants Integrated Risk Assessment” (FIRE), EU contract no. QLK4-CT-2002-00596.

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  1. P. E. G. Leonards

    Present address: Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, P.O. Box 80158, 3508 TD, Utrecht NL, The Netherlands

    R. V. Kuiper & J. G. Vos

  2. National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Anthonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    E. J. van den Brandhof, L. T. M. van der Ven, P. W. Wester & J. G. Vos

  3. Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (RIVO), Haringkade 1, P.O. Box 68, 1970 AB, IJmuiden, The Netherlands

    P. E. G. Leonards

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  1. R. V. Kuiper
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Correspondence to R. V. Kuiper.

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Kuiper, R.V., van den Brandhof, E.J., Leonards, P.E.G. et al. Toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a partial life-cycle test. Arch Toxicol 81, 1–9 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0117-x

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