Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs), naturally produced by algae and cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea, are potent disrupters of energy metabolism as well as endocrine disruptors and neurotoxins. In this study, European perch (Perca fluviatilis) from the Baltic Sea were sampled from May until October. OH-PBDEs and ten biomarkers were measured in each individual (n = 84 over 18 sampling time points) to study potential correlations between exposure to OH-PBDEs and changes in biomarkers. Several biomarkers showed significant non-linear seasonal variation. In the perch, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, plasma lactate concentration, and plasma glucose concentration showed a significant positive log-linear correlation with OH-PBDEs, whereas lipid percentage and liver somatic index showed a significant negative log-linear correlation with OH-PBDEs. These results strengthen the concern that OH-PBDEs could cause negative health effects for fish in the Baltic Sea.

The egg samples of four heron species, including black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), little egret (Egretta garzetta), Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus) and cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), were collected from the upper Yangtze River (Changjiang) Basin, Southwest China in early summer of 2017. Nine out of ten target organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) were detected in these heron egg samples. The sum of concentrations of the PFRs quantified (Sigma PFRs) ranged from 63 to 590 pmol g(-1) ww (18-185 ng g(-1) ww) with a median value of 139 pmol g(-1) ww (48 ng g(-1) ww) among all samples. The median Sigma PFRs in eggs of night herons (160 pmol g(-1) ww) was higher than Chinese pond herons (median 121 pmol g(-1) ww) and little egrets (median 109 pmol g(-1) ww). In heron eggs, Sigma PFRs were mainly contributed by tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), tris (isobutyl) phosphate (TIBP), tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and tri-2-methylphenyl phosphate (TMPP). Alkyl-PFRs accounted for approximately 28%-85% (median 57%) of the nine PFRs quantified while the rest is contributed by aryl-PFRs and chlorinated PFR5. Lower levels of PFRs in little egret eggs were found upstream than downstream of the Yangtze. In addition, the daily intakes of PFRs through ingestion of heron eggs were estimated at lower levels. 

Patterns of lead and other trace metals were examined in 122 Eurasian eagle owls Bubo bubo found dead in Sweden in the period 1978-2013. Environmental lead (Pb) has decreased over recent decades from reduced anthropogenic emissions but mortality by Pb poisoning is still frequently reported for avian raptors and scavengers exposed to Pb ammunition. One objective here was to determine if Pb concentrations in a nocturnal non-scavenging raptor follow the general decline observed in other biota. Pb concentration in owl liver was significantly correlated with body weight, sex, latitude, longitude and season. Pb showed a significant decreasing trend towards north and west. Starved birds had significantly higher concentrations. Total Pb concentrations in liver averaged 0.179 mu g g(-1) dry weight (median 0.103) and decreased by 5.6% per year 1978-2013, or 5.3% after adjustment for confounding factors, similar to trends in other species. Among 14 other trace elements only antimony and arsenic showed decreasing trends. Lead isotope ratios Pb-206/Pb-207 and Pb-208/Pb-207 increased from 1.138 and 2.408 in 1978-1985 to 1.170 and 2.435 in 2010-2013, respectively, demonstrating that the decreasing Pb concentration in eagle owl is related to the phase-out of leaded gasoline in Europe, where Pb additives had much lower isotope ratios than natural lead in Swedish soils. Only one incidence of suspected Pb poisoning (40.7 mu g g(-1) in liver) was observed indicating that poisoning from ingestion of metallic lead is rare (< 1%) in eagle owl in Sweden, in contrast to what has been reported for eagles.

Chemical Pollution — Challenges in the Yangtze River Delta: Communication Brief is the second and final scientific report of the Chemstrres project. This book covers the results of the cooperation in relation to scientific output, collaborative results and interaction and higher educational achievements including the construction of joint facilities, the Yangtze Environmental Specimen Bank and extended science based exchange. The book is a follow up on Chemical Pollution — Challenges in the Yangtze River Delta (DiVA, id: diva2:1138019). Main results of the ten subprojects performed are given in the book, addressing: i. ecotoxicology studies with the pond snail; ii: on chlorinated paraffins and iii: establishment of the pond snail as a research monitoring species in the Yangtze River Delta. Further. iv: drinking water contaminants were studied in a screening project; v: pollutants in sewage sludge as a mirror of human activities, as well; vi: assessments of persistent and bioaccumulative compounds in wildlife from the Yangtze River Delta were performed; vii: heron eggs were analysed to determine the environmental quality in the region as well as viii:  monitoring of pollutants in mothers’ milk in the Yangtze River Delta, Sweden and Norway were performed. Finally, ix: investigations were carried out to determine optimal fish species for research monitoring in the Yangtze River Delta and in a subproject number x: chemical pollutants were assessed in indoor dust. Reference to 45 authentic peer reviewed scientific articles are presented in the book.

摘要

《长三角地区化学品污染挑战：经验与启示》是Chemstrres项目的第二份也是最后一份科学报告。本书涵盖了中瑞双方在科学研究、协作互访和高等教育等方面的合作成果，包括建设联合实验室、长江环境样品库和扩大科学交流。本书是《长三角地区化学品污染挑战》（DiVA，id: diva2:1138019）一书的跟进和延续。书中给出了十个子课题的主要研究结果，涉及铜锈环棱螺（I）和氯化石蜡（II）的生态毒理学研究，田螺的采样策略及污染物监测（III）；进一步筛查研究了饮用水中的新兴污染物（IV）、城市污泥的采样策略（V），评估了长三角野生动物中持久性和生物累积性化学品（VI），分析了鹭卵以确定当地环境质量（VII），并对长三角地区、瑞典和挪威的母乳中的污染物进行了监测（VIII）。最后，开展调查以确定长三角地区环境监测的最佳鱼类种类（IX），并在子课题十中评估了室内灰尘中的化学污染物（X）。书中引用了Chemstrres项目发表的四十五篇经过同行评审的科技论文。

Over time China became the globally most important manufacturer of chemicals and inherited the pollution problems with production and use of chemicals. The Yangtze River Delta is very much a central area for the chemical production and for manufacturing of a variety of chemical products, materials and goods. A science based cooperation between researchers from Tongji University, Stockholm University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History started to develop in the first decade of the present century. The cooperation was aimed to improve the understanding of chemical pollutants and their influence on wildlife and humans in the Yangtze River Delta area, to generate novel data and establish advanced chemical monitoring programs.

Chemical Pollution — Challenges in the Yangtze River Delta is the first scientific report of the Chemstrres project, "Swedish-Chinese chemical pollution stress and risks research program in the Yangtze River Delta region". The project has been funded by the Swedish Research Council. This book covers the essentials of the natural, social, economic, and chemical environments of the Yangtze River Delta, as well as an up-to-date, introduction of the research activities and highlights within Chemstrres. The book is aimed to attract readers from all sectors of society; vivid graphics and diagrams can be found throughout the text. Both Chemstrres project and this book are expected to bring scientists and decision makers closer together, to enable science based management for improved human health and environmental prosperity.