Accumulation and disposition of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The brominated flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) has been reported in environmental samples worldwide. The three diastereomers, alpha-, beta- and gamma-HBCD, behave differently in aquatic food webs; likely depending on different factors influencing assimilation efficiency and metabolism. In the present study, two oral exposure experiments with rainbow trout were performed to assess the role of selective uptake on diastereomer-specific accumulation and disposition of HBCD to liver, brain and muscle. In both experiments, juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were administrated a technical HBCD-mixture in commercial feed (10mgkg(-1)), followed by up to 21 days of food deprivation. Already 6h after exposure, the HBCD accumulation was significant, and the concentrations peaked 4-8 days after the exposure. The relative change in HBCD pattern during the accumulation process (0-8 days), suggested that there was a diastereomer-selective uptake of alpha- and beta-HBCD in the rainbow trout. During the initial 48h, considerable amounts of all three diastereomers were distributed to liver, brain and muscle. A 70% reduction in SigmaHBCD levels after 21 days, indicated elimination of HBCD from brain and liver, but no clear elimination from the muscle was observed. Differences in HBCD pattern between organs at the end of the experiment support a proposal of an organ-specific diastereomer accumulation.