Hepatic EROD induction in the common kingfisher from an e‐waste recycling site

The health effects of exposure to electronic waste (e-waste) derived pollutants are an important issue. We explored the association between the hepatic levels of e-waste derived halogenated contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity of the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) from an e-waste site and two reference sites in South China. The summed concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, and PBBs ranged from 620–15000, 25–900, and 14–49 ng/g wet weight, respectively, in the kingfishers from the e-waste site, and these values were significantly greater (2–3 orders of magnitude) than those obtained at the two reference sites. Correspondingly, significant hepatic EROD induction was observed in the kingfishers from the e-waste site compared with the reference sites. EROD activity was significantly correlated to the levels of most of the PCB and PBDE congeners examined as well as PBB 153, suggesting that EROD induction may be evoked by these e-waste derived pollutants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved