Detection of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) from O'ahu, Hawai`i

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in tilapia from O'ahu, Hawai'i were detected. Tilapia with approximately 200 g body weight was collected from one site of the Manoa stream and two sites of the Ala Wai Canal in Honolulu. The fish muscles were isolated, homogenized and lyphilized for chemical analysis. The average lipid contents were determined as 3.62% for site 1, 3.24% for site 2 and for site 3 were 2.77 percent. Most of the PBDE congeners were detected in the fish samples; however, BDE183 and BDE209 were found to be below their LODs in all the samples and therefore excluded from the calculation of the total PBDE concentrations.