| Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been incorporated into a variety of consumer products for several years. Demonstration of BFRs in the environment, wildlife and humans has prompted concern for these emerging contaminants. Two of the commercial polybrominateddiphenyl ether (PBDE) BFRs (octa-BDE and penta-BDE) is no longer being produced because of environmental concerns. As a result, the production and use of non-PBDE BFR alternatives, such as 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), have increased. It was of interest to determine the sensitivity of mink, a sentinel wildlife species, to BTBPE, which has been detected in the environment. Forty adult female mink were fed one of fourdiets containing 0, 0.02, 0.2 or 2.0 mgBTBPE/kg feed beginning prior to breeding. Females were bred to untreated males. At whelping and at 3 and 6 weeks of age, kits were counted and weighed. At 6 weeks of age, a sample of weaned kits from each treatment group, as well as the adult females, were necropsied. Samples of plasma, liver, fat, lungs, and feces were processed for chemical analysis and thyroids were processed for histological assessment. Ten offspringper group were maintained on their respective treatments through 7 months of age at which time the juvenile mink were necropsied and tissues processed as described above. The results of this study indicate that exposure to BTPE at dietary concentrations up to 2.0 mg/kg feed had no effect on the reproductive performance of mink and the survivability and growth of their offspring. |
