Understanding the Factors Driving Intra-Specific Tissue Variations, and the Endocrine and Metabolic Impacts of Flame Retardant Exposure in Birds

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A growing number of new organic contaminants of potential environmental concern are constantly discharged into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in industrialized regions, and have the potential to bioaccumulate and be toxic to the most susceptible wildlife species such as birds. This may be the case for the numerous emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) for which no national or international regulations exist despite their massive usage in a wide range of consumer and industrial products (e.g., cars, electronic circuitry, upholstered furniture, construction materials, etc.) to achieve fire safety standards, that is, to slow down the spread of fire. A recent study conducted by my research group reported unexpectedly high concentrations of the HFR class polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as well as several as yet undetected emerging HFRs in tissues of a urban-adapted avian species, the ring-billed gull (