Bioaccumulation of PBDE congener 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether by Heterosigma akashiwo in response to different nutrient concentrations

Changes in the bioaccumulation of 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in the marine alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae) were examined for different concentrations of nitrate (0, 128, and 512 μmol dm−3) and phosphate (0, 8, and 32 μmol dm−3) in the semi-continuous culture with 20% renewal rate. The BDE-47 content per cell and per culture, as well as the accumulated percentage of available BDE-47, presented a significant decreasing trend with the increase in nitrate and phosphate concentrations. The N-0 (4.0 × 10−6 ng cell−1) and P-0 (5.8 × 10−6 ng cell−1) treatments had significantly higher BDE-47 content per cell than other treatments. In comparison, the difference in BDE-47 per algal culture and accumulated percentage between the nitrate treatments or phosphate treatments was not as obvious as the BDE-47 content per cell. BDE-47 per cell presented significantly negative correlation with nitrate and phosphate concentrations, and the accumulated BDE-47 was in positive correlation with lipid content. log BAFlip for BDE-47 in H. akashiwo ranged from 6.70 to 7.25. The results of this study indicate that variation in BDE-47 accumulation by H. akashiwo corresponds to the change in cellular lipid content induced by different nitrate and phosphate concentrations.