Tissue uptake, distribution, elimination and neurotoxicity of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) in adult zebrafish (Danio Rerio).

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), a novel brominated flame retardant, has been widely detected in various environmental media and exhibits significant bioaccumulation potential. This study first analyzed the distribution characteristics of DBDPE in zebrafish tissues using a toxicokinetic model. The results revealed that DBDPE preferentially accumulated in the brain, with the concentration order being brain > liver > gonads, indicating a potential neurotoxic risk. Further research demonstrated that zebrafish chronically exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of DBDPE exhibited abnormal social behaviors. Molecular analysis indicated that this neurobehavioral toxicity may be related to the disruption of neurotransmitter homeostasis and the upregulation of gene expression in the central nervous system induced by DBDPE. Notably, female zebrafish were found to be more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of DBDPE. These findings not only clarify the tissue-specific accumulation characteristics of DBDPE but also reveal its sex-dependent neurotoxic differences, thereby providing important scientific evidence for the ecological risk assessment of this pollutant.