It is with great pleasure that my co-authors and I would like to share our most recent publication in SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT: A. Zaccaroni, R. Andreini, S. Franzellitti, D. Barceló, E. Eljarrat (2018). Halogenated flame retardants in stranded sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Mediterranean Sea. Science of the Total Environment Volume 635, 1 September 2018, Pages 892–900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.147 Abstract: In recent years, decline of marine mammals' populations and increased frequency of strandings have arised the interest on the role that pollution may have in these events. The present work aimed at quantifying levels of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and dechloranes (DECs) in tissues of 3 adult females and one foetus of sperm whales stranded in the Southern Adriatic Sea coasts (Italy). Results proved the presence of different flame retardants (FRs) in tissues of sperm whales, including various polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) congeners (47, 99, 100, 154, entering the composition of PentaBDE mixture), hexabromocyclodecanes (HBCDs), Dec 602 and methoxylated polibrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs). In blubber, a target tissue for contaminant accumulation, ΣPBDEs reached values of 160, 158 and 183 ng/g lw, α-HBCD of 5.75 ng/g lw, Dec 602 of 1632 ng/g lw and MeO-BDEs of 563 ng/g lw. The availability of foetal tissues allowed evaluating the potential maternal transfer on many of these compounds, and to discuss the potential adverse effects on foetal health. To the best of our knowledge, obtained data are the first reporting placental transfer of FRs in sperm whales. PBDE levels detected in foetus suggested a potentially long-term exposure to BFRs, which could cause severe damages to the developing organism, likely at the cerebral, endocrine and immunologic levels. Dec 602, which was detected at the highest concentrations among all FRs considered, could potentially cause dysfunctional effects on the immune system of adult females. Full text and PDF files can be downloaded here https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1Wxa5B8ccgZ2N Alternatively, please send PDF requests to annalisa.zaccaroni@unibo.it<mailto:annalisa.zaccaroni@unibo.it>. All the best, Dr. Annalisa Zaccaroni Dept. Veterinary Medical Sciences University of Bologna Viale Vespucci 2 Cesenatico (FC) 47042 tel. +39 0547 338944 mobile +39 347 5951709 annalisa.zaccaroni@unibo.it<mailto:annalisa.zaccaroni@unibo.it> www.marlaboratory.org<http://www.marlaboratory.org>