The compounds, described as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are toxic and could leach out into the marine environment.
Synthetically produced brominated flame retardants are added to foam, textiles, and electronics to raise the temperature at which these products catch fire. However, they have been found to be endocrine disruptors.
“For the first time we were able to conclusively show that genes and enzymes produced in bacteria from sponges are responsible for the production of these compounds toxic to humans,” says Dr. Vinayak Agarwal.
The sponges hosting the bacteria were discovered in seawater close to Guam. Further study will evaluate the risk of PBDEs ending up in the food chain and determine how many microorganisms produce these chemicals. The research was published in Nature Chemical Biology.