2-ethylhexyl-2-3-4-5-tetrabromobenzoate and decabromodiphenyl-ethane

To understand human exposure to dust-associated flame retardants in the biggest metropolitan area (city of Shanghai) of East China, our study determined a suite of legacy and emerging flame retardants in dust from dwellings, cars, and university computer labs. The results exhibited a consistent dominance of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) over polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other alternative flame retardants (AFRs) regardless of microenvironments. In addition to OPFRs, some alternative flame retardants, such as decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 2-ethylhexyltetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromobenzoate (BEH-TEBP), and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), were also frequently detected. Among them, DBDPE exhibited concentrations comparable to those of PBDEs. Comparison with international studies indicated that concentrations of ∑PBDEs (0.2-12.3 μg/g dry weight or dw) and ∑OPFRs (3.8-165.5 μg/g dw) from Shanghai dwellings (bedroom and living room) were generally in the middle of concentration ranges reported worldwide, whereas elevated DBDPE concentrations (0.1-9.5 μg/g dw) was observed compared with most other countries or regions. OPFR compositions in house dust from this study also differed from those from many other countries. This suggested inter-regional differences in market demands on the quantities and types of flame retardants. Human intake estimation suggested elevated exposure for toddlers when compared with adults, although the daily intake estimations of individual flame retardants were generally 2-4 orders of magnitude lower than the reference doses. The findings from this preliminary study developed a baseline for future evaluation of the sources and fate of emerging flame retardants and related human exposure risks in East China.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollution, Indoor; Bromobenzenes; Bromobenzoates; Child, Preschool; China; Cities; Dust; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Humans; Organophosphates

In this study leachate and sediment samples were collected from six municipal solid waste landfill sites across Gauteng Province in South Africa to determine the levels of 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5 tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (BEH-TEBP) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). Soxhlet as well as liquid-liquid extraction were employed for sediment and leachates respectively followed by GC-EIMS analysis. Concentrations of novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) ranged from below detection (

Topics: Benzoates; Bromobenzenes; Flame Retardants; Geologic Sediments; Hydrocarbons, Brominated; Phthalic Acids; Soil Pollutants; Solid Waste; South Africa; Waste Disposal Facilities; Water Pollutants, Chemical