decabromodiphenyl-ethane and 2-3-4-5-6-pentabromotoluene

The distribution characteristics and potential sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative brominated flame retardants (aBFRs) were investigated in 54 surface sediment samples from four bays (Taozi Bay, Sishili Bay, Dalian Bay, and Jiaozhou Bay) of North China's Yellow Sea. Of the 54 samples studied, 51 were collected from within the four bays and 3 were from rivers emptying into Jiaozhou Bay. Decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) was the predominant flame retardant found, and concentration ranged from 0.16 to 39.7 ng g(-1) dw and 1.13-49.9 ng g(-1) dw in coastal and riverine sediments, respectively; these levels were followed by those of BDE 209, and its concentrations ranged from n.d. to 10.2 ng g(-1) dw and 0.05-7.82 ng g(-1) dw in coastal and riverine sediments, respectively. The levels of DBDPE exceeded those of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) in most of the samples in the study region, whereas the ratio of DBDPE/BDE 209 varied among the four bays. This is indicative of different usage patterns of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and also different hydrodynamic conditions among these bay areas. The spatial distribution and composition profile analysis indicated that BFRs in Jiaozhou Bay and Dalian Bay were mainly from local sources, whereas transport from Laizhou Bay by coastal currents was the major source of BFRs in Taozi Bay and Sishili Bay. Both the ∑PBDEs and ∑aBFRs (sum of pentabromotoluene (PBT), 2,3-diphenylpropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (DPTE), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), and hexabromobenzene (HBB)) were at low concentrations in all the sediments. This is probably attributable to a combination of factors such as low regional usage of these products, atmospheric deposition patterns, coastal currents transportation patterns, and degradation processes for higher BDE congeners. This paper is the first study that has investigated the levels of DBDPE in the coastal sediments of China's Yellow Sea.

Topics: Bays; Bromobenzenes; China; Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants; Geologic Sediments; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Rivers; Toluene

Human exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs: decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), 1,2,3,4,5-pentabromobenzene (PBBz), and 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene (TBX)) in a brominated flame retardant production area (Weifang, Shandong Province, China) was estimated. Thirty food samples, 14 air samples, and 13 indoor dust samples were analyzed. BDE209 and DBDPE were the dominant BFRs in all samples. Higher alternative brominated flame retardant (including DBDPE, HBB, PBEB, PBT, PBBz, and TBX) concentrations were found in vegetables than in fish and meat; thus, plant-original foods might be important alternative BFR sources in the study area. The BDE209 and alternative BFR concentrations in air were 1.5×10(4) to 2.2×10(5) and 620 to 3.6×10(4) pg/m3, respectively. Mean total BFR exposures through the diet, inhalation, and indoor dust ingestion were 570, 3000, and 69 ng/d, respectively (16, 82, and 2% of total intake, respectively). Inhalation was the dominant BFR source except for DBDPE, for which diet dominated. BDE209 contributed 85% of the total BFR intake in the study area.

Topics: Animals; Bromobenzenes; China; Dust; Environment; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Flame Retardants; Food; Food Analysis; Food Contamination; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Humans; Toluene; Xylenes