Bioaccumulation and cycling of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DP) in three natural mangrove ecosystems of South China

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DP) in mangrove sediments and tissues of nine species from three Mangrove Reserves of Hainan Island were studied. The average concentrations of PBDEs and DP in mangrove leaves, branches, roots and fruits were 1048, 498, 546 and 364 pg g−1 dw, and 294, 181, 108 and 165 pg g−1 dw, respectively. The elevated PBDEs and DP concentrations in mangrove leaves may be caused by atmospheric sedimentation. The predominant PBDE congeners in sediments were BDE-209 and those in mangrove tissues were BDE-28. The average fanti (ratio of [anti-DP]/[DP]) of DP in sediments and tissues were 0.47 and 0.32, respectively. Sonneratia hainanensis, a fast growing mangrove plant, has a relatively high tolerance and absorptive capacity to PBDEs and DP in sediments, suggesting that it could be used as an effective plant for phytoremediation. The biota sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) of PBDEs in mangrove branches were positively correlated with log KOW (R2 = 0.43, p < 0.05). The standing accumulation, annual absorption, annual net retention, annual return, and turnover period of PBDEs and DP in mangrove tissues of the ecosystems were estimated, and the results indicated that mangroves are playing an important role in retaining PBDEs and DP.