Environmental occurrence and behaviour of BFR structural analogues and metabolites

Abstract

Abstract Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are four widely used types of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in global market. BFRs are used commercially in many different types of products, and widespread use of these chemicals has led to ubiquitous occurrence in diverse environmental compartments. This chapter reviews up-to-date knowledge about occurrence, formation mechanism and behaviour of a BFR structural analogues and their metabolites in the environment and living organisms based on 96 published articles in the literatures, as well as implementation of these on human exposure and induced (toxicological) impact in the environment. Among the investigated BFR classes, occurrence and formation mechanisms of structural analogues are better understood for PBDEs than other types of BFRs. Human and wildlife exposure to BFRs continues to be a concern even after cease of the production and usage of major BFRs likely to be provoking emerging concern of present days due to bioaccumulation and transformation of their structural analogues and metabolites.