deca-BDE Products Research Articles

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China: identification of priority PBDE congeners.

Although the production of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been phased out over the past decade worldwide, they are still potentially hazardous to the environment due to their persistence and toxicity. This study investigated the levels of 55 PBDEs in water and sediments from the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China. The levels of PBDEs were in the range of not detected (ND)-286.67ng/L in water and ND-236.04ng/g in sediments. BDE209 was the predominant PBDE congener and constituted 15-50% and 44-68% of the total PBDEs in water and sediments, respectively. Commercial pentaBDE products (70-5DE, DE-71) were the dominant source of tetraBDE, pentaBDE, and hexaBDE, while commercial octaBDE (79-8DE) and decaBDE (102E and 82-0DE) products were the main sources of nonaBDE and decaBDE in water. PBDEs in sediments mainly stemmed from commercial decaBDE products and combustion sources. BDE-209 posed high ecological risks to aquatic organisms and dominated the total ecological risks of PBDEs. No cancer risks and non-cancer risks were observed for PBDEs. A ranking method based on four criteria, i.e., detection frequency, concentration, ecological risk, and health risks, was proposed, and 17 PBDEs were identified as high priority PBDEs for future monitoring and management in the Danjiangkou Reservoir.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, decabromodiphenyl ethane and dechlorane plus in aquatic products from the Yellow River Delta, China

Aquatic biota including fish, shrimp and bivalves were collected from the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China to investigate the levels, composition profile and dietary exposure of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and dechlorane plus (DP). The concentrations of PBDEs, DBDPE and DP in the organisms ranged from 5.3 to 149, not detected (nd) - 49, and 0.5–29 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Higher levels of PBDEs and DP were found in mullet (Liza haematocheila).PBDEs were the major pollutants and BDE 209 was the predominant congener of PBDEs suggesting the great production and application of deca-BDE in YRD. The average fanti values for different species were similar to or a little lower than that of the commercial DP, suggesting syn-DP might be selectively accumulated by the organisms. The estimated daily intake values of HFRs suggested consuming fish was the main pathway for the exposure of halogenated flame retardants.

Temporal environmental hysteresis: A definition and implications for polybrominated diphenyl ethers

We define here “temporal environmental hysteresis” as the time lag between when a pollutant's input to the environment stops and when its concentration in the environment drops to some desired fraction of its maximum concentration. The goal of this paper is to investigate temporal environmental hysteresis for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were widely used as flame retardants in consumer goods. These compounds were taken off the North American market in two steps: At the end of 2004, the so-called Penta-BDE and Octa-BDE products were withdrawn, and at the end of 2013, the Deca-BDE product was also discontinued. We focus here on PBDE concentrations in about 700 atmospheric samples collected every 12 days from 2005 to 2018 (inclusive) at two urban sites: Chicago, Illinois, and Cleveland, Ohio. In Chicago, the concentrations of BDE-47 and 99 decreased by a factor of two every 5.9 ± 0.9 and 8.0 ± 1.4 years, respectively, but the concentrations of BDE-209 doubled every 7.6 ± 1.8 years. In Cleveland, the concentrations of BDE-47 and 99 decreased by a factor of two every 5.1 ± 0.4 and 5.7 ± 0.5 years, respectively, and the concentrations of BDE-209 decreased by a factor of two every 9.2 ± 1.6 years. The delay in all these environmental responses relative to when these compounds were removed from the market is a result of decadal scale environmental hysteresis.

Contamination status and temporal trends of persistent toxic substances in sediment cores from coastal areas of central Vietnam

Residue concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in sediment core samples from two estuary areas of central Vietnam to elucidate recent status and temporal trends of pollution based on the depth profiles. Concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, and endosulfan compounds were generally higher than those of the remaining OCPs. Peak concentrations of OCPs were found in the sediment layers corresponding to the late 1950s to the early 1980s, implying the intensive application of these insecticides in Vietnam during such periods. Although the highest PCB concentrations were measured in sediment layers dated in the 1970s, increasing PCB residues observed in the shallower layers may be related to the strong industrialization and urbanization in Vietnam. BDE-209 exhibited increasing concentrations and proportions to total PBDEs towards shallower depths, suggesting substantial use and on-going releases of deca-BDE products in recent years.

Trends of production, consumption and environmental emissions of Decabromodiphenyl ether in mainland China

Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) is a brominated flame retardant belonging to the group of polybrominated diphenyl ethers. DecaBDE has been widely used for various applications, such as plastics, textiles, and building and construction materials. Limited information on DecaBDE production and usage inventory has been elaborated, however. Therefore, this work aimed to produce a preliminary emissions inventory of DecaBDE in mainland China by estimating production and consumption amounts of DecaBDE, and characterizing its emission factors during production and usage, based on industrial investigation and theoretical prediction. It was indicated that the total production of DecaBDE reached 464.68 thousand metric tons (kt), of which 62.72 kt were exported, since the beginning of its production. Shandong and Jiangsu provinces dominate the production, with proportions of 77.95% and 18.45%, respectively. The production stage releases most of the DecaBDE to the atmosphere, with an emissions factor of 23 ± 1.9 kg/t, followed by 20 ± 0.9 kg/t DecaBDE to waste water and 16 ± 1.0 kg/t DecaBDE as solid residue. DecaBDE emissions in the consumption stage—namely the plastic production process—are 0.17 ± 0.06–0.23 ± 0.08 kg DecaBDE to the atmosphere and 1.72 ± 0.58–2.29 ± 0.77 kg DecaBDE to solid residue, for each metric ton of plastic produced. The total annual DecaBDE emissions to waste water are 93.98–1140.9 mg—negligible. The results showed that the sources of DecaBDE environmental pollution are its manufacturing and flame-retardant plastic modification plants, which are easily overlooked by both the government and the public. Yet DecaBDE emissions elimination and the environmentally sound management of the DecaBDE waste generated from these two processes are crucial for environmental protection.

Determination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Freshwater Fish Around a Deca-brominated Diphenyl Ether (deca-BDE) Production Facility by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in 36 fish samples near a deca- brominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE) production facility in Weifang City, Shandong Province, China. The concentrations of PBDEs in fish muscle and liver samples were from 45.8 to 560 ng g−1 lipid weight (lw) and 327 to 2120 ng g−1, lw, respectively. The highest concentration of PBDEs was found in carp with a mean value of 1370 ng g−1, lw, followed by crucian with a mean of 1030 ng g−1, lw, and grass carp with a mean of 681 ng g−1, lw. Relatively constant congener patterns were observed among the fish species. BDE-47 was the most predominant congener with contributions of 50.1% to 89.7% to the total PBDE concentrations. Different BDE-99/BDE-100 ratios were observed, indicating that the PBDE pattern is species-dependent.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the dissolved and suspended phases of seawater from Sanggou Bay, east China

The levels and profiles of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in dissolved phase (DP) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in seawater of Sanggou Bay (SGB) in four seasons were determined. The distribution and potential sources of these compounds were analyzed, and the ecological risk was assessed. The total concentrations of 14 PBDEs (∑14PBDE) in DP and SPM in the surface water ranged from 0.10 ng L−1 to 2.20 ng L−1 and from 0.51 ng L−1 to 6.15 ng L−1, respectively. The highest value was obtained in August. The concentrations of ∑14PBDE in the surface water were higher than those in the bottom water, and PBDEs were mainly partitioned into the SPM fraction. BDE209 was the most dominant PBDE congener, having average relative contributions of 86.5%–94.8% in DP and 40.5%–56.5% in SPM, followed by BDE47. The profiles of PBDEs in seawater of SGB were different from those of commercial PBDE products. The concentrations of ∑14PBDE were higher in the inner bay than in the outer bay, suggesting that the terrestrial input and human activities affected the PBDE distribution in SGB. Results of nonparametric multidimensional scaling suggested that BDE209 and BDE47 were important congeners discriminating PBDE contamination in SGB. The potential sources of PBDEs in SGB included commercial PentaBDE and DecaBDE products from the land, the atmospheric transport of commercial OctaBDE, and the degradation of high brominated congeners. The ecological risks from PentaBDE and OctaBDE were low, and those from DecaBDE were moderate in seawater of SGB.

Emission inventory and environmental distribution of decabromodiphenyl ether in China

Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) is a highly brominated flame retardant that recent studies have identified as a potential persistent organic pollutant. Large amounts of decaBDE have been consumed and released in the environment in China, while no emission inventory has been available until now. In this study, a substance flow analysis was applied to establish the emission inventory of decaBDE in China from 1982 (the first year of decaBDE production in China) until 2013 based on activity data, transfer coefficients, and emission factors. The results show that the stock of decaBDE continually increased, reaching a peak of 290,000tons in 2007. The annual processing capacity of decaBDE also increased, and the processing capacity in 2013 was 49,000tons. Historical accumulative emissions were estimated to be 313.3tons from 1982 to 2013, and the annual emissions peaked in 2003 at 27.5tons. On average, decaBDE processing was the major source (58.4%) of total emissions, followed by treatment, production, and usage processes. From 1982 to 2013, decaBDE was released mainly into water sources, accounting for 50.7% of the accumulative emissions. At the provincial level, Guangdong, Shandong, and Zhejiang provinces were the largest producers in China. Simulations produced by the level III fugacity model showed that the projected concentration was very consistent with the measured value. The stock of decaBDE in the soil and sediment phases accounted for 99.8% of the total stock, and the transfer among the four environmental phases occurred mainly at the atmosphere–soil interface.

A national survey of tetrabromobisphenol-A, hexabromocyclododecane and decabrominated diphenyl ether in human milk from China: Occurrence and exposure assessment

A national survey of three currently used brominated flame retardants (BFRs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) in human milk was conducted in 2011. Human milk from 16 provinces of China were collected, pooled and measured. The estimated daily intake (EDI) via human milk ingestion for nursing infant and the related health risks were evaluated. The median levels of TBBPA, HBCD and BDE-209 were 1.21, 6.83 and 0.556ng/g lipid weight (lw), respectively. Levels of BDE-209 were lower than those of TBBPA, indicating that the production and application of deca-BDE in China has been below that of TBBPA after the restriction of PBDEs. Moreover, contamination levels of TBBPA and HBCD in this survey were higher than those observed in last national survey conducted in 2007, indicating an increase of TBBPA and HBCD in the environment from 2007 to 2011. The mean estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of TBBPA, HBCD and BDE-209 via human milk for 1–6months old infant were 39.2, 51.7 and 3.65ng/kgbw/day, respectively. For risk assessment, margin of exposure (MOE) was calculated by comparing the BMDL10 (benchmark dose lower confidence limit for a benchmark response of 10%) to the EDI of each BFR. Large MOEs indicates that the estimated dietary exposure to these three BFRs for nursing infant is unlikely to raise significant health concerns. Compared with some currently used novel BFRs which also measured in this survey, higher contamination levels were found in some non-PBDE BFRs, indicating that the consumption pattern of BFRs has shifted from PBDEs to non-PBDE BFRs in China.

Occurrence and profiles of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in riverine sediments of Shanghai: a combinative study with human serum from the locals.

Herein, we studied the occurrence and profiles of thirteen PBDE congeners in 30 river sediment samples from Shanghai, China. The concentrations of Σ13PBDEs ranged from 110 to 13,071pgg -1 dw, with an average value of 2,841pgg -1 dw. BDE-209 was the predominant congener accounting for more than 65% of total PBDEs, demonstrating that the major source of PBDEs in sediment samples was associated with the prevalent use of technical deca-BDE products. Moreover, low brominated BDEs in sediments also came from the degradation of higher brominated BDEs. In addition, taking into consideration of dietary exposure, PBDEs in serum samples collected from the locals were also detected with range of 419-26,744pgg-1 (average 5,561pgg -1), which suggested a relatively low burden of PBDEs contamination to human body compared with the condition in other place. And in serum, low brominated compounds constituted the majority of total PBDE congeners.

Hexabromocyclododecanes, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and polychlorinated biphenyls in radiometrically dated sediment cores from English lakes, ~ 1950–present

This paper reports input fluxes between ~1950 and present, of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in radiometrically-dated sediment cores from 7 English lakes. Fluxes of PCBs at all but one location prone to significant sediment resuspension peaked in the late-1960s/early-1990s, before declining thereafter. Input fluxes of HBCDs at all sites increased from first emergence in the mid-1960s. Thereafter, fluxes peaked in the late-1980s/early-2000s, before declining through to the present, except at the most urban site where HBCD fluxes are still increasing. Trends of PBDEs predominant in the Penta-BDE and Octa-BDE formulations vary between sites. While at some locations, fluxes peaked in the late-1990s/early-2000s; at others, fluxes are still increasing. This suggests the full impact of EU restrictions on these formulations has yet to be felt. Fluxes of BDE-209 have yet to peak at all except one location, suggesting little discernible environmental response to recent EU restrictions on the Deca-BDE product. Strikingly, fluxes of BDE-209 in the most recent core slices either exceed or approach peak fluxes of ΣPCBs, implying substantial UK use of Deca-BDE. Excepting HBCDs, inventories of our target contaminants correlated significantly with local population density, implying substantial urban sources.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals in road dusts from a plastic waste recycling area in north China: implications for human health.

Road dusts were collected from an area where intense mechanical recycling of plastic wastes occurs in Wen'an, north China. These dusts were investigated for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals contamination to assess the health risk related to these components. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) and Σ21PBDE concentrations in these dusts ranged from 2.67 to 10,424 ng g(-1) and from 3.23 to 10,640 ng g(-1), respectively. These PBDE concentrations were comparable to those observed in road dust from e-waste recycling areas but were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than concentrations in outdoor or road dusts from other areas. This indicates that road dusts in the study area have high levels of PBDE pollution. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, accounting for 86.3% of the total PBDE content in dusts. Thus, commercial deca-BDE products were the dominant source. The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn in these same dust samples were 10.1, 0.495, 112, 54.7, 0.150, 71.8, 10.6, and 186 mg kg(-1), respectively. The geoaccumulation index suggests that road dusts in this area are moderately to heavily polluted with Cd, Hg, and Sb. This study shows that plastic waste processing is a major source of toxic pollutants in road dusts in this area. Although the health risk from exposure to dust PBDEs was low, levels of some heavy metals in this dust exceeded acceptable risk levels for children and are of great concern.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in articles: a review of its applications and legislation.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially commercial decabrominated diphenyl ethers (c-decaBDE), have been widely produced and applied to numerous materials because of their highly effective flame-retardant capabilities. The production of commercial pentaBDE (c-pentaBDE) and commercial octaBDE (c-octaBDE) ended in 2004 because they are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to both humans and the environment, but decaBDE production and use continue. Furthermore, many congeners of PBDEs are still prevalent in consumer products and articles that they pose enormous threat to both the environment and human health. PBDEs have been detected in the casing of electrical and electronic equipment, textile materials, automotive interiors, polyurethane foam (PUF) in seat cushions, children's toys, kitchenware, and other products. With increasing evidence about PBDE pollution and the adoption of international conventions, many developed countries have drawn more public attention to PBDEs and developed sound strategies for their management. This review summaries the utilization and management of PBDEs in a number of countries and reaches the conclusion that PBDEs are still prevalent in consumer articles, while specific regulations or policies for articles containing PBDEs are rare. Public awareness should be raised on the importance of sound management of articles containing PBDEs.

Declines in polybrominated diphenyl ether contamination of San Francisco Bay following production phase-outs and bans.

California has implemented unique consumer product flammability standards. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants were once widely incorporated into products to meet these standards, but concerns regarding toxicity and accumulation in humans and biota led to nationwide phase-outs and state bans. A decade of PBDE monitoring in San Francisco Bay has resulted in a data set that covers periods during and after PBDE use and consists of hundreds of measurements of water, sediment, and biota. While PBDEs remain widely detected in biota, levels have declined by nearly half in sport fish and 74-95% in bivalves and bird eggs. Concentrations of BDE-47 in sediment have dropped by over one-third from 2002 to 2012; in water, a decline is not yet evident. The dominant congener in sediment, DecaBDE component BDE-209, showed no temporal trend. U.S. production of DecaBDE ended in 2013; future monitoring may reveal declines. Overall, the data indicate that reduced production can result in relatively rapid reductions in the concentrations of some hydrophobic contaminants in biota and sediment, particularly when implemented after only a few decades of heavy use. Recent changes to California's flammability standards may lessen the use of other flame retardants and similarly reduce Bay contamination.

Concentrations and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils and plants from a deca-BDE manufacturing factory in China.

Residues of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), including eight PBDE congeners, were investigated in soils and plants from a deca-BDE manufacturing factory located in the Shandong province of China to evaluate and discuss their pollution level and distribution. Total concentrations in topsoil ranged from 17.0 to 146 μg g(-1) dry weight (dw) with a mean value of 58.7 μg g(-1) dw. BDE-209 was the dominant congener in soils, accounting for 55.63-99.27 % of the total PBDEs. Concentrations and congener patterns in soils varied among different soil depths. Concentration levels in topsoil are high and the heavy accumulation in deep soil also can be observed, even for some sites, the concentrations in 50-100 cm depth are higher than in topsoil. In plant samples, total PBDE concentrations and the proportion of BDE-209 were high (69.92-99.10 %). The extent of pollution by PBDEs in the deca-BDE production factory was higher than in other regions, and the environmental risk caused by the production of deca-BDE is of concern. This is the first study to report pollution of PBDEs in soils and plants from the vicinity of a deca-BDE manufacturing factory.

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Soils, Sediments, and Human Hair in a Plastic Waste Recycling Area: A Neglected Heavily Polluted Area

The release of pollutants during the recycling of contaminated plastics is a problem which has drawn worldwide attention; however, little information on the transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in these processes is available. We conducted a survey of PBDEs in soils, sediments, and human hair in a typical plastic waste recycling area in northern China. The total concentrations (ng/g) of 21 PBDEs were 1.25-5504 (average 600), 18.2-9889 (average 1619), and 1.50-861 (average 112) in soils, sediments, and hair, respectively. The PBDE concentrations were comparable to concentrations observed in e-waste recycling areas; however, the concentrations in soils and sediments were 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than in other areas, and the concentrations in hair were much higher than in other areas. This indicates that this area is highly polluted with PBDEs. BDE-209 was the dominant congener (representing 91.23%, 92.3%, and 91.5% of the total PBDEs observed in soils, sediments, and hair, respectively), indicating that the commercial deca-BDE product was dominant. The commercial penta- and octa-BDE products made small contributions to the total PBDE concentrations, unlike what has been found in some e-waste recycling areas. Our results show that crude plastic waste processing is a major contributor of PBDEs to the environment and humans, which should be of great concern.

A Mini-Review on Disposal of WEEE Plastics Containing PBDEs with a Special Focus on China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially pentaBDE and decaBDE have been extensively used as flame retardants in plastics of most electronic equipment. However, PBDE congeners have been found in the environment, in wildlife and in human body worldwide with evidences that they pose risks both to human health and to the entire ecosystem. China has become an important pentaBDE and decaBDE production country because of the increasing domestic demand due to rapid development of electronic industry in recent years. Although pentaBDE was phased out in 2004, decaBDE still remains in production and is used in electrical industry. Additionally, large amounts of plastics containing these pollutants from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are generated in China each year and their disposal has been a vital environmental challenge. Machaniclal recycling, fedlock recycling and landfilling are three main means of disposal of WEEE plastics. This article reviews the production of PBDEs, the amounts of WEEE and the disposal of WEEE plastics worldwide, with a special focus on China. The state of the emission of PBDEs and highly toxic polybrominated dibenzo dioxins/furans in the process of disposal is summed up based on previous studies. This article recommends that mechanical recycling should be the main means of disposal of WEEE recycling with regards to the summaries, the current practices and the status in China.

울산만 퇴적물 내 PCDDs, PCDFs, DL-PCBs, PBDEs의 잔류수준과 분포패턴

울산만 내 퇴적물에 대하여 다이옥신/퓨란류(polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs)와 다이옥신류 피씨비(dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, DL-PCBs), PBDEs(polybrominated diphenyl ethers)의 잔류수준을 조사하고 분포를 평가하였다. 33개 정점에서 채취한 퇴적물 중 PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, PBDEs는 각각 0.11~4.86(평균<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>표준편차, <TEX>$1.81{\pm}1.04$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> 건중량(dw), 0.06~44.2(<TEX>$4.02{\pm}7.99$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, 2.81~63.8(<TEX>$19.4{\pm}13.9$</TEX>) ng <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw 수준으로 검출되었다. 총 다이옥신류(PCDD/Fs+DL-PCBs)에 대하여 DL-PCBs가 약 88%로 PCDD/Fs에 비해 높은 기여율을 나타내었다. 또한, 울산만 내부에 위치한 정점의 퇴적물은 외부 정점에 비해 높은 농도수준을 보였다 (p<0.05). 총 다이옥신류 중 PCDD/Fs는 고염소의 DD/Fs에서 높은 기여율을 차지하였으며, 이성질체의 분포패턴은 연소공정의 영향이 큰 공업지역 퇴적물의 특성을 나타내었다. DL-PCBs는 PCB77, -105, -118가 주요 이성질체로써, 상업용 PCB 제품과 분포특성이 유사하게 나타났다. 또한, 퇴적물 내 PBDEs 분포에서 BDE209가 주요 이성질체로 나타났으며, 이는 상업용 deca-BDE 제품의 사용량에 의한 영향으로 판단된다. We investigated the concentrations and distribution patterns of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs), 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs) and 24 polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) in sediments from Ulsan Bay in Korea. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, and PBDEs in 33 sediment samples ranged from 0.11 to 4.86(<TEX>$1.81{\pm}1.04$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dry weight(dw), 0.06 to 44.2(<TEX>$4.02{\pm}7.99$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, and 2.81 to 63.8(<TEX>$19.4{\pm}13.9$</TEX>) ng <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, respectively. DL-PCBs had dominant contributions(mean, 88%) of total TEQ concentrations in sediment. The concentrations of target compounds in inner locations were higher than those in outer locations in Ulsan Bay (p<0.05). The dominant contribution of highly chlorinated DD/Fs in sediment was associated with combustion process from industrial complexes. Distribution pattern of DL-PCBs was similar with those of commercial PCB products. BDE209 was a dominant congener in sediment, suggesting high use amount of commercial deca-BDE product in surrounding areas.

Pay attention to the fate of an emerging hazardous waste: PBDE-contaminated indoor dust

To the Editors:Substantial evidence exists that indoor dust contains poly-brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are structurallysimilar to the known human toxicants PBBs, PCBs, dioxins,and furans. In addition to having similar mechanisms oftoxicity in animal studies, they also bioaccumulate andpersist in both humans and animals (Blum 2007). Duringthe past decades, PBDEs have been produced in largeamount and universally used in indoor environment.Though pentabromodiphenyl ether (Penta-BDE) and octab-romodiphenyl ether (Octa-BDE) commercial mixtures havebeen added to the POPs list of the Stockholm Conventionand have been banned in some regions for their persistenceand toxicity, decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) is stillproduced and applied around the world, with China includ-ed, which means that it is possible that the proportion ofDeca-BDE in indoor environment and in indoor dust wouldrise in the future. In 2001, the last year for which figures areavailable, global production of Deca-BDE, Octa-BDE, andPenta-BDE amounted to 56,100, 3,790, and 7,500 t(83:6:11 %), respectively (Hazrati et al. 2010). Used as fireretardants, they will migrate from indoor consumergoods andwill be exposed to human beings in a longer future time.Indoor dust is a complex mixture of particulate materialsof both natural and anthropogenic origin. Like all semi-volatile substances (SVOCs), PBDEs are present in both,indoor air and indoor dusts, often primarily in the latter,depending on the vapor pressures of the compounds. Thus,indoor dust acts as a sink for SVOCs including PBDEs. AsDeca-BDE has the lowest volatility but the largest applica-tion amount (83 % of all PBDEs), the major proportion ofPBDEs in indoor environment will occur in indoor dust. Inrecent years, study on PBDEs has been focused on indoordust because PBDEs, especially Deca-BDE in indoor dust,are the major threat to human health compared with that ingas phase and other matrix. The analysis of organic com-pounds adsorbed on indoor dust has been recognized as avaluable tool for estimating indoor pollution, and indoordust is proposed as anindicatorof residential contamination.Seen as “indoor POPs,” PBDE levels in the indoor envi-ronment are much higher than those in the outdoors asshown by numerous studies all over the world. The medianPBDE concentrations in home dust range from some lowlevels found in Thailand (10 ngg

Species-specific differences in the accumulation features of organohalogen contaminants and their metabolites in the blood of Japanese terrestrial mammals

Residue levels and patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs, OH-PBDEs), and methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs) in the blood of various terrestrial mammals in Japan, including cats, raccoon dogs, dogs, masked palm civets, foxes, raccoons, badgers, and mongooses were determined. Tri- through penta-chlorinated OH-PCBs were predominant in cat blood, whereas hexa- through octa-chlorinated OH-PCBs were found in other species. High proportion of BDE209 was found in all species, suggesting exposure to municipal waste and soil containing higher levels of deca-BDE products. 6OH-/MeO-BDE47 and 2′OH-/MeO-BDE68 were dominant in all terrestrial mammals. This is first report on the detection of OH-/MeO-PBDEs in the blood of terrestrial mammals. High concentrations of OH-/MeO-PBDEs were found in cats, suggesting the intake of these compounds from seafood. Cats exhibited higher accumulation and specific patterns of OH-PCBs, OH-PBDEs, and MeO-PBDEs, they may be at a high risk from these metabolites.