Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in background surface soils from the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China: occurrence, sources, and inventory

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 948 - 956
• Main Authors: Duan, Yan-Ping, Meng, Xiang-Zhou, Yang, Chao, Pan, Zhao-Yu, Chen, Ling, Yu, Ran, Li, Feng-Ting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.05.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agricultural wastes; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Brackish; Chemical contaminants; China; Congeners; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Estuaries; Ethers; Flame Retardants - analysis; Freshwater; Geography; Grasslands; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; Land use; Organic carbon; Organic soils; PCB; Pollutants; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Research Article; Rivers; Soil - analysis; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil surfaces; Soils; Total organic carbon; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water Supply; Woodlands; Yangtze River Delta; China; China, People's Rep., Changjiang R; Flame retardants; Shanghai; Analysis
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-010-0295-1

Purposes Very few data for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were available in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), one of the most developed and urbanized region in China. In this study, Chongming Island, located at the estuary of the Yangtze River, was selected as background area to investigate the occurrence, sources, and inventory of PBDEs. Methods Forty-two PBDE congeners were determined in surface soils from farmland, woodland, grassland, tideland, and road collected in Chongming Island. Results The mean concentrations of Σ₂₆PBDE (not including BDE-209) and BDE-209 in soils were 0.76 and 12 ng/g dry weight, respectively. BDE-209 contributed more than 90% of the total of 27 frequently detected BDE congeners, followed by BDE-99 and BDE-47. Weak correlations were found between total organic carbon content and PBDE congeners concentrations in surface soils. PBDE levels varied with land use. Farmland and woodland soils contained higher Σ₂₆PBDE concentrations. BDE-209 levels were the highest in road soils. The mass inventories of PBDEs in soils of Chongming Island were estimated at 3.1 and 310 kg for Σ₂₆PBDEs and BDE-209, respectively. Conclusions The PBDE levels in Chongming Island were similar to those in European background soils, suggesting minimum influence of pollutants from the YRD via air, and wastewater inputs or few PBDE products were used herein. From the standpoint of eco-inland, more studies are needed to explore the reasons of PBDE difference by land use and to assess people intake PBDEs via agriculture products consumption in this region.