Bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs by earthworms in field soils of an E-waste dismantling area in China

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 54; pp. 50 - 58
• Main Authors: Shang, Hongtao, Wang, Pu, Wang, Thanh, Wang, Yawei, Zhang, Haidong, Fu, Jianjie, Ren, Daiwei, Chen, Weihai, Zhang, Qinghua, Jiang, Guibin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Benzofurans - metabolism; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; China; E-waste dismantling area; Earthworm; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Electronic Waste; Environmental Monitoring; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - metabolism; Oligochaeta - metabolism; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - metabolism; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analogs & derivatives; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - metabolism; Polymers - metabolism; POPs; Soil; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Wormcast; Asia; China; Earthworm; Soil; E-waste dismantling area; Wormcast; Bioaccumulation; POPs; Polychlorobiphenyls; Electronic scrap; Soil pollution; Annelida; Oligochaeta; Persistent organic pollutant; Invertebrata; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.01.006

A total of 60 paired samples of earthworm, corresponding soil and wormcast were collected to investigate the bioaccumulation tendency of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in earthworms from a typical E-waste dismantling area in east China. Significant correlations were observed for the total concentrations among different matrix types except for PCDD/Fs in soil and earthworm. The bioaccumulation tendency showed some differences among the contaminants. Calculated biota–soil accumulation factors (BSAFs) indicated that PCBs and PBDEs had higher bioaccumulation potential compared to PCDD/Fs, which was somewhat different from laboratory studies. The plot of mean BSAFs versus log Kow values for PCBs and PBDEs was well fitted by a second-order polynomial with the maximum BSAF at approximately log Kow of 6.5. While for PCDD/Fs, only a slightly decreasing trend was observed with increasing log Kow. Composition analysis indicated that tetra-, penta- and hexa-halogenated homologs had higher bioaccumulation levels, indicating that medium-halogenated congeners with log Kow around 6.5 are more easily accumulated by earthworms. Furthermore, the ratios of BDE-47/-99 and BDE-99/-100 showed some discrepancies with the technical products and other biotic species, suggesting different bioaccumulation potential of PBDEs in earthworm. ► PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs were investigated in the field soil, earthworm and wormcast. ► Relationships were examined among the concentrations in different matrices. ► The bioaccumulation tendency showed some differences among the contaminants. ► The plot of BSAFs versus log Kow exhibited similar trends for PCBs and PBDEs. ► Consistent ratios of BDE-47/-99 and BDE-99/-100 were observed in soil and wormcast.