Industrial source identification of polyhalogenated carbazoles and preliminary assessment of their global emissions

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 3740
• Main Authors: Sun, Yuxiang, Yang, Lili, Zheng, Minghui, Weber, Roland, Falandysz, Jerzy, Lammel, Gerhard, Zhao, Chenyan, Chen, Changzhi, Yang, Qiuting, Liu, Guorui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 22.06.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/58; 704/172/169/895; 704/172/4081; Aluminum; Carbazoles; Congeners; Emission; Emissions; Emitters; Humanities and Social Sciences; Incineration; Industrial areas; Industrial plant emissions; Industrial pollution; Investigations; Iron compounds; Iron ores; Kilns; Laboratories; Lakes; Metallurgy; multidisciplinary; Municipal solid waste; Organic chemicals; Pollutants; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Power plants; Recognition; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sediments; Sintering
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39491-5

Polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) are emerging global pollutants found in environmental matrices, e.g., 3000 tonnes of PHCZs have been detected in the sediments of the Great Lakes. Recognition of PHCZ emissions from ongoing industrial activities worldwide is still lacking. Here, we identify and quantify PHCZ emissions from 13 large-scale industries, 12 of which previously have no data. Congener profiles of PHCZs from investigated industrial sources are clarified, which enables apportioning of PHCZ sources. Annual PHCZ emissions from major industries are estimated on the basis of derived emission factors and then mapped globally. Coke production is a prime PHCZ emitter of 9229 g/yr, followed by iron ore sintering with a PHCZ emission of 3237 g/yr. China, Australia, Japan, India, USA, and Russia are found to be significant emitters through these industrial activities. PHCZ pollution is potentially a global human health and environmental issue. Recognition on sources of polyhalogenated carbazoles is needed to understand their environmental accumulation. Here, release of polyhalogenated carbazoles from 13 industries including 122 plants is identified and estimated.