Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Delta: Levels, distribution and potential hydrodynamic influence.
A total of 32 surface sediments collected from the Yangtze River Estuary, Hangzhou Bay and the Qiantang River were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of summation operatorPBDEs (sum of 12 PBDE congeners without BDE 209) and BDE 209 varied from n.d. to 0.55 and from 0.16 to 94.6 ng/g, respectively. The spatial variability of summation operatorPBDEs concentrations indicated that waste discharge from the urban areas might been the main source of PBDEs in the Yangtze River Delta. BDE 209 was the predominant congener (approximately 90-100%) detected among the 13 congeners, consistent with the fact that technical deca-BDE mixtures are presently the dominant technical PBDE mixtures used in China. Compared to published data acquired from other locales, PBDE congeners with less than four bromines were more abundant in the present study area. The hydrodynamic conditions may likely be a significant factor in dictating the observed levels and congener distribution patterns of PBDEs.
Chen
She-Jun
SJ
State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
Gao
Xiao-Jiang
XJ
Mai
Bi-Xian
BX
Chen
Zhuo-Min
ZM
Luo
Xiao-Jun
XJ
Sheng
Guo-Ying
GY
Fu
Jia-Mo
JM
Zeng
Eddy Y
EY
D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D005411:Flame Retardants; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical