title: Polybrominated diphenyl ether in sewage sludge in Germany.
abstract: Sewage sludge samples from 11 municipal waste water treatment plants in Germany were collected from March 2002 to June 2003. Total Tri- to HpBDE concentrations (sum of significant congeners BDE 28, 47, 99, 153, 154 and 183) ranged from 12.5 to 288 (median 108) and DeBDE (BDE 209) concentrations from 97.1 to 2217 (median 256) ng/gd.m. BDE 209 dominated the congener profile. A significant change of the Tri- to HpBDE congener profile (% of total BDE 28, 47, 99, 153, 154, 183 without 209) in sludge from different stages of the waste water treatment process (primary sludge, secondary excess sludge and (dewatered) digested sludge), indicating a degradation of DeBDE to these congeners, was not observed.
authors.affiliation: Federal Environment Agency, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 29, 63225 Langen, Germany. willhelm.knoth@uba.de
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knoth
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nebhuth
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D005858:Germany; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D012722:Sewage; C086401:pentabromodiphenyl ether