Organic pollutants in compost and digestate. Part 2. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and -furans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances, pesticides, and other compounds.
Compost and digestate are important recycling fertilizers and have beneficial effects on soil parameters. However, they can contain significant amounts of organic pollutants. Here, the first comprehensive data set on dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/F), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCB), brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, phthalates, nonylphenol and chlorinated paraffins (CP) in source-separated compost and digestate from Switzerland is presented (n = 3-18). The median summation 17PCDD/F and summation 12DL-PCB concentrations were at 3.2 ng I-TEQ kg(-1)dry weight (dw) and 3.0 ng WHO-TEQ kg(-1)dw, respectively. Brominated diphenyl ether 209 (BDE 209) accounted for 72% of the total polyBDE content (10 microg kg(-1)dw). Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) levels were at 100 and 0.51 microg kg(-1)dw, respectively. PFAS were identified for the first time in compost and digestate (median concentration 6.3 microg kg(-1)dw, summation 21compounds). Out of 269 pesticides analysed, 30 fungicides, 14 herbicides, eight insecticides and one acaricide were detected. Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) median concentration accounted for 280 microg kg(-1)dw and nonylphenol was below the detection limit of 1 mg kg(-1)dw. The sum of short and medium chain CP was between 90 and 390 microg kg(-1)dw. The concentrations observed were at or above the levels found in background soils, which are the main recipient of compost and digestate. Where actually applied, compost can contribute considerably to the total input of organic pollutants to the soil. However, on a total Swiss agricultural area base, inputs seem to be limited.
Brändli
Rahel C
RC
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Kupper
Thomas
T
Bucheli
Thomas D
TD
Zennegg
Markus
M
Huber
Sandra
S
Ortelli
Didier
D
Müller
Josef
J
Schaffner
Christian
C
Iozza
Saverio
S
Schmid
Peter
P
Berger
Urs
U
Edder
Patrick
P
Oehme
Michael
M
Stadelmann
Franz X
FX
Tarradellas
Joseph
J
D000383:Agriculture; D005060:Europe; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D005663:Furans / Q000032:analysis; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013557:Switzerland
D005411:Flame Retardants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005663:Furans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D007306:Insecticides; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010575:Pesticides; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C089796:hexabromocyclododecane; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A