title: Fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment of the Pearl River Estuary, South China.
abstract: Ninety-six riverine runoff samples collected at eight major outlets in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China, during 2005-2006 were analyzed for 17 brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners (defined as Sigma17PBDE). Fourteen and 15 congeners were detected, respectively, in the dissolved and particulate phases. These data were further used to elucidate the partitioning behavior of BDE congeners in riverine runoff. Several related fate processes, i.e. air-water exchange, dry and wet deposition, degradation, and sedimentation, within the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), were examined to estimate the inputs of Sigma10PBDE (sum of the target BDE congeners, BDE-28, -47, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, and -183) and BDE-209 from the PRD to the coastal ocean based on mass balance considerations. The results showed that annual outflows of Sigma10PBDE and BDE-209 were estimated at 126 and 940 kg/year, respectively from the PRE to coastal ocean. Besides sedimentation and degradation, the majority of Sigma10PBDE and BDE-209 discharged into the PRE via riverine runoff was transported to the coastal ocean.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: O S Samuel
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Sojinu
authors.forename: Shao-Meng
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eddy Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011891:Rain; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater; D014835:Volatilization; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical