Persistence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in agricultural soils after biosolids applications.
This study examines polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) levels, trends in biosolids from a wastewater treatment plant, and evaluates potential factors governing PBDE concentrations and the fate in agricultural soils fertilized by biosolids. The mean concentration of the most abundant PBDE congeners in biosolids ( summation operatorBDE-47, BDE-99, and BDE-209) generated by one wastewater treatment plant was 1250 +/- 134 microg/kg d.w. with no significant change in concentration over 32 months (n = 15). In surface soil samples from the Mid-Atlantic region, average PBDE concentrations in soil from fields receiving no biosolids (5.01 +/- 3.01 microg/kg d.w.) were 3 times lower than fields receiving one application (15.2 +/- 10.2 microg/kg d.w.) and 10 times lower than fields that had received multiple applications (53.0 +/- 41.7 microg/kg d.w.). The cumulative biosolids application rate and soil organic carbon were correlated with concentrations and persistence of PBDEs in soil. A model to predict PBDE concentrations in soil after single or multiple biosolids applications provides estimates which fall within a factor of 2 of observed values.
University of Maryland, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1153 Martin Hall University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-3021, USA.
Natasha A
NA
Andrade
Laura L
LL
McConnell
Alba
A
Torrents
Mark
M
Ramirez
D000383:Agriculture; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D012722:Sewage; D012989:Soil Pollutants