title: Regional dynamics of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Pearl River Delta, China: implications and perspectives.
abstract: The mass transport budgets of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT) and decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) in the Pearl River Delta, South China were calculated based on previously collected data. Residual p,p'-DDT, mostly related to historical use, has largely settled into soil (780,000 kg), while the soil BDE-209 inventory (44,000 kg) is considerably smaller. Conversely, large amounts of BDE-209 currently used in numerous commercial products have resulted in a much higher atmospheric depositional flux of BDE-209 (28,100 kg/yr) relative to p,p'-DDT (310 kg/yr). The soil inventory of p,p'-DDT is predicted to decrease to half of its current value after 22 years, and the percent area containing soil p,p'-DDT at levels exceeding the effects range-medium (27 ng/g) will decrease from 40% to 20%. Finally, soil BDE-209 inventory will reach an equilibrium value of 940 tons in ~60 years, when BDE-209 levels in 50% of soil will be above an equivalent risk guideline value (125 ng/g).
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bao-Zhong
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shao-Meng
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eddy Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003634:DDT / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007306:Insecticides; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003634:DDT; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether