title: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in U.S. sewage sludges and biosolids: temporal and geographical trends and uptake by corn following land application.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used extensively to flame-retard polymers and textiles. These persistent chemicals enter wastewater streams following manufacture, use, and disposal, concentrating in the settled solids during treatment. Land application of stabilized sewage sludge (known as biosolids) can contribute PBDEs to terrestrial systems. Monitoring sludge/biosolids contaminant burdens may be valuable in revealing trends in societal chemical usage and environmental release. In archived Chicago area sludges/biosolids from 1975 to 2008, penta-BDE concentrations increased and then plateaued after about 2000. Penta-BDE manufacture in the United States ended in December 2004. Deca-BDE concentrations in biosolids rose from 1995 to 2008, doubling on a 5-year interval. Evaluation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey data from 2006 to 2007 revealed highest penta-BDE biosolids levels from western and lowest from northeastern wastewater treatment plants (2120 and 1530 μg/kg, respectively), consistent with patterns reported in some recent indoor dust and human blood studies. No significant regional trends were observed for deca-BDE concentrations. Congener patterns in contemporary Chicago biosolids support the contention that BDE-209 can be dehalogenated to less brominated congeners. Biosolids application on agricultural fields increased PBDE soil concentrations. However, corn grown thereon did not exhibit measurable PBDE uptake; perhaps due to low bioavailability of the biosolids-associated flame retardants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062, United States. hale@vims.edu
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: La Guardia
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Mainor
authors.forename: Drew R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Luellen
authors.forename: Lakhwinder S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hundal
mesh_terms: D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical