title: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in residential and agricultural soils from an electronic waste polluted region in South China: distribution, compositional profile, and sources.
abstract: A detailed investigation was conducted to understand the concentration, distribution, profile and possible source of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in residential and agricultural soils from Guiyu, Shantou, China, one of the largest electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and dismantling areas in the world. Ten PBDEs were analyzed in 46 surface soil samples in terms of individual and total concentrations, together with soil organic matter concentrations. Much higher concentrations of the total PBDEs were predicted in the residential areas (more than 2000 ng g(-1)), exhibiting a clear urban source, while in the agricultural areas, concentrations were lower than 1500 ng g(-1). PBDE-209 was the most dominant congener among the study sites, indicating the prevalence of commercial deca-PBDE. However signature congeners from commercial octa-PBDE were also found. The total PBDE concentrations were significantly correlated with each individual PBDE. Principal component analysis indicated that PBDEs were mainly distributed in three groups according to the number of bromine atoms on the phenyl rings, and potential source. This study showed that the informal e-waste recycling has already introduced PBDEs into surrounding areas as pollutant which thus warrants an urgent investigation into the transport of PBDEs in the soil-plant system of agricultural areas.
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Shaohui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Xijin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Yousheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Weiqiu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Analytic Cytology Laboratory and the Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. Electronic address: xhuo@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huo
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D059029:Electronic Waste; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D059027:Recycling; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether
keywords: Concentration; Polybrominated diphenyl ether; Profile; Soil; Source