title: Occurrence and distribution of organophosphate flame retardants/plasticizers in wastewater treatment plant sludges from the Pearl River Delta, China.
abstract: Organophosphate esters (OPs) are widely used as flame retardants or plasticizers and are ubiquitously distributed in the environment. In the present study, the occurrence and distribution of 7 widely used OPs were analyzed in sludge samples collected from 19 municipal wastewater treatment plants in the Pearl River Delta, South China. All analytes were detected in these samples, and the total concentration of OPs ranged from 96.7 µg/kg to 1312.9 µg/kg dry weight, with a mean value of 420.1 µg/kg dry weight. In most sludge samples OPs exhibited a similar distribution pattern, for example, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) were identified as the dominant compounds. However, the results also indicated significantly higher levels of OPs in specific sludges, such as tri-n-butyl phosphate (804.9 µg/kg), TBEP (783.7 µg/kg), TPhP (656.7 µg/kg), and tritolyl phosphate (265.0 µg/kg), which implied different discharge sources in the studied areas.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiangying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Lixiong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Shuxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shengtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Jiamo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D045483:Rivers; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D010755:Organophosphates; D010968:Plasticizers; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Flame retardants; Organophosphate esters; Plasticizers; Sludge