title: Photochemical Formation of Hydroxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (OH-PBDEs) from Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Aqueous Solution under Simulated Solar Light Irradiation.
abstract: Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) are of great concern due to their higher toxicity compared to PBDEs. However, the abiologic process whereby PBDEs are converted to OH-PBDEs in the aquatic environment is not well understood. To explore the possibility of OH-PBDEs photoformation in natural water, the photohydroxylation of BDE-47 has been investigated in aqueous Fe(III) and/or fulvic acid (FA) solutions and in natural lake water under simulated solar light irradiation. The results showed that 6-OH-BDE-47 and 2'-OH-BDE-68 were generated from BDE-47 under these conditions. Based on the identification of derivatives and reactive radicals, OH-PBDEs formation can be ascribed to an addition reaction of ortho-tetra-BDE radical and hydroxyl radical ((•)OH), with or without a subsequent Smiles rearrangement reaction. Since the ortho-tetra-BDE radical could be readily produced by the photolysis of BDE-47, even in pure water, (•)OH production was considered as critical for the photoformation of OH-PBDEs. Thus, it is reasonable to deduce that the photoreactive components (Fe(III), FA) in aqueous solution played an important role through influencing (•)OH generation. Although the yields of OH-PBDEs did not increase regularly with increasing concentration of these photoreactive components in solution, this study suggests a possible abiotic origin of OH-PBDEs formation in the aquatic environment.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Xie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000032:analysis; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012996:Solutions; D013472:Sunlight; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D012996:Solutions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; C511295:2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; D007501:Iron; C005023:fulvic acid