title: Biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments.
abstract: The biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was evaluated in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments. In anaerobic digester sludge, TBBPA biotransformed rapidly with a 50% disappearance time (DT50) of 19 days, though little mineralization (1.1%) was observed. In aerobic soils, mineralization of TBBPA ranged from 17.5% to 21.6% with 55.3-83.6% of the TBBPA incorporated into the soils as a non-extractable bound residue. The DT50 for TBBPA in aerobic soils ranged from 5.3 to 7.7 days. In anaerobic soils, 48.3-100% of the TBBPA was incorporated into the soils as non-extractable bound residue with <4% mineralized. The soil fate studies demonstrated extensive incorporation of TBBPA into the solid matrix and this association was related to the amount of organic carbon in the soils (i.e., greater association of TBBPA with soil at higher organic carbon content). In anaerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 28 to 42 days, whereas in aerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 48 to 84 days and depended on the initial dose concentration. Most of the TBBPA in the sediment studies was incorporated as a non-extractable bound residue with little mineralization observed. Sediment extracts revealed three unknown biotransformation products and bisphenol A (BPA). These results were consistent with previously published studies where TBBPA biotransformed in anaerobic environments (digester sludge and sediments) by debromination and slowly mineralized in the test environments (anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments).
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, Department of Biomedical, Chemical, and Environmental Engineering, 40 Engineering Research Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA.
authors.forename: Drew C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McAvoy
authors.affiliation: LLC, 6547 Edwood Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45224, USA. Electronic address: capittinger@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pittinger
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment, 2300 Montana Avenue Suite 409, Cincinnati, OH 45211, USA. Electronic address: Willis@tera.org.
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D001711:Biotransformation; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D010636:Phenols; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Aerobic; Anaerobic; Biotransformation; Disappearance time (DT(50)); Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)