title: Assessment of the occupational and environmental risks of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in China.
abstract: In 2013, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants obligated to be phased out worldwide. China is a major producer and user of HBCD. Based on Chinese HBCD production and processing conditions, we classified the existing 599 HBCD production and processing plants into six occupational exposure scenarios. We also used occupational environmental monitoring and occupational health risk assessment models to estimate exposure levels. Occupational internal exposure levels for HBCD in China were estimated to range from 0.61 to 840 μg kg(-1) d(-1), which suggests that approximately 453-840 workers, or 72% of all workers in this industry, may have occupational exposure risk. As such, the occupational risks of HBCD should not be ignored. In our study area, HPLC-MS/MS revealed HBCD concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 560 ng g dry weight (dw)(-1), 20.4-24.2 ng g dw(-1), and 166-1964 ng g lipid weight (lw)(-1) in soil, sediment, and biological samples, respectively, consistent with previous monitoring results. These data suggest potential risk to marine environments due to sustained and large-scale HBCD production and processing. Thus, timely measures to control HBCD-related risk are necessary and may bring significant occupational health and environmental benefits in areas where HBCD is prevalent.
authors.affiliation: State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China; Tongzhou District Environmental Protection Bureau of Beijing Municipality, 101100 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, 100081 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002681:China; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C089796:hexabromocyclododecane
keywords: Environmental risk; Exposure simulation; HPLC-MS/MS; Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD); Occupational risk