title: Occurrence of PBDEs and alternative halogenated flame retardants in sewage sludge from the industrial city of Guangzhou, China.
abstract: This study investigated the prevalence and abundance of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) in sludge samples from 5 sewage treatment plants in Guangzhou, China. Detection of 18 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 9 alternative HFRs including Dechlorane Plus (DP), brominated alkylbenzenes, and polybrominated biphenyls, and 2 related degradation products was conducted. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were the dominant HFRs, with concentrations ranging from 200 to 2150 ng/g and 680-27,400 ng/g, respectively. The DBDPE detected was the highest level reported so far, exceeding those previously reported by 10-100 times. PBDEs were surpassed as the dominant HFRs in sewage sludge, with mean DBDPE/BDE 209 ratio exceeding 2 in all samples. The review of earlier surveys reveals that DBDPE level was surging while BDE 209 was declining. Annual emissions of BDE 209, DP, and DBDPE were estimated to be 227.9, 10.5, and 979.3 kg/yr, respectively. Although ecological risks assessment suggested low risks for the examined sludge, the key environmental properties and transformation pathways of alternative HFRs remain largely unknown. These findings prompt for further investigations on alternative HFR and sustainable management practices for HFR-laden biosolids. The HFR emission pattern revealed in this study is likely representative of other similarly industrialized regions in the post-PBDE era.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Qihang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China.
authors.forename: Dave T F
authors.initials: DTF
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Shejun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Bixian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Huosheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Zhineng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Mingjun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Haozhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: chenyongheng2008@163.com.
authors.forename: Yongheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001969:Bromobenzenes / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D054879:Halogenation; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001969:Bromobenzenes; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C491509:decabromodiphenyl ethane; C526360:dechlorane plus; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether
keywords: Biosolids; DBDPE; Ecological risk assessment; Halogenated flame retardants; Sewage sludge