Halogenated flame retardants in the sediments of the Chinese Yellow Sea and East China Sea. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yanan; Zhen, Xiaomei; Liu, Lin; Tian, Chongguo; Pan, Xiaohui; Tang, Jianhui
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 234(2019)
• Page Start: 365
• Page End: 372
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: DBDPE -- Yellow Sea -- Long-range transport -- Sediment -- Deposition zone -- Brominated flame retardants; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.06.115
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: With the phasing out of traditional polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), significant volumes of alternative brominated flame retardants (aBFRs) are being used and released into the environment compartment, especially in coastal regions. The levels and distribution of PBDEs, aBFRs, and dechlorane plus (DPs) were investigated in the surface sediments of the Yellow Sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS) to examine the distribution and sources of these hydrophobic contaminants. The level and distribution of pollutants in the sediments of YS and ECS show obvious regional differences. As a major replacement for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) was the dominant compound observed in the surface sediments, with a concentration one order of magnitude higher than that of BDE 209. High concentrations were found in the depositional zones of the YS, indicating that these contaminants may originate from land-based pollution sources (likely from the Laizhou Bay manufacturing base) near the Bohai Sea. The pollutants can be carried by the coastal current together with the sediment from the Yellow River, transported through the Bohai Strait and deposited in the mud zone of Northern and Southern YS. Low levels of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) were found in the estuary of the Yangtze River and ECS, indicating that Yangtze River contributes less HFRs to the region. Riverine discharge, atmospheric deposition, surface runoff, ocean current system, and mud area deposition effects may be significant factors influencing the distributions of HFRs. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Halogenated flame retardants were investigated in the sediments of Yellow and East China Seas. DBDPE was the predominant contaminant and is one order of magnitude higher than BDE 209. High levels of HFRs were found in the depositional zones of the Yellow Sea. HFRs from the Bohai Sea was the major source of HFRs in the Yellow Sea. Yangtze River contributed less HFRs to the sediments of East China Sea.