Global Atmospheric Concentrations of Brominated and Chlorinated Flame Retardants and Organophosphate Esters

Abstract

Polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air samples, deployed during 2014 in the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network, were analyzed for a range of flame retardants (FRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), brominated and chlorinated novel FRs, and organophosphate esters (OPEs). Mean concentrations of PBDEs and novel FRs at the 48 sites monitored ranged from 0.097 to 93 pg/m for ΣPBDEs and from below detection limits to 126 pg/m for Σnovel FRs. For PBDEs, the detected concentrations were similar to those previously reported from samples collected in 2005 at GAPS sites, suggesting global background atmospheric concentrations of PBDEs have not declined since regulatory measures were implemented. OPEs were detected at every GAPS site, with ΣOPEs ranging from 69 to 7770 pg/m. OPE concentrations were at least an order of magnitude higher than the PBDEs. This study presents the first data on global distributions of OPEs in the atmosphere, obtained from a single passive sampling monitoring network. Challenges that can arise in passive air sampling campaigns are also highlighted and addressed with suggested recommendations for future campaigns.

Seasonal distribution, gas–particle partitioning and inhalation exposure of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in gas and particle phases

“…In gas phase, the GM level of Σ 7 PBDEs (-28, -47, -99, -100, 153, -154, -183) from this study was 5.8 and 0.9 pg/ m 3 in summer and winter (Additional file 1: Table S3), which was comparable with those in Yangtze River Delta, China [33], and higher than some European countries like Norway, France [34], but much lower than some other Asian countries like Kuwait [35] and Philippines [34]. Compared with America, the concentration in present study was slightly lower than in St. Lawrence Island and Point Reyes [34]. Besides, it was significantly lower than the research from Guiyu which is a typical e-waste recycling site in China [14] with the Σ 7 PBDEs 4073.89 and 1916.5 pg/m 3 in summer and winter, respectively.…”

Passive air sampling for semi-volatile organic chemicals

“…For example, within GAPS, the French site oen shows the highest concentrations, merely by virtue of being located within Paris. 127, 447 Gawor et al 197 analyzed PASs from a global and two national networks for PFAS and used it to assess to what extent one site from the global GAPS network in each of Botswana and Costa Rica represents the national average as obtained from national networks in those two countries. In both cases, the levels of PFAS measured at the GAPS site were lower than the levels measured across the country, suggesting that these sites are representative of the more remote parts of Botswana and Costa Rica.…”

Progress on the passive air sampling techniques and occurrence of persistent organic pollutants in remote areas

“…除了对 POPs整体赋存水平的监测外, 张庆华课题组 [71,99] . Vento等 [100] 在两年后对 南极半岛大气中PFASs进行了研究, 与Dreyer等 [98] [103] 、PFASs [54,104] 、六溴 环十二烷(HBCDs) [90] 等新型POPs外, 还有VMSs [89] 平均值为240 pg/m 3 , 月均值区间为140~480 pg/m 3 [105] , 远高于同时期PCBs等传统POPs [83] , 与1999年的结果 相比, 有一定的增长.…”

“…GAPS还对北极大气中PFASs [54] 、新型阻燃剂等类 120~2500以及20~511 pg/m 3 之间 [90] , 浓度高于传统 POPs, 值得引起重视. 此外, 环状挥发性甲基硅氧烷…”