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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Atmosphere of Taizhou, a Major E-Waste Dismantling Area in China

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Abstract

Concentrations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distributions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the atmosphere of Taizhou were studied to evaluate the impact of e-waste recycling on the environment. Total concentration of 13 PBDEs near the e-waste dismantling area was 506 pg m−3 in summer and 1,662 pg m−3 in winter, about 7 times higher than that of the reference urban site, but much lower than that of Guiyu, another major e-waste dismantling area in China. This should be attributable to the centralized management measures taken in recent years in Taizhou. BDE-209 was the major congener and mainly in coarse particles.

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Acknowledgments

This study is financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 40775084) and Shanghai Leading Academic Disciplines (S030109) for which the authors are grateful. We are also grateful to Mr. Wang Deqing for his assistance in GC-MS analysis.

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Correspondence to Jialiang Feng.

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Han, W., Feng, J., Gu, Z. et al. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Atmosphere of Taizhou, a Major E-Waste Dismantling Area in China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 83, 783–788 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9855-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9855-9

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