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A Review of Organophosphate Esters in the Environment from Biological Effects to Distribution and Fate

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Abstract

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are synthetic phosphoric acid derivatives used in a wide variety of applications including as flame retardants and plasticizers. Their production and usage has increased in recent years, due to the phase-out of other flame retardant formulations (e.g., polybrominated diphenyl ethers). As such, there has been a recent push to understand the global distribution of OPEs and their behaviour in biota. Multiple studies have been published over the last few years pertaining to OPE concentrations in biotic and abiotic environmental compartments, as well as the metabolism of OPEs in biota. This paper aims to provide a brief review of the occurrence and levels of OPEs in the environment, as well as recent developments concerning the elucidation of OPE metabolism in biota.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Chemicals Management Plan (CMP; Environment and Climate Change Canada), as well as by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada (to R.J.L.). Doctoral support for A. Greaves was in part from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada (to R.J.L.) as well as an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (to A.K.G.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife and Landscape Directorate, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada

    Alana K. Greaves & Robert J. Letcher

  2. Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Alana K. Greaves & Robert J. Letcher

Authors
  1. Alana K. Greaves
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  2. Robert J. Letcher
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Correspondence to Alana K. Greaves.

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Greaves, A.K., Letcher, R.J. A Review of Organophosphate Esters in the Environment from Biological Effects to Distribution and Fate. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 98, 2–7 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1898-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1898-0

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