Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Concentrations and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils and plants from a Deca-BDE manufacturing factory in China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Residues of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), including eight PBDE congeners, were investigated in soils and plants from a deca-BDE manufacturing factory located in the Shandong province of China to evaluate and discuss their pollution level and distribution. Total concentrations in topsoil ranged from 17.0 to 146 μg g−1 dry weight (dw) with a mean value of 58.7 μg g−1 dw. BDE-209 was the dominant congener in soils, accounting for 55.63–99.27 % of the total PBDEs. Concentrations and congener patterns in soils varied among different soil depths. Concentration levels in topsoil are high and the heavy accumulation in deep soil also can be observed, even for some sites, the concentrations in 50–100 cm depth are higher than in topsoil. In plant samples, total PBDE concentrations and the proportion of BDE-209 were high (69.92–99.10 %). The extent of pollution by PBDEs in the deca-BDE production factory was higher than in other regions, and the environmental risk caused by the production of deca-BDE is of concern. This is the first study to report pollution of PBDEs in soils and plants from the vicinity of a deca-BDE manufacturing factory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahn MY, Filley TR, Jafvert CT, Nies L, Hua I, Bezares-Cruz J (2006) Birnessite mediated debromination of decabromodiphenyl ether. Chemosphere 64:1801–1807

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alaee M, Arias P, Sjodin A, Bergman A (2003) An overview of commercially used brominated flame retardants, their applications, their use patterns in different countries/regions and possible modes of release. Environ Int 29:683–689

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BSEF. Bromine Science and Environmental Forum. Total market demand. 2001. www.bsef.com

  • Cai ZW, Jiang GB (2006) Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil from E-waste recycling site. Talanta 70:88–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Zhao HX, Chen JW, Qiao XL, Xie Q, Zhang YF (2012) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soils of the modern Yellow River Delta, China: occurrence, distribution and inventory. Chemosphere 88:791–797

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiou CT, Sheng GY, Manes M (2001) A partition-limited model for the plant uptake of organic contaminants from soil and water. Environ Sci Technol 35:1437–1444

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D’Silva K, Fernandes A, Rose M (2004) Brominated organic micropollutants—igniting the flame retardant issue. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 34:141–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darnerud PO, Eriksen GS, Jóhannesson T, Larsen PB, Viluksela M (2001) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers: occurrence, dietary exposure, and toxicology. Environ Health Perspect 109:49–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Wit CA (2002) An overview of brominated flame retardants in the environment. Chemosphere 46:583–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eljarrat E, de la Cal A, Raldua D, Duran C, Barcelo D (2004) Occurrence and bioavailability of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecane in sediment and fish from the Cinca river, a tributary of the Ebro river (Spain). Environ Sci Technol 38:2603–2608

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallego E, Grimalt JO, Bartrons M, Lopez JF, Camarero L, Catalan J, Stuchlik E, Battarbee R (2007) Altitude gradients of PBDEs and PCBs in fish from European high mountain lakes. Environ Sci Technol 41:2196–2202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gandhi N, Bhavsar SP, Gewurtz SB, Tomy GT (2011) Can biotransformation of BDE-209 in lake trout cause bioaccumulation of more toxic, lower-brominated PBDEs (BDE-47, -99) over the long term? Environ Int 37:170–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gevao B, Ghadban AN, Uddin S, Jaward FM, Bahloul M, Zafar J (2011) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils along a rural-urban-rural transect: sources, concentration gradients, and profiles. Environ Pollut 159:3666–3672

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han WL, Feng JL, Gu ZP, Wu MH, Sheng GY, Fu JM (2010) Polychlorinated biphenyls in the atmosphere of Taizhou, a major E-waste dismantling area in China. J Environ Sci 22:589–597

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassanin A, Breivik K, Meijer SN, Steinners E, Thomas GO, Jones KC (2004) PBDEs in European background soils: levels and factors controlling their distribution. Environ Sci Technol 38:738–745

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hites RA (2004) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a meta-analysis of concentrations. Environ Sci Technol 38:945–956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang HL, Zhang SZ, Christie P, Wang S, Xie M (2010) Behavior of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) in the soil -plant system: uptake, translocation, and metabolism in plants and dissipation in soil. Environ Sci Technol 44:663–667

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang HL, Zhang SZ, Christie P (2011) Plant uptake and dissipation of PBDEs in the soils of electronic waste recycling sites. Environ Pollut 159:238–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang YF, Wang XT, Zhu K, Wub MH, Sheng GY, Fu JM (2010) Occurrence, compositional profiles and possible sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in urban soils of Shanghai, China. Chemosphere 80:131–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin J, Liu WZ, Wang Y, Tang XY (2008) Levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in plant, shellfish and sediment samples from Laizhou Bay in China. Chemosphere 71:1043–1050

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin J, Wang Y, Liu WZ, Yang CQ, Hu JC, Cui J (2011) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in atmosphere and soil of a production area in China: levels and partitioning. J Environ Sci 23:427–433

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keum YS, Li QX (2005) Reductive debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers by zerovalent iron. Environ Sci Technol 39:2280–2286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kiddee P, Naidu R, Wong MH (2013) Metals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers leaching from electronic waste in simulated landfills. J Hazard Mater 252–253:243–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law K, Halldorson T, Danell R, Stern G, Gewurtz S, Alaee M, Marvin C, Whittle M, Tomy G (2006) Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of some brominated flame retardants in a Lake Winnipeg (Canada) food web. Environ Toxicol Chem 25:2177–2186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leung AOW, Luksemburg WJ, Wong AS, Wong MH (2007) Spatial distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in soil and combusted residue at Guiyu, an electronic waste recycling site in southeast China. Environ Sci Technol 41:2730–2737

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang XW, Zhu SZ, Chen P, Zhu LY (2010) Bioaccumulation and bioavailability of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soil. Environ Pollut 158:2387–2392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu HX, Zhou QF, Wang YW, Zhang QH, Cai ZW, Jiang GB (2008) E-waste recycling induced polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans pollution in the ambient environment. Environ Int 34:67–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lunney AI, Zeeb BA, Reimer KJ (2004) Uptake of weathered DDT in vascular plants: potential for phytoremediation. Environ Sci Technol 38:6147–6154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo Y, Luo XJ, Lin Z, Chen SJ, Liu J, Mai BX, Yang ZY (2009) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in road and farmland soils from an E-waste region in Southern China: concentrations, source profiles, and potential dispersion and deposition. Sci Total Environ 407:1105–1113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Addink R, Yun S, Cheng JP, Wang WH, Kannan K (2009) Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil, vegetation, workshop-floor dust, and electronic shredder residue from an electronic waste recycling facility and in soils from a chemical industrial complex in eastern China. Environ Sci Technol 43:7350–7356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Cheng JP, Wang WH, Kunisue T, Wu MH, Kannan K (2011) Elevated concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in hair from workers at an electronic waste recycling facility in Eastern China. J Hazard Mater 186:1966–1971

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mai B, Chen S, Luo X, Chen L, Yang Q, Sheng G, Peng P, Fu J, Zeng EY (2005) Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediments of the Pearl River Delta and adjacent South China Sea. Environ Sci Technol 39:3521–3527

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin M, Richardson BJ, Lam PKS (2003) Harmonisation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) analyses for ecotoxicological interpretations of southeast Asian environmental media: what’s the problem? Mar Pollut Bull 46:159–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin M, Lam PKS, Richardson BJ (2004) An Asian quandary: where have all of the PBDEs gone? Mar Pollut Bull 49:375–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shih Y, Wang CK (2009) Photolytic degradation of polybromodiphenyl ethers under UV-lamp and solar irradiations. J Hazard Mater 165:34–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slund MLW, Zeeb BA, Rutter A, Reimer KJ (2007) In situ phytoextraction of polychlorinated biphenyl—(PCB) contaminated soil. Sci Total Environ 374:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soderstrom G, Selletrom U, De Wit CA, Tysklind M (2004) Photolytic debromination of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209). Environ Sci Technol 38:127–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sthiannopkao S, Wong MH (2013) Handing E-waste in developed and developing countries: initiatives, preactices, and consequences. Sci Total Environ 463–464:1147–1153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun K, Zhao Y, Gao B, Liu XT, Zhang ZY, Xing BS (2009) Organochlorine pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in irrigated soils of Beijing, China: levels, inventory and fate. Chemosphere 77:1199–1205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Traps S, Matthies M (1995) Generic one-compartment model for the uptake of organic chemicals by foliar vegetation. Environ Sci Technol 29:2333–2338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Ren NQ, Qi H, Ma WL, Li YF (2009) Levels and distribution of brominated flame retardants in the soil of Harbin in China. J Environ Sci 21:1541–1546

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang JX, Lin ZK, Lin KF, Wang CY, Zhang W, Cui CY, Lin JD, Dong QX, Huang CJ (2011) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in water, sediment, soil, and biological samples from different industrial areas in Zhejiang, China. J Hazard Mater 197:211–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ward J, Mohapatra SP, Mitchell A (2008) An overview of policies for managing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the Great Lakes basin. Environ Int 34:1148–1156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2004) Brominated diphenyl ethers. ICPS, Environmental Health Criteria 162. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JH, Min H (2009) Eco-toxicity and metal contamination of paddy soil in an E-wastes recycling area. J Hazard Mater 165:744–750

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao YX, Qin XF, Li Y, Liu PY, Tian M, Yan SS, Qin ZF, Xu XB, Yang YJ (2009) Diffusion of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) from an E-waste recycling area to the surrounding regions in Southeast China. Chemosphere 76:1470–1476

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu LY, Hites RA (2005) Brominated flame retardants in sediment cores from Lakes Michigan and Erie. Environ Sci Technol 39:3488–3494

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu YH, Zhang SZ, Zhu YG, Christie P, Shan XQ (2007) Improved approaches for modeling the sorption of phenanthrene by a range of plant species. Environ Sci Technol 41:7818–7823

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou MY, Ran Y, Gong J, Mai BX, Zeng EY (2007) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in watershed soils of the Pearl River delta, China: occurrence, inventory, and fate. Environ Sci Technol 41:8262–8267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Special Fund of State Environmental Protection Public Welfare Research (Projects 201009026). The authors also thank the significant help of Dr. Zhenwu Tang for the improvement of the paper quality.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China

    Yuan Li, Reti Hai & Meng Li

  2. National Research Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurement, Beijing, 100029, China

    Shan Niu

Authors
  1. Yuan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shan Niu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Reti Hai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Meng Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reti Hai.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Leif Kronberg

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Table 1S

(DOC 50 kb)

Table 2S

(DOCX 20 kb)

Table 3S

(DOCX 28 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, Y., Niu, S., Hai, R. et al. Concentrations and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils and plants from a Deca-BDE manufacturing factory in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 1133–1143 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3214-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3214-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation