Abstract
Four novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), i.e., decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), and hexabromobenzene (HBB) were studied in 377 liquid samples and 288 solid samples collected from 20 wastewater treatment plants. Lagoon, primary, secondary, and advanced treatment processes were included, in order to investigate NBFR occurrence and the effects of WWTP operational conditions on NBFR removal. Median influent and effluent levels were 14 to 3,700 and 1.0 to 180 pg/L respectively, with DBDPE being the highest in both. Overall median removal efficiencies for DBDPE, BTBPE, HBB, and PBEB across all process types were 81 to 93, 76 to 98, 61 to 97, and 54 to 97 %, respectively with advanced treatment processes obtaining the best removals. NBFRs removal was related to retention time, surface loading rate, and biomass concentration. Median NBFR levels in treated biosolids were 80 to 32,000 pg/g, influenced by solids treatment processes.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this work was provided by Environment Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). M. Kim and P. Guerra would like to thank the CMP for postdoctoral funding. The authors would like to thank Kyle Barclay, Mike Theocharides, Laura Kinsman, Timothy Ng, Scott Dunlop and Sam Dith for sample collection, Vince Pileggi for statistical analysis advice, and Ariba Shah for editing this manuscript.
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Kim, M., Guerra, P., Alaee, M. et al. Occurrence and fate of four novel brominated flame retardants in wastewater treatment plants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 13394–13404 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3262-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3262-4