State of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in China: An overview

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 88; no. 7; pp. 769 - 778
• Main Authors: Ma, Jin, Qiu, Xinghua, Zhang, Jinliang, Duan, Xiaoli, Zhu, Tong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; China; Contaminants; E-waste; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollution; Ethers; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Flame Retardants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Global environmental pollution; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - chemistry; Human; Humans; Marine; Medical sciences; Organisms; Persistent organic pollutants; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sediments; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Asia; China; E-waste; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Exposure; Persistent organic pollutants; China; Biota; Review; Soil pollution; Persistent organic pollutant; Health and environment; Public health; Organic compounds; Ecotoxicology; Ether; Pollutant behavior; Flame retardant; Organic bromine compounds; Electronic scrap; Low volatile compound; Sediments; Environment impact; Health hazards; Pollution source inventory; Air pollution; Water pollution
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.03.093

► China has been of global concern for PBDEs pollution in recent years. ► PBDEs were detectable in environmental materials, biological and human samples. ► PBDEs pollution was more severe in southeast regions of China. ► E-waste recycling has caused a particular type of PBDEs emission in China. ► BDE-209 was the most dominant congener mainly from Deca-BDE produced in China.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), extensively used as flame retardants, are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that are found in both abiotic and biotic environmental samples. Sufficient evidence shows that PBDEs have been rapidly accumulating in the environment of China, especially in the Southeast regions. This paper summarizes and critically reviews the published scientific data on PBDEs in China, including the levels of PBDEs in the air, soil, water, sediment, the terrestrial and marine organisms, and human samples in China. The data preliminarily reveal the state of PBDEs in China.