Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers among workers at an electronic waste dismantling region in Guangdong, China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used as flame retardants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the PBDE serum levels in residents from an electronic waste dismantling region, residents living within 50 km of the dismantling region, and a referent group with no occupational PBDE exposure. Fourteen PBDE congeners including BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, BDE-196, BDE-197, BDE-203, BDE-206, BDE-207, BDE-208 and BDE-209 were quantified in these three groups by gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization (NCI) mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. We found that the levels of all PBDE congeners in serum of residents from electronic waste dismantling region were significantly higher than those in the two other groups. The referents showed the lowest PBDE levels. Concentrations of congeners with a high number of bromine substituents, i.e., hepta- to decaBDEs in occupational exposure workers were 11-20 times higher than those in the referent group. BDE-209 was the dominant congener. The highest concentration of BDE-209 was observed among the electronic waste dismantling workers, and it was 3436 ng g(-1) lipid weight (ng g(-1) l.w.), which is the highest concentration of BDE-209 in humans worldwide. Some higher brominated PBDE congeners such as BDE-197, BDE-207 and BDE-208 also showed elevated concentrations in dismantling workers. This study confirms that BDE-209 is released to the environment and can bioaccumulate in the blood of electronic waste dismantling workers, and extensive occupational exposure to PBDEs leads to elevated concentrations of all PBDE congeners in serum.     

Distribution of PBDEs in air particles from an electronic waste recycling site compared with Guangzhou and Hong Kong, South China

Air samples of total suspended particles (TSP, particles less than 30-60 microm), and particles with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 microm (PM(2.5)) were collected simultaneously at Guiyu (an electronic waste recycling site), three urban sites in Hong Kong and two urban sites in Guangzhou, South China from 16 August to 17 September 2004. Twenty-two PBDE congeners (BDE-3, -7, -15, -17, -28, -49, -71, -47, -66, -77, -100, -119, -99, -85, -126, -154, -153, -138, -156, -184, -183, -191) in TSP and PM(2.5) were measured. The results showed that the overall average concentrations of TSP and PM(2.5) collected at Guiyu were 124 and 62.1 microg m(-3), respectively. The monthly concentrations of the sum of 22 BDE congeners contained in TSP and PM(2.5) at Guiyu were 21.5 and 16.6 ng m(-3), with 74.5 and 84.3%, contributed by nine congeners (BDE-28, -47, -66, -100, -99, -154, -153, -183 and -191 respectively). This pattern was similar to Tsuen Wan site of Hong Kong. Two urban sites of Guangzhou had the same congener pattern, but were different from Yuen Long and Hok Tsui sites of Hong Kong. The results also showed that the amount of mono to penta brominated congeners, which are more toxic, accounted for 79.4-95.6% of Sigma(22)PBDEs from all sites. All congeners tested in Guiyu were up to 58-691 times higher than the other urban sites and more than 100 times higher than other studies reported elsewhere. The higher concentration in the air was due to heating or opening burning of electronic waste since PBDEs are formed when plastics containing brominated flame retardants are heated.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in atmosphere and soil of a production area in China: Levels and partitioning

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in atmosphere and soil samples taken in winter and summer at a PBDE production area of Laizhou Bay in China. The concentrations of P11PBDE were 0.017–1.17 ng/m3 in gaseous phase, 0.5–161.1 ng/m3 in particulate phase, and 73–2629 ng/g dry weight in soil samples. The PBDE congener pattern in the gaseous phase di ered from that in the particulate phase, and the PBDE congener pattern in the particulate phase was similar with that in soil. This demonstrated that there was little di erence with atmospheric particle-soil transfer e ciency among PBDE congeners. In addition, there were seasonal variations in percentages on particle for lower brominated congeners. The BDE-28 was mostly in the gaseous phase in summer (88.3%), whereas the average proportion of BDE-28 in gaseous phase in winter was 38.9%. Higher brominated congeners (i.e., BDE-206, BDE- 207, BDE-208, and BDE-209) were bound to the atmospheric particulate phase, and their potentials for long-range migration were mainly a ected by the environmental behavior of atmospheric particles. Results indicated that PBDE congeners in summer were closer to gas-particle partition equilibrium than in winter. Temperature should be considered the main factor causing nonequilibrium in winter.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in chicken tissues and eggs from an electronic waste recycling area in southeast China

The levels and distributions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in chicken tissues from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling area in southeast China were investigated. Human dietary intake by local residents via chicken muscle and eggs was estimated. The mean PBDEs concentrations in tissues ranged from 15.2 to 3138.1 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and in egg the concentration was 563.5 ng/g lw. The results showed that the level of total PBDEs (PPBDEs) in the chicken tissue was 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than those reported in the literature. The large di erence of PPBDEs concentrations between tissues confirmed that the distribution of PBDEs in tissues depend on tissue-specificity rather than the “lipid-compartment”. BDE-209 was the predominant congener (82.5%– 94.7% of PPBDEs) in all chicken tissues except in brain (34.7% of PPBDEs), which indicated that deca-BDE (the major commercial PBDE formulation comprising 65%–70% of total production) was major pollution source in this area and could be bioaccumulated in terrestrial animals. The dietary PBDEs intake of the local residents from chicken muscle and egg, assuming only local bred chickens and eggs were consumed, ranged from 2.2 to 22.5 ng/(day kg body weight (bw)) with a mean value of 13.5 ng/(day kg bw), which was one order of magnitude higher than the value reported in previous studies for consumption of all foodstu s.     

有机碳与温度对土壤吸附乙基叔丁基醚的影响

作为具有很大市场潜力的汽油添加剂乙基叔丁基醚(ETBE),国内对其在地下水土中的污染风险评价与迁移归宿研究甚少.通过静态吸附实验研究了ETBE在我国六种不同有机碳含量的标准土壤样品中的吸附特性.研究表明,在1～143 mg/L的实验浓度范围内ETBE在土壤样品中的吸附行为均呈良好的线性关系.ETBE在各土壤样品中吸附分...     

PCBs和PBDEs的生物效应及人体健康影响的研究现状

环境中的多氯联苯(PCBs)和多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)通过食物链,可以在水生生物实现生物积累。而人类食用这些含有污染的食品,可以造成对人体的健康危害的摄食暴露,导致癌症、内分泌失调等疾病,并影响生育能力和儿童智力发育。但由于生物体内在因素的复杂性,PCBs和PBDEs在生物体内的代谢、放大等机制仍不明确,有待进一步的研究。     

Rush-hour aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons in selected subway stations of Shanghai, China

Air samples were collected simultaneously at platform, mezzanine and outdoor in five typical stations of subway system in Shanghai, China using stainless steel canisters and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass selective detector (GC-MSD) after cryogenic preconcentration. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) at the platforms and mezzanines inside the stations averaged (10.3 ± 2.1), (38.7 ± 9.0), (19.4 ± 10.1) and (30.0 ± 11.1) μg/m³, respectively; while trichloroethylene (TrCE), tetrachloroethylene (TeCE) and para-dichlorobenzene (pDCB), vinyl chloride and carbon tetrachloride were the most abundant chlorinated hydrocarbons inside the stations with average levels of (3.6 ± 1.3), (1.3 ± 0.5), (4.1 ± 1.1), (2.2 ± 1.1) and (1.2 ± 0.3) μg/m³, respectively. Mean levels of major aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons were higher indoor (platforms and mezzanines) than outdoor with average indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of 1.1-9.5, whereas no significant indoor/outdoor differences were found except for benzene and TrCE. The highly significant mutual correlations (p < 0.01) for BTEX between indoor and outdoor and their significant correlation (p < 0.05) with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a marker of traffic-related emission without other indoor and outdoor sources, indicated that BTEX were introduced into the subway stations from indoor/outdoor air exchange and traffic emission should be their dominant source. TrCE and pDCB were mainly from indoor emission and TeCE might have both indoor emission sources and contribution from outdoor air, especially in the mezzanines.     

微生物降解多溴联苯醚研究进展

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)广泛用于电子电器设备、自动控制设备、建筑材料和纺织品等商品化产品中。作为工业阻燃剂,它是一类环境中广泛存在的全球性有机污染物。由于其结构稳定,难以降解,具有环境持久性、迁移性、生物富集性及对生物和人体具有毒害效应等特性,对其微生物降解的研究已成为当前生命科学的新兴热点。文章详细地探讨了国内国外微生物厌氧,有氧降解PBDEs以及其降解基因的最新研究进展,并针对目前的研究状况对今后PBDEs的微生物降解研究方向进行了展望。     

渤海湾脉红螺中多氯联苯和多溴联苯醚的测定分析

应用GC/HRMS对渤海湾脉红螺中的PCBs(多氯联苯)和PBDEs(多溴联苯醚)2类持久性有机污染物进行了测定分析.结果表明:雄性脉红螺中PCB(3～10氯代)的质量分数(10.1 ng/g,以干质量计)和PBDEs(BDE28、BDE47、BDE99、BDE100、BDE153、BDE154、BDE209)的质量分数(1.74 ng//g)均高于雌性脉红螺(分别为8.09和1.38 ng/g);雄性脉红螺中PCBs的WHO-TEQ(毒性当量,8.41 pg/g,以脂肪质量计)高于雌性脉红螺(4.34 pg/g),其中PCB118和PCB126的贡献率分别为13%和77%.脉红螺的不同组织中,性腺和消化腺中w(PCBs)和w(PBDEs)最高,肌肉组织中最低;主要同类物为PCB118、PCB101、PCB28、PCB138、PCB180、PCB52、PCB153和5-PCB以及BDE209.渤海湾脉红螺的消化腺可以作为PCBs和PBDEs的生物指示物.     

典型电器工业区河涌沉积物中的多溴联苯醚空间和垂直分布

对珠江三角洲佛山市顺德区容桂镇电器工业区河涌沉积物多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)的含量进行了空间和垂直分布研究.选择该镇中心城区内河涌作为研究河道,根据河涌水流情况选取8个采样点采集沉积物样品.所有样品中均检出PBDEs.各监测点的PBDEs总含量变化范围为62～349 ng.g-1(平均为178 ng.g-1),各采样点的浓度差异较大.其中,十溴联苯醚含量为56～337 ng.g-1(平均为171 ng.g-1),占PBDEs总含量的90%～99%(平均95%).所检测到的部分同系物(如BDE-196、197和203)可能是BDE-209的降解产物.PBDEs的垂直分布模式显示,0～10 cm层面样品的PBDEs浓度为147 ng.g-1,30～40 cm层面样品的PBDEs浓度为260 ng.g-1,PBDEs在沉积物中的丰度随垂直深度的增加而增加.12种同系物在采自各个深度层样品中的比例基本相同,由十溴工业品来源的BDE-209、208、207和206占总PBDEs的94%,而五溴和八溴所占比例较低.由此可见,该地区普遍存在PBDEs污染,其中十溴联苯醚是最主要污染物,这可能与十溴工业品是电器工业主要使用的阻燃材料相关.