Concentrations and sources of an emerging pollutant, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), in sewage sludge for land application

The presence of an emerging brominated flame retardant, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), has been confirmed in Spanish sewage sludge. Thirty one samples from different urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed for this brominated flame retardant. DBDPE was positively identified and quantified in all samples at lower concentrations (47.0 ± 29.7 ng/g dry weight (dw); mean ± SD) than those obtained for decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) (290 ± 236 ng/g dw; mean ± SD) in a previous study. Influence of the WWTP characteristics in the pollutant levels was evaluated. No significant correlations were obtained between DBDPE concentrations and the population or sewage sludge production rate associated with the plants, neither wastewater treatment method. Sources of DBDPE in the sludge were also evaluated. Data indicate a common origin for DBDPE and BDE-209, which may be related to leaching processes during the use and disposal of consumer products containing these chemicals. Nevertheless, DBDPE contents are not influenced by industrial activities, which suggests that the infusion of DBDPE commercial mixture is not a source of this chemical into the environment, and indicates that the use of DBDPE in the Spanish industry is still low compared to deca-BDE.     

Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and decabromodiphenylethane in surface sediments from Fuhe River and Baiyangdian Lake, North China

Nineteen surface sediment samples collected from Baiyangdian Lake and its inflowing river (Fuhe River) in North China were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE). The concentrations of PBDEs and DBDPE in sediments ranged from 5.5 to 300.7 ng/g dry weight (dw) and 1.1 to 68.2 ng/g dw, respectively. Their levels in sediments in Fuhe River were significantly higher than those in Baiyandian Lake. Compared to data from other regions, the PBDE levels in surface sediments from Baiyangdian Lake and Fuhe River were in the medium to lower range. Among the PBDE congeners, BDE209 was predominant, with contributions to the total PBDEs ranging from 79.4% to 97.3% in sediment samples. For the lowly brominated congeners (tri- to hepta-BDE), BDE47 and BDE99 were the most abundant, which contributed 52.1% and 44.1% to the sum of tri- to hepta-BDEs in the sediments from Baiyangdian Lake and Fuhe River, respectively. The compositional patterns of PBDEs in Baiyangdian Lake sediments indicated that technical deca-BDE mixture was the major pollutant sources with a minor contribution of penta-BDE mixture. The present study suggested that the importance of Fuhe River as a possibly potential sources of PBDEs contamination in Baiyangdian Lake.