Analysis and occurrence of emerging brominated flame retardants in the Llobregat River basin

In response to increasing international regulations on brominated flame retardants (BFR) formulations, alternative additive flame retardants for achieving commercial product fire safety standards are being developed and used. Some of these non-BDE (brominated diphenyl ethers) BFRs are pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (hexaBBz), and decabromodiphenylethane (deBDethane). The present study investigated the occurrence of these emerging BFRs, together with 38 BDE congeners (from di- to deca-BDE) in sediments sampled from different points along Llobregat basin (Spain) in three different sampling campaigns between 2005 and 2006. Emerging BFRs were detected in all sediment samples analyzed, at concentrations ranging from 3.1 to 9.6 ng/g for PBEB, from 0.4 to 2.4 ng/g for hexaBBz and from 4.8 to 23 ng/g for deBDethane. These levels are lower than concentrations obtained for PBDEs (from nd to 82 ng/g).

This work was funded by the European Union: Models for assessing and forecasting the impact of environmental key pollutants on marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity (MODELKEY, Project No. 511237), source control of priority substances in europe (SOCOPSE, Project No. 037038) and by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project Nos.: CTM2007-28918-E/TECNO, CTM2005-25168-E, and CEMAGUA (CGL2007-64551/HID)). This works reflects only the author’s views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Technical assistance provided by D. Fanjul, R. Chaler and M. Comesaña (IIQAB-CSIC) is also gratefully acknowledged. Paula Guerra acknowledges her Grant from Department d’Innovació, Universitats i Empresa (2008FI_B 00755).

Peer reviewed