Levels, isomer profiles and chiral signatures of particle-bound hexabromocyclododecanes in ambient air around Shanghai, China

Li, Huiru; Mo, Ligui; Yu, Zhiqiang; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo

Levels, isomer profiles and chiral signatures of particle-bound hexabromocyclododecanes in ambient air around Shanghai, China

2012

Li, Huiru | Mo, Ligui | Yu, Zhiqiang | Sheng, Guoying | Fu, Jiamo

Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) have been considered candidate persistent organic pollutants, however, environmental data on their presence in China, a major world market, are limited. In this study, airborne particle-bound HBCDs in Shanghai, China were quantified with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and their total concentrations varied from 3.21 to 123 pg/m³. The industrial area showed about three times higher HBCD levels than the urban areas. Gamma-HBCD dominated in particle-associated HBCDs in the industrial area, while α-HBCD was the major diastereomer of the urban areas, which is quite different from the pattern of technical products. Besides α-, β- and γ-HBCDs, δ-HBCD was also detected in all samples (0.09–6.31 pg/m³), while no ɛ-HBCD was found. Airborne β- and γ-HBCDs were racemic in most studied areas due to their chiral signatures showing no significant difference from commercial mixture. Fractions of (+)-α-HBCD (0.417–0.467), however, suggested the enrichment of (−)-α-HBCD and the involvement of enantioselective bioprocesses.

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