Concentrations, Distributions, and Risk Assessment of HBCD in Sediment in the Weihe River Basin in Northwest China

Abstract

As one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is found widely in the environmental media. In this study, the content and spatial distribution of HBCD and risk posed by HBCD in surface sediment in the Weihe River Basin in Northwest China were investigated. The HBCD concentration ranged nd–4.04 ng/g dw with the mean was 0.45 ng/g dw. The major source of HBCD in surface sediment was local point discharge. The distribution profiles of α-, β-, γ-HBCD were 24.7–87.9%, 0–42.0%, and 0–67.1%, respectively. Specially, α-HBCD was the dominating isomer in most sample sites. This differed significantly from that in HBCD technical product, which might be attributed to the different degradation rates and inter-transformation of the three HBCD isomers. Risk quotient method was used to assess the potential risk posed by HBCD in sediment. HBCD do not pose strong risks to aquatic algae organisms in the Weihe River Basin.

Exploring variations of hexabromocyclododecane concentrations in riverine sediments along the River Medway, UK

“…These provinces are unsurprisingly therefore some of the highest polluters, accounting for 30.3% and 11.5% of municipal sewage and solid waste, respectively. 21 Similar results were also recorded in the Weihe River Basin, showing a link between industrialised areas, point source pollution and HBCDD concentrations 22 with other studies also confirming that soil and sediment was the primary sink with the γ-HBCDD being the primary isomer in that environmental compartment. 3 In Europe, Sühring et al 23 measured HBCDD in surface sediment samples from the German rivers Elbe and Weser, the German Bight, Jadebusen, East Frisian Coast as well as the UK Southeast coast.…”

“…A t-test was carried out to investigate the significance in ƩHBCDD concentrations between upper (sites 1-20) and lower (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40) Medway course sample sites (Figure 1). No significant difference was observed, which may be attributed to the absence of clear differences in physical features and impacts associated with different river course stages (e.g.…”

Analysis of brominated flame retardants in the aquatic environment: a review

“…GC coupled to an MS detector (GC-MS) or an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) is the most common method to determine PBDEs ( 12 , 13 , 39 , 47 , 52 ) and PBBs ( 50 , 52 ). HBCD, TBBPA, and TBPPS are most often analysed with LC coupled to an MS detector (LC-MS) ( 13 , 37 ) or HPLC coupled to MS detector ( 19 , 20 , 55 ) or UV detector ( 2 , 22 ). LC-MS is also used to determine PBDEs, but much less often, because it is not sensitive enough to analyse higher brominated BDEs, especially the BDE-209 congener, despite the fact that it is used in the analysis of thermally unstable compounds ( 14 ).…”