Global Historical Stocks and Emissions of PBDEs

Abstract

The first spatially and temporally resolved inventory of BDE28,47, 99, 153, 183, and 209 in the anthroposphere and environment is presented here. The stock and emissions of PBDE congeners were estimated using a dynamic substance flow analysis model, CiP-CAFE. To evaluate our results, the emission estimates were used as input to the BETR-Global model. Estimated concentrations were compared with observed concentrations in air from background areas. The global (a) in-use and (b) waste stocks of ∑ 5 BDE (28,47, 99, 153, 183) and BDE209 are estimated to be (a) ∼25 and 400 kt and (b) 13 and 100 kt, respectively, in 2018. A total of 6 (0.3−13) and 10.5 (9−12) kt of ∑ 5 BDE and BDE209, respectively, has been emitted to the atmosphere by 2018. More than 70% of PBDE emissions during production and use occurred in the industrialized regions, while more than 70% of the emissions during waste disposal occurred in the less industrialized regions. A total of 70 kt of ∑ 5 BDE and BDE209 was recycled within products since 1970. As recycling rates are expected to increase under the circular economy, an additional 45 kt of PBDEs (mainly BDE209) may reappear in new products.

Depositional environments and historical contamination as a framework to reconstruct fluvial sedimentary evolution

“…Standard errors were associated with POPs time-markers to take into account the lag time between the legislation, its implementation at the national scale and the time needed to record a decrease in the sediment record (Table S2). All date markers used in this study and their justification and/or reference are available in Breivik et al, 2002b;Desmet et al, 2012;Lorgeoux et al, 2016;Dendievel et al, 2020PBDE concentration increase 1975PDR-1806, PDR-1802Nylund et al, 1992Muir and Rose, 2007;Kohler et al, 2008;Lorgeoux et al, 2016;Abbasi et al, 5.a). Model M2 additionally considers the PBDE decreasing trend in the core and results from a linear regression.…”

Legacy and alternative halogenated flame retardants in Lake Geneva fish

“…However, given the global PBDE stocks involved (Abbasi et al 2019), PBDEs are set to persist in the environment for decades.…”

Maternal Transfer of Environmentally Relevant Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) Produces a Diabetic Phenotype and Disrupts Glucoregulatory Hormones and Hepatic Endocannabinoids in Adult Mouse Female Offspring

“…Over a 30-year period, PBDE levels have increased exponentially in adult human tissues including blood, adipose 4 , organs 5 , breast milk and fetal 6 and child tissues sampled worldwide 7 . Despite legislative action by the European Union and a voluntary phase-out of production in the US starting in 2005, which led to a decrease in environmental concentrations, PBDE contamination remains an ongoing problem since products containing PBDEs are still in circulation and re-entering the anthroposphere from electronic waste sites 8 and inadvertent recycling 9 . PBDE levels in various sample types worldwide, including the breastmilk and sera of U.S. women and toddlers are still being detected 10,11,12,13 .…”

“…PBDE levels in various sample types worldwide, including the breastmilk and sera of U.S. women and toddlers are still being detected 10,11,12,13 . Moreover, modelling studies predict that penta-, octa-and deca-brominated BDEs will continue to be emitted from in-use and waste stocks until 2050 9 . Given that PBDEs are still accumulating in humans, it is important to determine the long-term health consequences of chronic exposures.…”