Occurrence of polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polybrominated dibenzofurans as impurities in commercial polybrominated diphenyl ether mixtures.

Full Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations and compositions of polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs), and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs) as contaminants in the commercial polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) mixtures DE-71, DE-79, and DE-83 and to ascertain the lot-to-lot variations in the proportions of these contaminants. Commercial PBDE mixtures tested in the present study contained both PBBs and PBDFs, as impurities, at concentrations in the range of several tens to several thousands of nanograms per gram. Concentrations of total PBDFs were greater than those of total PBBs in DE-79 and DE-83 mixtures. PBDDs were not detected at levels above the limit of detection. Profiles of PBB and PBDF congeners varied with the degree of bromination of the commercial PBDE mixtures (i.e., more highly brominated mixtures of PBDEs contained heavily brominated homologues of PBBs and PBDFs). On the basis of the production/ usage of commercial PBDE mixtures in 2001, potential global annual emissions of PBBs and PBDFs were calculated to be 40 and 2300 kg, respectively. Results of our study suggestthat PBDFs can also be formed during the production of commercial PBDE mixtures, in addition to their formation during pyrolysis of brominated flame retardants.

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Author information

Author/s: Hanari, Nobuyasu (N); Kannan, Kurunthachalam (K); Miyake, Yuichi (Y); Okazawa, Tsuyoshi (T); Kodavanti, Prasada Rao S (PR); Aldous, Kenneth M (KM); Yamashita, Nobuyoshi (N);

Affiliation: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Environmental science & technology (Environ Sci Technol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 40 (issue 14) : pp 4400-5

Dates: Created 2006/08/14; Completed 2006/12/05;

PMID: 16903277, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Benzofurans - analysis
Dioxins - analysis
Ethers

Associated Chemicals: Benzofurans (0) ; Dioxins (0) ; Ethers (0) ; Polybrominated Biphenyls (0) ; dibenzodioxin (0) ; dibenzofuran (132-64-9)

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