TY - JOUR
T1 - Distribution of PBDEs in air particles from an electronic waste recycling site compared with Guangzhou and Hong Kong, South China
AU - Deng, W. J.
AU - Zheng, J. S.
AU - Bi, X. H.
AU - Fu, J. M.
AU - Wong, M. H.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Dr. Peter K.K. Louie and Mr. Roland C.K. Wong from the Air Services Group of Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, Dr. K.F. Ho and Mr. Steven Poon from the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering of Hong Kong Polytechnic University for their technical support. Thanks are due to our colleagues engaged in the “E-waste” project at the Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University. Funding for this research was provided by the Group Research, Central Allocation of Research Grants Council (Code No. HKBU 1/03C), National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council (Code No. NSFC/03-04/01) and a private donation.
PY - 2007/11
Y1 - 2007/11
N2 - Air samples of total suspended particles (TSP, particles less than 30-60 μm), and particles with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected simultaneously at Guiyu (an electronic waste recycling site), three urban sites in Hong Kong and two urban sites in Guangzhou, South China from 16 August to 17 September 2004. Twenty-two PBDE congeners (BDE-3, -7, -15, -17, -28, -49, -71, -47, -66, -77, -100, -119, -99, -85, -126, -154, -153, -138, -156, -184, -183, -191) in TSP and PM2.5 were measured. The results showed that the overall average concentrations of TSP and PM2.5 collected at Guiyu were 124 and 62.1 μg m- 3, respectively. The monthly concentrations of the sum of 22 BDE congeners contained in TSP and PM2.5 at Guiyu were 21.5 and 16.6 ng m- 3, with 74.5 and 84.3%, contributed by nine congeners (BDE-28, -47, -66, -100, -99, -154, -153, -183 and -191 respectively). This pattern was similar to Tsuen Wan site of Hong Kong. Two urban sites of Guangzhou had the same congener pattern, but were different from Yuen Long and Hok Tsui sites of Hong Kong. The results also showed that the amount of mono to penta brominated congeners, which are more toxic, accounted for 79.4-95.6% of Σ22PBDEs from all sites. All congeners tested in Guiyu were up to 58-691 times higher than the other urban sites and more than 100 times higher than other studies reported elsewhere. The higher concentration in the air was due to heating or opening burning of electronic waste since PBDEs are formed when plastics containing brominated flame retardants are heated.
AB - Air samples of total suspended particles (TSP, particles less than 30-60 μm), and particles with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected simultaneously at Guiyu (an electronic waste recycling site), three urban sites in Hong Kong and two urban sites in Guangzhou, South China from 16 August to 17 September 2004. Twenty-two PBDE congeners (BDE-3, -7, -15, -17, -28, -49, -71, -47, -66, -77, -100, -119, -99, -85, -126, -154, -153, -138, -156, -184, -183, -191) in TSP and PM2.5 were measured. The results showed that the overall average concentrations of TSP and PM2.5 collected at Guiyu were 124 and 62.1 μg m- 3, respectively. The monthly concentrations of the sum of 22 BDE congeners contained in TSP and PM2.5 at Guiyu were 21.5 and 16.6 ng m- 3, with 74.5 and 84.3%, contributed by nine congeners (BDE-28, -47, -66, -100, -99, -154, -153, -183 and -191 respectively). This pattern was similar to Tsuen Wan site of Hong Kong. Two urban sites of Guangzhou had the same congener pattern, but were different from Yuen Long and Hok Tsui sites of Hong Kong. The results also showed that the amount of mono to penta brominated congeners, which are more toxic, accounted for 79.4-95.6% of Σ22PBDEs from all sites. All congeners tested in Guiyu were up to 58-691 times higher than the other urban sites and more than 100 times higher than other studies reported elsewhere. The higher concentration in the air was due to heating or opening burning of electronic waste since PBDEs are formed when plastics containing brominated flame retardants are heated.
KW - Electronic waste
KW - PM
KW - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
KW - Total suspended particles (TSP)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34748919070&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2007.06.007
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2007.06.007
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 17631964
AN - SCOPUS:34748919070
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 33
SP - 1063
EP - 1069
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
IS - 8
ER -
