Determination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Bioaccumulation in Freshwater Fish Surrounding a Flame Retardant Manufacturing Plant by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

In recent years, the research on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been heavily concentrated in polluted areas, such as the developed areas of the electronic industry, electronic waste disposal arrears, and plastic materials production areas. Research on PBDEs surrounding a flame retardant manufacturing plant may contribute to a better comprehension of their bioaccumulation characteristics and environmental processes. Five species of fish were collected from a freshwater environment surrounding a PBDE technical mixtures manufacturing plant in Jiangsu Province. Concentrations of thirteen PBDE congeners were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Results show that the average concentrations of ∑₁₃PBDEs (BDE17, 28, 71, 47, 66, 100, 99, 85, 154, 153, 138, 183, 190) in muscle, liver and egg tissues are 34.5 ng/g.lip, 41.5 ng/g.lip and 18.2 ng/g.lip, respectively. Feeding and living habits as well as metabolic ability may influence the occurrence of PBDEs in fish in this area. BDE47 was the predominant compound in most fish samples, however, the fish in the present study have a higher proportion of hexa-and hepta-BDEs such as BDE153, BDE154 and BDE183 compared to the data reported in other studies, which is consistent with the octa-BDE technical mixtures (dominated by hexa-, hepta-and octa-BDEs) from the manufacturing plant near the river. The octa-BDE technical mixtures produced here, and the PBDE technical mixtures produced and used in other regions were carried in by upstream runoff and released into the environment, which were selectively bioaccumulated and metabolized by freshwater fish, resulting in the specific distribution of PBDE congeners in fish in this area.