[Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether in E-waste Dismantling Sites in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province: Concentration,...

The concentration of polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in surface soil and atmosphere of e-waste dismantling sites in Taizhou city, Zhejiang Province was determined. The concentration ranges of ∑₁₂PBDEs in surface soil of e-waste dismantling site, farmland, and resident areas in Fengjiang Town (FJ) and Binhai Town (BH) were 21.8-1310 ng ·g^-1 and 6.19-220 ng ·g^-1, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of PBDEs between the FJ and BH soil. The concentration range of ∑₁₂PBDEs in the atmosphere of FJ and BH were 262-3240 pg ·m^-3 and 840-2990 pg ·m^-3, respectively. The median levels of PBDEs in the atmosphere of FJ and BH were 1410 pg ·m^-3 and 840 pg ·m^-3 in winter and 1590 pg ·m^-3 and 1960 pg ·m^-3 in summer, respectively. However, a significant difference was observed in the distribution of 11 PBDE congeners, except BDE-209, during winter and summer seasons. The migration trend analysis showed the differences between the soil and air of FJ and BH. The main migration trend of 3-5-BDEs was the volatilization from soil to atmosphere, and the increase in temperature promoted the volatilization of these PBDEs from soil to atmosphere in FJ. This indicated that the PBDEs in soil had become a major source of pollution emission and suggested that soil remediation should be carried out at the e-waste dismantling site and parts of farmland in FJ. Contrary to FJ, atmospheric deposition was the major migration trend of PBDEs and the soil was the main sink of PBDEs in BH. This indicated that e-waste dismantling site in BH could be a new source of PBDEs emission in this area.