Deca-BDE emissions, validation, and environmental fate in China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Pollution Control
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) listed under the Stockholm Convention.
• Environmental contamination by Deca-BDE necessitates accurate emission inventories for effective mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a comprehensive Deca-BDE emission inventory for China.
• To provide data for quantifying human exposure and developing reduction strategies.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of Deca-BDE emission data from production, processing, usage, and e-waste treatment sources (2015-2018).
• Development of a gridded emission inventory at 0.25°×0.25° resolution.
• Integration of the inventory into the ChnMETOP model for air and soil concentration simulations.

Main Results:

• Deca-BDE emissions increased in plastics processing, product usage, and e-waste treatment from 2015-2017.
• Emissions declined in production and processing but rose in usage and e-waste treatment from 2017-2018.
• Modeled Deca-BDE concentrations showed good agreement with field data, validating the inventory's reliability.

Conclusions:

• The developed Deca-BDE emission inventory for China is reliable and valuable.
• The inventory supports risk assessment and the formulation of targeted mitigation measures for Deca-BDE.
• Ongoing monitoring and inventory refinement are crucial for managing Deca-BDE pollution.