Evaluation of mono- to deca-brominated diphenyl ethers in riverine sediment of Korea with special reference to the debromination of DeBDE209 Original Research Article

The measured concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in inland sediments, from mono- to deca-BDE congeners, ranged from 0.46 to 1760 ng/g dry weight (dw) with mean and median values of 55 ± 230 ng/g dw and 12 ng/g dw, respectively. These concentrations were comparable to or lower than those reported in other countries. The large contributions of the nona- and octa-BDE congeners (14.6 ± 5.0% of total PBDEs) in the present study highlight the necessity of examining these congeners. A high population density and wastewater discharge around the sampling sites are related to the high PBDE concentration. The most predominant congener was DeBDE209 (average proportion, 70.9 ± 12.4%), which is in good agreement with the large amounts of commercial deca-BDE products used in Korea. Statistical analyses also confirmed the ubiquity of DeBDE209 in river sediment from the use of commercial deca-BDE products, such as Saytex-102E and DE-83R. On the other hand, the relatively large contributions of tri- to hepta-BDE congeners compared to the small quantities of commercial penta- and octa-BDE products used in Korea indicate the debromination potential for highly brominated congeners.