Published in

American Chemical Society, Environmental Science and Technology, 3(48), p. 1458-1466, 2014

DOI: 10.1021/es403600a

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Alternative Flame Retardants in Air and Precipitation Samples from the Northern Lake Victoria Region, East Africa

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
  • Must obtain written permission from Editor
  • Must not violate ACS ethical Guidelines
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
  • Must obtain written permission from Editor
  • Must not violate ACS ethical Guidelines
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

High volume air and precipitation samples were collected close to the shore of Lake Victoria at Entebbe, Uganda, between October 2008 and July 2010 inclusive. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative flame retardants (AFRs) were analyzed by GC-MS. BDEs 47, 99, and 209 were the predominant PBDEs with mean concentrations (in air) of 9.84, 4.38, 8.27 pg m-3 and mean fluxes in precipitation of 3.40, 6.23 and 7.82 ng m-2 sample-1, respectively. 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), anti- and syn-Dechlorane Plus were detected at levels comparable with those of PBDEs. Both PBDEs and AFRs in air generally increased from 2008 to 2010. Elevated PBDE concentrations in air were associated with slow moving low altitude air masses from the region immediately adjacent to the lake while low concentrations were mostly associated with fast moving westerly and south westerly air masses. Analysis of the octa- and nona-BDE profiles suggested photolysis and pyrolytic debromination of BDE-209 in the air samples. The highly halogenated and most abundant PBDEs and AFRs in air also predominated in precipitation samples. This is the first study to report flame retardants in high volume air samples and precipitation in Equatorial Africa.