Presence of novel and legacy flame retardants and other pollutants in an e-waste site in China and associated risks.

Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) residues and their management have been widely identified as potential sources of plasticizers and flame retardants to the environment, especially in non-formal e-waste facilities. This study evaluates the distribution, partitioning and environmental and human impact of organophosphate esters (OPEs), legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the e-waste recycling area of Baihe Tang village, in the Qingyuan county, Guangdong province, China. A plastic debris lump accumulated in a small pond during years was identified as the main source of pollution with ∑pollutants of 8400 µg/g dw, being OPEs the main contaminants detected, followed by PBDEs. This lump produced the contamination of water, sediments, soils and hen eggs in the surrounding area at high concentrations. Plastic-water and water-sediment partitioning coefficients explained the migration of OPEs to the water body and accumulation in sediments, with a strong dependence according to the KOW. Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), tricresyl phosphate (TCPs) and high chlorination degree PCBs produced a risk in soils and sediments, considering the lowest predicted no effect concentration, while the presence of PCBs and PBDEs in free range hen eggs exceeded the acceptable daily intake. OCPs were detected at low concentrations in all samples. The presence of organic contaminants in e-waste facilities worldwide is discussed to highlight the need for a strict control of EEE management to minimize environmental and human risks.

Organophosphorus flame retardants in a typical freshwater food web: Bioaccumulation factors, tissue distribution, and trophic transfer.

Water, sediment, and wild aquatic species were collected from an electronic waste (e-waste) polluted pond in South China. This study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation, tissue distribution, and trophic transfer of organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) in these aquatic organisms. The concentrations of PFRs detected in the analyzed organisms were between 1.7 and 47 ng/g wet weight (ww). Oriental river prawn and snakehead exhibited the highest and lowest levels, respectively. Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) were dominant contaminants, accounting for approximately 86% of the total sum. The mean values of bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) and logarithmic biota-sediment accumulation factors (log BSAFs) for individual PFRs varied from 6.6 to 1109 and from -2.0 to 0.41, respectively. Both log BCFs and log BSAFs of PFRs were significantly and positively correlated with their octanol-water partitioning coefficient (log KOW). The concentrations of PFRs in tissues of large mud carp and snakehead were significantly and positively correlated with the lipid content (each p < 0.05) and the liver, kidney, and gill exhibited high PFR levels. When the concentration was expressed on a lipid basis, liver exhibited the lowest level, indicating the probable effects of metabolism. Significantly positive correlation was also found between lipid content and total PFR concentration in muscle of all aquatic organisms, given the strong correlation between lipid content and the concentration of TnBP. Trophic magnification factors (TMF) of TnBP and TPhP were lower than 1 (0.57 and 0.62), indicating that these PFRs undergo trophic dilution in this aquatic food web.