Hale Robert C, La Guardia Mark J, Harvey Ellen, Mainor T Matt
Department of Environmental Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point 23062, USA.
Chemosphere. 2002 Feb;46(5):729-35. doi: 10.1016/s0045-6535(01)00237-5.
Five tetra- to hexabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners (BDE-47, -99, -100, -153 and -154) are the most frequently reported in wildlife and humans. The commercial penta-BDE product, used predominantly to flame-retard polyurethane foam, consists primarily of these same congeners. In 1999, North American demand accounted for 98% of the total global penta-market of 8500 metric tons. Frogs, housed with flame retardant-treated polyurethane foam as a dry substrate, accumulated 10,100 microg/kg (wet weight) of the above BDEs. Crickets kept therein as food contained 14,400 microg/kg. The crickets are believed to have browsed directly on the foam and, in turn, were consumed by the frogs. BDE congener composition in all three matrices matched that of the penta-commercial product. Similar congeners were also observed in soil and stream sediments collected near a polyurethane foam manufacturing plant. Summed concentrations of BDE-47, -99 and -100, the dominant congeners observed in these samples, ranged from < 1 to 132 microg/kg (dry weight basis). Sunfish fillets obtained from a nearby, off-site pond contained a total of 624 microg/kg (lipid basis). Sewage treatment plant (STP) sludge exhibited these same congeners at 1370 microg/kg (dry weight). BDE-209, the fully brominated congener predominant in the commercial deca-BDE product, was also present at 1470 microg/kg. While no known polyurethane foam manufacturers discharged to this plant, the distribution pattern of the low brominated congeners in the sludge matched that of the penta-product. After four weeks of exposure to ambient outdoor conditions, the surface of flame-retarded polyurethane foam became brittle and began to disintegrate. Subsequent dispersal of these penta-containing foam fragments may be one mechanism by which these BDEs reach the environment.
五种四至六溴二苯醚（BDE）同系物（BDE-47、-99、-100、-153和-154）是在野生动物和人类中最常被报道的。主要用于阻燃聚氨酯泡沫的商用五溴二苯醚产品主要由这些相同的同系物组成。1999年，北美需求占全球8500公吨五溴二苯醚市场总量的98%。将青蛙饲养在用阻燃处理过的聚氨酯泡沫作为干燥基质的环境中，青蛙体内积累了10100微克/千克（湿重）的上述溴二苯醚。饲养在其中作为食物的蟋蟀体内含有14400微克/千克。据信蟋蟀直接啃食了泡沫，进而被青蛙吃掉。所有三种基质中的溴二苯醚同系物组成与商用五溴二苯醚产品的组成相符。在聚氨酯泡沫制造工厂附近采集的土壤和溪流沉积物中也观察到了类似的同系物。这些样品中观察到的主要同系物BDE-47、-99和-100的总浓度范围为<1至132微克/千克（干重）。从附近场外池塘获取的太阳鱼鱼片含有624微克/千克（脂重）。污水处理厂（STP）的污泥中这些同系物的含量为1370微克/千克（干重）。商用十溴二苯醚产品中占主导的全溴化同系物BDE-209的含量也为1470微克/千克。虽然没有已知的聚氨酯泡沫制造商向该工厂排放废弃物，但污泥中低溴化同系物的分布模式与五溴二苯醚产品的分布模式相符。在暴露于室外环境四周后，阻燃聚氨酯泡沫的表面变得易碎并开始分解。这些含五溴二苯醚泡沫碎片随后的扩散可能是这些溴二苯醚进入环境的一种机制。
