Dechlorane Plus in environmental samples and human serum samples from new and old electronic waste dismantling areas in East China: Levels, composition profiles, and human exposure.

The global presence of Dechlorane Plus (DP) in environmental and human samples highlights the need for further research into its ecological risks and health effects. This study determined DP concentrations in soil and air samples from an old electronic waste dismantling area (Fengjiang) and a new electronic waste dismantling area (Binhai) in Taizhou City, China. Both syn-DP and anti-DP isomers were found in all soil and air samples. The median concentrations of DP in soil and air were 90.5 ng/g and 48.4 pg/m in Fengjiang, and 6.69 ng/g and 28.8 pg/m in Binhai. DP were widespread in the local environment, and in general at moderate levels compared with reports from other electronic waste dismantling areas. The analysis of DP isomer profiles in different seasons and the calculation of related fugacity fraction showed that anti-DP perhaps easier than syn-DP to migrate from soil to air in summer. DP concentrations in serum of residents from Fengjiang (median 9.74 ng/g) were significantly higher than those from Huangyan (common control area, median 2.77 ng/g; p < 0.01), while the f value showed that Fengjiang was significantly lower than Huangyan (p < 0.05). This revealed that DP exposure levels in serum perhaps one of the crucial factors influencing f value. Moreover, DP concentrations in serum showed an increasing trend with increasing body mass index (BMI) or age. However, the relationship between DP and sex was not observed. The f values of serum samples were higher than those in soil and air samples, suggested that DP perhaps stereo-selectively absorbed into the body or stereo-selectively metabolised.