Environmental Science and Technology 46(24)
Overview of articles on POPs in a new issue of the Environmental Science and Technology journal.
Robin E. Dodson, Laura J. Perovich, Adrian Covaci, Nele Van den Eede, Alin C. Ionas, Alin C. Dirtu, Julia Green Brody, and Ruthann A. Rudel
pp 13056–13066
- Higher house dust levels of PBDE flame retardants (FRs) have been reported in California than other parts of the world, due to the state’s furniture flammability standard. However, changing levels of these and other FRs have not been evaluated following the 2004 U.S. phase-out of PentaBDE and OctaBDE. We analyzed dust collected in 16 California homes in 2006 and again in 2011 for 62 FRs and organohalogens, which represents the broadest investigation of FRs in homes.
Pei Chen, Jun Mei, Ping’an Peng, Jianfang Hu, and Deyi Chen
pp 13334–13343
- Many studies have shown that pine needles are a good biomonitor for atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). However, this biomonitor has not been tested in large areas, and the quantitative relationship between concentrations in pine needles and air has not been established. In the present study, we collected pine needles from 38 cities in China.
Yufei Yang, Qifei Huang, Zhenwu Tang, Qi Wang, Xiaohua Zhu, and Wenbin Liu
pp 13409–13416
- The disposal of soil contaminated with polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) was studied using an industrial coprocessing cement kiln. Two tests, Test 1 and Test 2, studied the destruction, removal, and emissions of PBDE in soils with PBDE concentrations of 4160 and 25 000 mg/kg, respectively. Emissions of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were also quantified.
Novel and High Volume Use Flame Retardants in US Couches Reflective of the 2005 PentaBDE Phase Out
Heather M. Stapleton, Smriti Sharma, Gordon Getzinger, P. Lee Ferguson, Michelle Gabriel, Thomas F. Webster, and Arlene Blum
pp 13432–13439
- California’s furniture flammability standard Technical Bulletin 117 (TB 117) is believed to be a major driver of chemical flame retardant (FR) use in residential furniture in the United States. With the phase-out of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) FR mixture PentaBDE in 2005, alternative FRs are increasingly being used to meet TB 117; however, it was unclear which chemicals were being used and how frequently. To address this data gap, we collected and analyzed 102 samples of polyurethane foam from residential couches purchased in the United States from 1985 to 2010.
Asieh Golozar, Renato B. Fagundes, Arash Etemadi, Michele M. Schantz, Farin Kamangar, Christian C. Abnet, and Sanford M. Dawsey
pp 13488–13493
- Drinking maté, common in southern South America, may increase the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In 2006, we found high but variable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content in commercial yerba maté samples from eight Brazilian brands. The PAH content of new samples from the same brands, purchased in 2008, and four brands from a single manufacturer processed in different ways, obtained in 2010, were quantified to determine whether PAH concentration was still high, whether PAH content variation was brand specific, and whether processing method affects PAH content of commercial yerba maté.
John D. Crosse, Richard F. Shore, Richard A. Wadsworth, Kevin C. Jones, and M. Glória Pereira
pp 13504–13511
- PBDE contamination in terrestrial biota is poorly characterized, and robust data on temporal trends are scarce. We measured temporal (1985–2007) and spatial trends in PBDE contamination in the eggs of the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), a sentinel for the terrestrial environment.
18.12.2012
