AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Halogenated and Organophosphorus Flame Retardants on Particles in the Arctic Atmosphere
MARK HERMANSON, Amina Salamova, Ronald Hites, University Center on Svalbard
Abstract Number: 686 Working Group: Remote and Regional Atmospheric Aerosols
Abstract The use of most polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants (FRs) in consumer products and construction materials was banned by the European Union and phased out in the United States by 2008. However, there is a continuing need for FRs due to stringent flammability standards both in the USA and Europe and, as a result, there is a shift to using non-regulated FRs. Several replacement FRs have been detected in the environment, including brominated benzoate and phthalate esters and organophosphorus esters.
We collected high-volume air particle samples at an Arctic site (78.22$^oN, 15.65$^oE, on Svalbard) during 2012-2013 for analysis of brominated FRs (BFRs) and organophosphorus FRs. Sample volumes typically ranged from 600 ñ 750 m$^3. BDEs and other BFRs have been observed in this region in earlier research. The BFRs found most often and in greatest average abundance include BDE congeners 47 (0.69 pg m$^3), 99 (0.56 pg m$^3) and 209 (1.10 pg m$^3), collectively representing ~44% of total BDE; other halogenated FRs found included 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and Dechlorane plus (DP). The concentrations ranged from 0.3 pg m$^3 for DBDPE to 6 pg m$^3 for TBB. The organophosphorus FRs found most often and in greatest abundance include tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)-phosphate (TCPP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), tri(butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (TEHP), and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP). The concentrations of the OPFRs were often about 10 times or more greater than any of the halogenated FRs. The highest OPFR average concentration was TnBP (145 pg m$^3) and ranged from 9 pg m$^3 to 788 pg m$^3.
BDEs with concentration <0.05 pg m$^3 were congeners 10, 7, 30, 71, 85, 126, 154, 153, 138, 184, 181, 201, 204, 203, 196, 205, 208, 207; non-BDE BFRs <0.05 pg m$^3 included tetrabromo-p-xylene (pTBX) and pentabromo ethylbenzene (PBEB).