Spray Irrigation of Treated Municipal Wastewater as a Potential Source of Atmospheric PBDEs

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Anubha Goel ; Laura L. McConnell ; Alba Torrents ; Joseph R. Scudlark ; and Staci Simonich
• 刊名：Environmental Science & Technology
• 出版年：2006
• 出版时间：April 1, 2006
• 年：2006
• 卷：40
• 期：7
• 页码：2142 - 2148
• 全文大小：400K
• 年卷期：v.40,no.7(April 1, 2006)
• ISSN：1520-5851

文摘

Spray irrigation facilities utilizing treated municipalwastewater are a potential source of polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) to the atmosphere. PBDEs areused as flame retardants in many household items and havebeen found in wastewaters and biosolids. Evidence ofPBDE release from spray irrigation facilities was discoveredduring a multiyear project to measure semivolatileorganic chemical concentrations in air. Four BDE congeners(47, 99, 100, and 154) were monitored at three remote/rural locations in Maryland and Delaware from 2001 to 2003.Average concentrations at two of the sites (BDE-47, 10-17 pg/m³; BDE-99, 5.3-7.7 pg/m³) reflect background levels.Average concentrations at the third location were 5-10times higher (BDE-47, 175 pg/m³; BDE-99, 26 pg/m³) and weresignificantly correlated (p < 0.0001) with temperatureindicating local source(s). Several spray irrigation facilitiesare located south and west of the third site, the prevailingwind direction during the spring and summer whenmost samples were collected. The fine mist released fromthe irrigation equipment may enhance release to theatmosphere via air-water gas exchange from waterdroplets. Temporal trends indicate that aerial concentrationsof PBDEs in this area are increasing at an exponentialrate; the atmospheric doubling times for the differentcongeners range from 1.1 to 1.7 yrs.