Zhenwu Tang

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soils, sediments, and human hair in a plastic waste recycling area: a neglected heavily polluted area.

The release of pollutants during the recycling of contaminated plastics is a problem which has drawn worldwide attention; however, little information on the transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in these processes is available. We conducted a survey of PBDEs in soils, sediments, and human hair in a typical plastic waste recycling area in northern China. The total concentrations (ng/g) of 21 PBDEs were 1.25-5504 (average 600), 18.2-9889 (average 1619), and 1.50-861 (average 112) in soils, sediments, and hair, respectively. The PBDE concentrations were comparable to concentrations observed in e-waste recycling areas; however, the concentrations in soils and sediments were 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than in other areas, and the concentrations in hair were much higher than in other areas. This indicates that this area is highly polluted with PBDEs. BDE-209 was the dominant congener (representing 91.23%, 92.3%, and 91.5% of the total PBDEs observed in soils, sediments, and hair, respectively), indicating that the commercial deca-BDE product was dominant. The commercial penta- and octa-BDE products made small contributions to the total PBDE concentrations, unlike what has been found in some e-waste recycling areas. Our results show that crude plastic waste processing is a major contributor of PBDEs to the environment and humans, which should be of great concern.

Organochlorine pesticides in the lower reaches of Yangtze River: Occurrence, ecological risk and temporal trends

Residues of 24 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including DDT metabolites were investigated in the water and surface sediments from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River to evaluate their pollution and potential risks. Concentrations of OCP residues (ΣOCP₂₄ ranged from 3.07 to 23.70 ng/L in water and 0.67 to 58.80 ng/g dw in sediments) were generally within safe levels, while adverse biological effects are likely from DDT pollution in the lower reaches. HCH and DDT residues dominated the OCPs. High detection rates but low concentrations of some other OCPs, such as chlordane and endosulfan, were detected in both water and sediments. The HCH and DDT residues in the lower reaches primarily originated from historical use of technical HCH and DDT, although additional sources of lindane and dicofol existed in the region. Temporal trends of pesticide contamination levels indicated that HCH concentrations have decreased over the past decades. However, there was no obvious trend of declining DDT concentrations in the sediments from the Yangtze River. The DDT metabolites, DDMU (bis (chlorophenyl)-1-chloroethylene), DBP (dichlorobenzophenone) and DDM (bis (chlorophenyl) methane), were also investigated for the first time in water and sediments from the Yangtze River.

Deca-brominated diphenyl ether destruction and PBDD/F and PCDD/F emissions from coprocessing deca-BDE mixture-contaminated soils in cement kilns.

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. The PBDE destruction and removal efficiencies for Tests 1 and 2 were 99.9997% and 99.9998%, respectively. PBDE stack gas concentrations were 39.1 and 85.9 ng/Nm³ for Tests 1 and 2, respectively. The mean PBDD/F TEQ stack gas concentrations related to Tests 1 and 2 were 11.0 and 11.4 pg/Nm³, and PBDFs contributed 60.0-64.2% of the total PBDD/F concentrations. 2,3,7,8-TeBDD made the greatest contribution to the total PBDD/Fs, 40%, of all the homologues. The mean PCDD/F TEQ stack gas concentrations in Tests 1 and 2 were 0.74 and 0.65 pg/Nm³. The total PBDE, PBDD/F, and PCDD/F TEQ at the kiln outlet was 0.006% and 0.001% of the feed material TEQ. Therefore, coprocessing heavily PBDE-contaminated soils in a cement kiln is a highly efficient and environmentally sound treatment technology.

PCDD/Fs in Fly Ash from Waste Incineration in China: A Need for Effective Risk Management

ncineration has gradually become one of the key means todispose of municipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardouswaste (HW) in China. With great concern for emissions ofpolychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in incineration flue gas, control standards were furtherimproved and many terminal measures applied to pollutioncontrol of flue gas in the country. This resulted in PCDD/Fsbeing further transformed into fly ash. Based on currentdisposal and management, however, PCDD/Fs in the fly ashhave not been effectively eliminated, and will probably reenterthe environment and in turn become a new source of dioxinemission. Therefore, the risks of PCDD/Fs in fly ash should begiven importance and management should be strengthened.Waste incineration is an important source of dioxin emission.In China, PCDD/F emissions in 2004 reached approximately1757.6 g TEQ

Pollution threatens migratory shorebirds.

In addition to the destruction and loss of coastal wetlands along migration routes (“Hostile shores,” C. Larson, News Features, 9 October, p. [150][1]), contamination in the Yellow Sea poses a critical threat to migratory shorebirds. Chinas coastal wetlands have suffered from serious pollution