Levels and sources of gaseous polybrominated diphenyl ethers in air over the northern South China Sea

Abstract

A total of 32 air samples collected during a Shiyan III voyage over the northern South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The concentrations of Σ7PBDEs ranged from 0.07 to 35.9 pg·m-3. The Σ7PBDEs were dominated by tetra-(BDE-47) and penta-(BDE-99 and -100) components, which accounted for 51.5% and 36.9%, respectively. This result indicated that the widely used commercial penta-BDE product was the original source. The higher concentrations of PBDEs were monitored close to the coastline of the South China and Philippine, while the lower concentrations were found over the SCS adjacent to central coast of Vietnam. Back trajectory analysis showed that the high PBDE concentrations observed in air over the northern SCS may be related to the continental pollutant outflows from the southeast coast of China, especially the Pearl River Delta, Taiwan and Philippine, by prevailing northeast wind transport.