Analysis of brominated flame retardants in the aquatic environment: a review

The most common and consequently analysed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). As these persistent organic pollutants are widespread in the environment and have a number of harmful effects on human health, the production and use of most has been banned for several years. The aquatic environment is polluted by these compounds through their deposition from the atmosphere, sewage sludge, wastewater treatment plants, and landfills, and higher levels are found in areas with developed industry and agriculture and near landfills. Each compound also seems to show preference for specific compartments of the aquatic environment, i.e. water, sediment, or aquatic organisms, according to their physicochemical properties. The aim of this review was to take a closer look at the analysis of BFRs, as without reliable analysis we would not be able to determine their levels and distribution across the aquatic compartments and assess human exposure and health risks. Particularly worrying are the health risks associated with PBDEs in fish, whose levels generally exceed the permitted values.Najčešće korišteni, a posljedično i analizirani bromirani usporivači gorenja su polibromirani bifenili (PBB), polibromirani difenil eteri (PBDE), tetrabromobisfenol A (TBBPA), tetrabromobisfenol S (TBBPS) i heksabromociklododekan (HBCD). Navedeni spojevi smatraju se postojanim organskim zagađivalima, a s obzirom na to da su široko rasprostranjeni u okolišu i dokazano imaju niz negativnih štetnih učinaka na ljudsko zdravlje, proizvodnja i upotreba većine njih strogo je zabranjena. Vodeni je okoliš izložen ovim spojevima njihovim taloženjem iz atmosfere, mulja otpadnih voda, postrojenja za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda i ispiranjem odlagališta otpada, a ovisno o fizikalno-kemijskim svojstvima pojedinog spoja prisutan je u većim koncentracijama/udjelima u određenom dijelu vodenog okoliša. Više razine pronalaze se u područjima s razvijenom industrijom i poljoprivredom te u blizini odlagališta otpada. Cilj ovoga rada bio je detaljno i sažeto objasniti analitiku navedenih spojeva u vodenom okolišu – vodi, sedimentu i vodenim organizmima. Analitika spojeva bromiranih usporivača gorenja iznimno je važna kako bi se pouzdano mogle odrediti njihove razine i raspodjela u vodenom okolišu te na temelju dobivenih podataka procijeniti izloženost ljudi ovim spojevima. Posebno je zabrinjavajuće što zbroj masenih udjela spojeva PBDE u ribi uglavnom prelazi dopuštene vrijednosti.