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Occurrence, Transport, and Effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Chile
Published in Narendra Kumar, Vertika Shukla, Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Environment, 2021
Felipe Tucca, Ricardo Barra, Gustavo Chiang
These brominated flame retardants have been used in a wide variety of commercial and household products, such as furniture foams, textiles, plastic, and electronic components (such as electrical circuits of TVs and computers). PBDEs are particularly of concern because of their migratory behavior once they are released into the environment. So-called pentaBDE, octaBDE, and decaBDE were the main commercial PBDE formulations produced worldwide. Extensive occurrence throughout Chile has been reported, with levels recorded in the central and southern coastal area (Barón et al., 2013a; Barón et al., 2013b; Pozo et al., 2014; Pozo et al., 2015; Pozo et al., 2020; Gómez et al., 2020), highly populated urban cities, and remote zones (Pozo et al., 2004; Pozo et al., 2017). Most attention has focused on the occurrence and bioaccumulation of PBDEs in biota such as farmed and wild salmon (Hites et al., 2004b; Montory and Barra, 2006; Montory et al., 2010; Montory et al., 2012) and blue whales (Muñoz-Arnanz et al., 2019) in Chilean Patagonia.
Flame Retardants
Published in Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury, Flame Retardants for Textile Materials, 2020
Inorganic flame retardants are metal hydroxides (such as aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide), ammonium polyphosphate, boron salts, inorganic antimony, tin, zinc, and molybdenum compounds, as well as elemental red phosphorus. Both aluminum hydroxide, also sometimes called aluminum trihydrate (ATH), and magnesium hydroxide are used as halogen-free alternatives to brominated flame retardants, and they also function as smoke suppressants. Inorganic phosphorus compounds are widely used as substitutes to brominated flame retardants. Inorganic flame retardants are added as fillers into the polymer and are considered immobile in contrast to the organic additive flame retardants. The whole group of inorganic flame retardants represents around 50% by volume of the global flame retardant production, mainly as aluminum trihydrate (ATH), which,in terms of volume, is the biggest flame retardant category in use on the market.
Understanding environmental and sustainability principles
Published in Adrian Belcham, Manual of Enviromental Management, 2014
The immediate concern in many people's minds is what impact exposure to such chemicals may have on humans. Two groups of chemicals of particular concern are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which will accumulate in body tissues and endocrine disruptors which affect reproduction, as humans are top of the food chain and often most directly in contact with domestic and industrial chemicals. Chemical accumulation in our body tissue (known as bio-accumulation) is thus a very real possibility. Numerous cases have been recorded including the following landmark example: The group of chemicals known as ‘brominated flame retardants’ is used for preventing fire in computers, televisions, etc. A subgroup of these chemicals has been found in women's breast milk. In 1998 a Swedish study showed that the concentration of PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) has increased 50 times in Swedish women's milk over the last 25 years. These industrially made chemicals have numerous effects in humans and in the environment, and it has been shown that miscarriages, learning disabilities and changes in the immune system are just some of the side-effects of flame retardants when tested on apes.(Darnerud, et al., 1998)
Degradation of Tetrabromobisphenol S by thermo-activated Persulphate Oxidation: reaction Kinetics, transformation Mechanisms, and brominated By-products
Published in Environmental Technology, 2022
Lu Wang, Yaqun Yu, Guoqiang Liu, Baowei Hu, Junhe Lu
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are ubiquitous industrial chemicals that are used tremendously to reduce the flammability of various substances including plastic, textiles, electronic/electrical products, paints, foams, and thermoplastics due to their superior flame retardancy [1–3]. However, traditional BFRs have been gradually banned in industrial production due to the emerging reports on their potential toxicity, such as polybrominated biphenyls, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). As the most widely used BFR, the market share of TBBPA accounts for about 60% of the total BFR [4]. Note that TBBPA does not react chemically with the polymeric components; and therefore, may easily leach out of the polymer matrix after incorporation, with important implications for human exposure and widespread contamination. Numerous studies have reported the occurrence of TBBPA in water and soil samples, and even in dust and food samples. Tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) is one of the potential alternatives to TBBPA with better flame retardancy and higher production volume [5]. The chemical structure of TBBPS was shown in Figure 1. TBBPS molecule also consists of two electron-negative bromine atoms attached to each of the aromatic rings, respectively. The difference lies in the connection of the two aromatic rings via a sulfonic acid bond. TBBPS is also used as an important intermediate in the synthesis of some organic substances, such as chlorophenoxy acid herbicides polycarbonate resins, and epoxy [6,7].
Investigation of the flammability properties of a cotton and elastane blend denim fabric in the presence of boric acid, borax, and nano-SiO2
Published in The Journal of The Textile Institute, 2021
Brominated flame retardants accounted for about 21% of the total flame-retardant production in the world in 2004, they were very effective in low amounts compared to other flame retardants (Birnbaum & Staskal, 2004; Wimmer et al., 2004). However, many brominated flame retardants have unintended negative effects on the environment and human health (Meerts et al., 2001; Waaijers et al., 2013; Xie et al., 2013). Halogen containing retardants such as chlorine, bromine, and derivatives have been widely applied to cotton fabrics, suppressing oxygen and heat transfer and delaying the spread of fire. Due to the toxic and corrosive effects of gases released during combustion, limitations have been placed on their use (Levchik & Weil, 2008). Flame retardants which can pose risks to the environment and human health are subject to different levels of restrictions in different countries and are banned in some. Flame retardants containing boron, phosphorus, nitrogen and silicon draw attention with their being excellent flame resistance and environmental friendliness (Zhao, 2010).
Brominated flame retardants in home dust and its contribution to brominated flame retardants bioaccumulation in children hair
Published in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2020
Yuqi Zeng, Weijian Pan, Na Ding, Yuan Kang, Yu Bon Man, Lixuan Zeng, Qiuyun Zhang, Jiwen Luo
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are extensively used in plastics, textiles, foams and other indoor materials to prevent the spread of fire. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) including penta-BDEs, hexa-BDEs, octa-BDEs and deca-BDEs were the dominant BFRs used in commercial products before their phase-out.[1] Subsequently, alternative BFRs such as 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-ethane (BTBPE) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were produced as replacements for octa-BDEs and deca-BDEs, respectively.[2–4] More recently, novel BFRs such as pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (HBB), 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene (p-TBX), 1,2,3,4,5-pentabromobenzene (PBBZ), pentabromotoluene (PBT), 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (DPTE) and l,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) have been produced for commercial usage.