Chromoproduct approach to achieve environmentally sound management of e-waste plastics: Colombian project case.

Research to prevent releases of brominated flame retardants listed as persistent organic pollutants by the Stockholm Convention (POP-BFRs) was conducted through an international cooperation project in Colombia. Six waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management facilities implemented: 1) sorting e-waste by product type and color (black, white, and other; henceforth called chromoproducts), 2) sampling test products and their plastic fraction (called sets, separated by polymer type), 3) monitoring mass, bromine and antimony contents by hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and POP-BFRs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 4) differentiated treatment according to categories that used the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (RoHS) hazardousness threshold of 1000 mg ∑PBDEs/kg. This scheme led to the proposal of a methodology for WEEE management called the "chromoproduct approach". 994,230 products were managed and grouped into 222 chromoproducts, from which 77 were analyzed: 50 below RoHS hazardousness (BRH), 16 above RoHS hazardousness (ARH), and 11 unknown RoHS hazardousness (URH). XRF indicators using bromine and antimony contents could rule out pollution in BRH chromoproducts; however, categorization still required GC-MS. One ARH plastics sample had 3620 mg ∑PBDEs/kg, while no POP-BFRs were found in the BRH plastics sample. The implementation of the chromoproduct approach traced 153.6 tonnes of ARH plastics. BRH plastics composition was estimated and used in a pilot-scale closed-loop economic activity. The chromoproduct approach seems promising for avoiding POP-BFR releases and promoting the upcycling of recyclable e-waste plastics.

Impact of Legislation on Brominated Flame Retardant Concentrations in UK Indoor and Outdoor Environments: Evidence for Declining Indoor Emissions of Some Legacy BFRs.

Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were measured in indoor dust, indoor air, and outdoor air in Birmingham, UK. Concentrations of ΣBFRs ranged from 490 to 89,000 ng/g, 46-14,000 pg/m3, and 22-11,000 pg/m3, respectively, in UK indoor dust, indoor air, and outdoor air. BDE-209 and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were the main contributors. The maximum concentration of DBDPE (10,000 pg/m3) in outdoor air is the highest reported anywhere to date. In contrast with previous studies of outdoor air in Birmingham, we observed significant correlations between concentrations of tri- to hepta-BDEs and HBCDD and temperature. This may suggest that primary emissions from ongoing use of these BFRs have diminished and that secondary emissions (e.g., evaporation from soil) are now a potentially major source of these BFRs in outdoor air. Conversely, the lack of significant correlations between temperature and concentrations of BDE-209 and DBDPE may indicate that ongoing primary emissions from indoor sources remain important for these BFRs. Further research to clarify the relative importance of primary and secondary sources of BFRs to outdoor air is required. Comparison with earlier studies in Birmingham reveals significant (p < 0.05) declines in concentrations of legacy BFRs, but significant increases for NBFRs over the past decade. While there appear minimal health burdens from BFR exposure for UK adults, dust ingestion of BDE-209 may pose a significant risk for UK toddlers.

Characterization of halogen species in seaweeds from the Antarctic using a multi-technique approach.

BACKGROUND: Despite the recognized importance, the determination of halogens in Antarctic seaweeds remains understudied. Limited research exists due to challenges associated with sample preparation, and reliable analytical techniques for this type of analysis. Therefore, further investigations are necessary to bridge this knowledge gap and gain a comprehensive understanding of halogen metabolism in Antarctic seaweeds. METHODS: In this study, seaweeds from the coast of the Antarctic continent were characterized concerning the total content of halogens and their species. For this purpose, different sample preparation methods, based on extraction and combustion, combining highly selective and sensitive chromatographic and spectrometric multi-technique approaches were used. RESULTS: By using optimized methods, it was possible to determine total halogens content, the distribution of bromine and iodine in different classes of species (lipids, water-soluble, proteins, carbohydrates, and residue), as well as the identification of iodinated amino acids (MIT and DIT) in ten brown and red seaweeds. Bromate and iodate were not detected in the samples, which presented only bromide and iodide species in their composition. Additionally, unknown bromine and iodine species were observed in different extracts evaluated. Furthermore, 25 halogenated polyphenols were identified in seaweeds, of which only four were already reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study comprise unprecedented data in the literature on species of halogens present in seaweeds from the Antarctic environment.

A probabilistic approach to compare the risk associated with heavy metals and bromine in honey from Dominican Republic, Mexico, Mozambique and Spain.

This study aims to analyse the risk to consumers given the presence of heavy metals and bromine in honey from different countries. A probabilistic approach was applied to assess carcinogenic risk. Concerning exposure, Al in Spain (3.3E-04 mg/kgBw/day), B in Dominican Republic and Mexico (2E-04 mg/kgBw/day in both cases) and Fe in Mexico and Mozambique had the highest values (5E-05 and 4.8E-05 mg/kgBw/day). In risk characterisation, the values were less than 1 for hazard index (HI), meaning that the consumption of honey represents a low level of concern for non-genotoxic effects. A combination of margin of exposure and probability of exceedance results that exposure to Pb pose no threat. The probability of suffering cancer for Br, Cd, Ni and Pb was lower than 1.0E-06 and, therefore, considered safe. However, the risk at the 95th percentile of Br in Dominican Republic was 1.18E-04 in adults and 2.45E-04 in children, exceeding 1.0E-04, and therefore, considered intolerable. Finally, the sensitivity analysis indicated that the most influential factor in the HI was the consumption in adults and the concentration of Ni in children, whereas for cancer risk, were the concentrations of Ni, Cd, Br and Pb, in both cases.

Tetraphenylphosphonium Chloride-Enhanced Ionization Coupled to Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry for Sensitive and Non-targeted Screening of Polyhalogenated Alkyl Compounds from Limited Serum.

Although many types of halogenated compounds are known to bioaccumulate in humans, few are routinely biomonitored and many have remained uncharacterized in human exposome studies due to a lack of high-sensitivity and high-resolution analytical methods. In this study, we discovered tetraphenylphosphonium chloride (Ph4PCl, 10 µM) as a simple additive to the mobile phase, which enhanced the ionizations of polyhalogenated alkyl compounds (such as organochlorinated pesticides [OCPs], chlorinated paraffins [CPs], dechlorane plus [DPs], and some brominated flame retardants [BFRs]) in the form [M + Cl]- and boosted mass spectrometry responses by an average of 1-3 orders of magnitude at a resolution of 140,000. Ph4PCl-enhanced ionization coupled with a halogenation-guided screening process was used to establish a sensitive and non-targeted method that required only single-step sample preparation and identified Cl- and/or bromine-containing alkyl compounds. The method enabled the identification of ∼700 polyhalogenated compounds from 200 µL of human serum, 240 of which were known compounds: 33 short-chain CPs, 52 median-chain CPs, 97 long-chain CPs, 22 very short-chain CPs (vSCCPs), 19 OCPs, 13 DPs, and 4 BFRs. We also identified 325 emerging contaminants (34 unsaturated CPs, 285 chlorinated fatty acid methyl esters [CFAMEs], and 6 chloro-bromo alkenes) and 130 new contaminants (114 oxygen-containing CPs, 2 hexachlorocyclohexane structural analogs, and 11 amino-containing and 3 nitrate-containing chlorinated compounds). The full scan results highlighted the dominance of CPs, CFAMEs, vSCCPs, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes in the serum samples. Ph4PCl-enhanced ionization enabled the sensitive and non-targeted identifications of polyhalogenated compounds in small volumes of biological fluid.

Photodegradation Kinetics and Solvent Effect of New Brominated Flame Retardants (NBFRS) in Liquid Medium.

The photolysis of four typical NBFRs, hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), pentabromobenzyl acrylateare (PBBA) and pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), were explored under different irradiation light wavelengths, initial concentrations and organic solvents. Density functional theory was used for chemical calculation to explore the internal mechanism of solvent effect. All degradation kinetics conformed to the first-order kinetic model. Under different irradiation light wavelengths, the degradation rates were in the following order: 180~400 nm (0.1702~0.3008 min-1) > 334~365 nm (0.0265~0.0433 min-1) > 400~700 nm (0.0058~0.0099 min-1). When the initial concentration varied from 0.25 mg/L to 1 mg/L, the degradation rate decreased from 0.0379~0.0784 min-1 to 0.0265~0.0433 min-1 under 334~365 nm irradiation, which might be attributed to the reduction in light energy received per unit area and competition from intermediate metabolites. In different organic solvents, the degradation rates were in the order of acetone (0.1702~0.3008 min-1) > toluene (0.0408~0.0534 min-1) > n-hexane (0.0124~0.0299 min-1). Quantum chemical calculation and analysis showed that the energy change in electron transfer between solvent and NBFRs was the key factor to solvent effect in the degradation of NBFRs. The active sites and degradation pathways of NBFRs were also speculated, the nucleophilic reaction of the Br atom on a benzene ring was the main process of photodegradation and it was preferential to remove the bromine and then the ethyl group on the benzene ring. Our research will be helpful in predicting and evaluating their photochemical behavior in different environment conditions.

Assessment of critical factors in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) plastics on the recyclability: A case study in Finland.

Excessive waste is continually accumulating owing to increased consumption, and an excellent example is the consumption of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), which are eventually transformed into waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). WEEE is an interesting material stream because it includes various valuable materials that have great potential for recycling and reutilization. To maximize recycling and utilization potential, all fractions in WEEE must be reviewed from a sustainable perspective. Several WEEE contain plastic, which comprises approximately one-third of the total WEEE composition; thus, this plastic content is a good target for recycling purposes. However, the recycling of WEEE plastics might include some challenges, such as the treatment of harmful substances in the material, which can prevent effective and high-quality material recycling. This study investigates the polymer composition and critical elements of the material stream of WEEE polymer. These polymers were identified using portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) at an elemental level. The results showed that among various other polymers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) was the main polymer identified in WEEE. The proportion of unidentified polymers was alarmingly large; specifically, when the presence of bromine was positively correlated with the presence of an unidentified WEEE polymer. This study also corroborated that bromine is actually not present in bromine-free plastics, demonstrating that industrial classification works with WEEE polymers.

[Determination of four trihalomethanes in ship ballast water by gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry].

Ship ballast water can control the roll, trim, and draft of the ship, and thus ensuring the balance and stability of the ship in the course of sailing, and playing a vital role in the safe navigation of ships. The annual discharge of ship ballast water is very large in China. About three to five billion cubic meters of ship ballast water is discharged into offshore or inland waters every year. This water contains plankton, pathogens, and their larvae or spores. If not be handled appropriately, this will have a serious impact on the ecological environment of the discharge waters. Ballast water is usually treated by electrolysis before being discharged. Sodium hypochlorite can be generated, which can kill microorganisms; however, the by-products trihalomethanes (THMs) are cytotoxic and biotoxic. Studies have shown that THMs may cause fetal growth retardation, spontaneous abortion, or death. The concentration of THMs in drinking water is closely related to the risk of bladder cancer death. Hence, it is important to establish a method for the determination of THMs in ship ballast water. The four kinds of THMs are chloroform, dichlorobromomethane, chlorodibromomethane, and tribromomethane. At present, ship ballast water is mostly analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) using an electron capture detector (ECD) or by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Given the low boiling point of THMs, headspace injection and purge-and-trap can be used. Gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS), was adopted. NCI is a soft ionization technique that shows special response to compounds bearing electronegative elements or groups. THMs contain electronegative chlorine atoms and bromine atoms. Therefore, NCI is a good choice for their analysis. The samples were processed by the headspace injection technique. The NaCl content in 10 mL sample was optimized in headspace injection. The results showed that 3.0 g NaCl was the most suitable dosage. The analytes were separated on a DB-5MS UI capillary-column (30 m×0.25 mm×1.0 µm). The target compounds were quantified by using the external standard method in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The four THMs were not only well separated but also showed a high response at 0.2 µg/L. The four THMs showed good linear relationships in the range of 0.2-50 µg/L, with correlation coefficients≥0.995. The limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N=10) were 0.1-0.2 µg/L, and the average recoveries of the four THMs were 90.3%-106.8% at the three spike levels of 0.2, 0.5, and 2.0 µg/L. The relative standard deviations were 1.4%-6.2%. The LOQs of the THMs in the GB/T 5750.8-2006 Standard Test Method of Drinking Water Organic Matter Index are 0.3-6.0 µg/L. It can be seen that the LOQs of the THMs are greatly reduced in this study. The proposed method is accurate, stable, and reliable, and it can be used for monitoring the four THMs in ship ballast water. The method was applied for the detection of 36 ship ballast water samples. In all cases, the detection rates of tribromomethane, chlorodibromomethane, dichlorobromomethane, and chloroform were 83.3%, 69.4%, 22.2%, and 19.4%, respectively. The detection values of tribromomethane, chlorodibromomethane, dichlorobromomethane, and chloroform were 34.25-221.5 µg/L, 3.52-41.87 µg/L, 1.52-8.56 µg/L, and 0.02-5.46 µg/L, respectively. Based on the analysis of several ship ballast water samples (electrolytic water), it was concluded that the greater the number of bromine atoms in the THMs, the higher are the detection rate and detection value in ship ballast water. Compared to chloroform, tribromomethane is more harmful to living beings. China has acceded to the International Convention on Ship Ballast Water and Sediment Control and Management. There is an urgent need to establish analysis methods with high sensitivity, good stability, and high accuracy in addition to determining standards and regulations for ship ballast water.

A novel single step solid-phase extraction combined with bromine derivatization method for rapid determination of acrylamide in coffee and its products by stable isotope dilution ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

This work aimed to establish a novel determination method for acrylamide in coffee and its products by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Acrylamide in samples were prepared by a single-step solid-phase extraction clean-up using mixed mode sorbents. The bromine derivatization efficiency of acrylamide and its internal standard were improved at an acidic condition. After derivation, the retention capability of acrylamide and its resistance to interference were significantly improved. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 1.2 and 4 µg/kg for roasted and instant coffees, while they were 0.24 and 0.8 µg/kg for ready-to-drink coffees. The average recoveries for acrylamide ranged from 99.3 to 102.2% in coffee and its products. All the results showed that the developed method was simple, quick, specific and suitable for screening and determination of acrylamide in batch samples of coffee and its products.

Hunting the eagle killer: A cyanobacterial neurotoxin causes vacuolar myelinopathy.

Vacuolar myelinopathy is a fatal neurological disease that was initially discovered during a mysterious mass mortality of bald eagles in Arkansas in the United States. The cause of this wildlife disease has eluded scientists for decades while its occurrence has continued to spread throughout freshwater reservoirs in the southeastern United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that vacuolar myelinopathy is induced by consumption of the epiphytic cyanobacterial species Aetokthonos hydrillicola growing on aquatic vegetation, primarily the invasive Hydrilla verticillata Here, we describe the identification, biosynthetic gene cluster, and biological activity of aetokthonotoxin, a pentabrominated biindole alkaloid that is produced by the cyanobacterium A. hydrillicola We identify this cyanobacterial neurotoxin as the causal agent of vacuolar myelinopathy and discuss environmental factors-especially bromide availability-that promote toxin production.

Determination of Cl, Br and I in granola: Development of an accurate analytical method using ICP-MS.

Microwave-induced combustion (MIC) system for further Cl, Br, and I determination in granola by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was proposed. A high sample mass of granola was pressed as pellets and inserted into the proposed MIC system. Water and NH4OH were evaluated as absorbing solutions. The accuracy was estimated by the analysis of two certified reference materials and also by spike recoveries. Using the optimized conditions (zirconium ball milling, 1 g of granola and 6 mL of 50 mmol L-1NH4OH), the agreement with the certified values ranged from 94 to 98% and recoveries higher than 95% were obtained. Low carbon concentration in digests (<25 mg L-1) was achieved, minimizing interferences by ICP-MS. Blanks were negligible and only diluted solutions were required. The concentration in samples ranged from 322 to 896, 0.618 to 0.980 and < 0.002 to 0.181 µg g-1 for Cl, Br and I, respectively.

Chlorine and Bromine Isotope Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Using Gas Chromatography-Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

A compound-specific chlorine/bromine isotope analysis (Cl-/Br-CSIA) method was developed using gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are toxic to human health and are frequently detected in various abiotic and biotic media. For PCB congeners, the molecular ion method for a concentration of 0.5-10.0 ppm, a dwell time of 20-100 ms, a relative EM voltage of 200 V, an electric current of 34 µA, and an ionization energy of 70 eV was determined as the most suitable scheme, which obtained standard deviations (SDs) of chlorine isotope ratios ranging from 0.00008 to 0.00068. As for the PBDE congeners, the lowest SDs, ranging from 0.00050 to 0.00172, were determined using the top four ion method with a concentration of 5-10 ppm and a dwell time of 20-50 ms. Both the chlorine and bromine isotope ratios showed strong concentration dependencies. Therefore, external standardization or detecting chlorine and bromine isotope ratios at a uniform concentration level is necessary to eliminate the concentration effect. In addition, 13C-correction is critical to remove interference from carbon isotopes. This newly developed Cl-/Br-CSIA method successfully determined the chlorine/bromine isotope ratios of PCBs/PBDEs in technical mixtures and traced the chlorine/bromine isotope ratio variations of PCBs/PBDEs in photodegradation experiments, thereby suggesting that it is a promising tool for assessing the sources and transformation processes of PCBs and PDBEs in the environment.

Spatial and Temporal Variability in Trihalomethane Concentrations in the Bromine-Rich Public Waters of Perth, Australia.

High concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) in public water supplies potentially pose a health hazard, but exposure assessment remains a complex task. To interpret research findings and monitoring data for THMs, it is important to evaluate spatial and temporal variations in both total THM and the individual constituent compounds (including brominated species). We therefore aimed to determine the concentrations, and spatial and temporal variability of concentrations, of THMs public water supplies in Perth, Western Australia, which is known historically to have high brominated THM concentrations. We analysed water samples from 21 water distribution zones around Perth (including Busselton and Bunbury) across different seasons over a period of two years. A total of 250 samples provided a median total THM of 72 µg/L (range of 0-157 µg/L), which falls well within Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. The concentration of all species, including brominated forms, also fell the World Health Organization's guidelines. Total THM concentrations were typically higher in spring and summer. A high degree of spatial variability was detected and appears to relate to the source water. Both the temporal and spatial variability in THM concentrations have implications for epidemiological studies, and monitoring.

Iodine and bromine in fish consumed by indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic.

Fish muscle may constitute one of the main sources of iodine (I) for the indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic, although limited information is available about its content in commonly consumed fish species. In the current study, bromine (Br), I, the essential elements (copper, selenium and zinc) and other non-essential elements - specifically mercury, arsenic (As), cadmium, lead and nickel - have been quantified in 10 fish species consumed by people living in the Nenets and Chukotka Regions. Fish muscle was analysed by ICP-MS after nitric acid or tetramethylammonium hydroxide digestion. Certified reference materials were employed and concentrations are reported as geometric means (GMs). Atlantic cod (6.32 mg/kg) and navaga (0.934 mg/kg) contained substantially higher amounts of I than all other fish species, while broad whitefish had the lowest (0.033 mg/kg). By comparison, navaga contained more Br (14.5 mg/kg) than the other fish species, ranging 7.45 mg/kg in Atlantic cod to 2.39 mg/kg in northern pike. A significant inter-fish association between As and I in freshwater and marine fish was observed, suggesting common sources and perhaps parallel absorption patterns. Only Atlantic cod and, to lesser extent, navaga constituted significant dietary sources of I.

Colorimetric determination of F-, Br- and I- ions by Ehrlich's bio-reagent oxidation over enzyme mimic like gold nanoparticles: Peroxidase-like activity and multivariate optimization.

Citrate and polyvinyl alcohol capped gold nanoparticles (PVA-GNPs) were synthesized via chemical reduction technique and fully characterized by DLS, SEM, EDS, XRD, UV-Vis and FT-IR analysis. A simple and practical colorimetric sensor based on red-ox reaction of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DABA) as ehrlich's bio-reagent and Au(III) with H2O2 on PVA-GNPs mimic catalyst with enzyme-like activity, has been fabricated for determination of F-, Br- and I- halide anions. Prepared PVA-GNPs, can simultaneously catalyze the disintegration of H2O2, that used to reduce Au(III) ions into co-doped Au-NPs and oxidation of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde ehrlich's bio-reagent while in the presence of halide ions Au-X complex can be formed and improved sensor selectivity. Halide ions (F-, Br- and I-) effectively diminishes the catalytic activity of GNPs to disintegrate oxygenated water by the interaction among Au+ and Au0 and suppressing oxidation of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde ehrlich's bio-reagent. In this system which contains PVA-GNPs, H2O2, p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde ehrlich's bio-reagent, and Au(III), increasing the halide ions (F-, Br- and I-) concentration show color changes from deep green to red. In view of this rule, in this work, a novel colorimetric technique for sensitive determination of F-, Br- and I- was developed. This method has the detection limits of 2.60 × 10-6 M, 6.64 × 10-8 M and 9.93 × 10-9 M and linear ranges between 1.98 × 10-5-1.22 × 10-3 M, 1.99 × 10-6-2.0 × 10-4 M and 1.07 × 10-7- 2.86 × 10-5 M for F-, Br- and I-, respectively. Assays are highly selective over other ions. They effectively applied to detection of halide ions in real water samples.

Ecological influences of the migration of micro resin particles from crushed waste printed circuit boards on the dumping soil.

About 0.8 million tons of resin particles, which were generated from the recovery of waste printed circuit boards, were dumped on soil at Qingyuan city of China. Resin particles not only belong to micro plastic but also contain brominated flame retardants and heavy metals. There is little information about soil pollution caused by the dumped resin particles. This study found resin particles would transfer from soil surface into soil at least 10 mm downward for six months. Average content of bromine in soil within 10 cm exceeded 2500 mg/kg. The highest content of Pb, Zn, and Cu was 3450, 1143 and 1450 mg/kg, which were approximately 6.9, 2.3 and 3.6 times as much as Grade Ⅲ soil standard of China. Micro plastic, brominated flame retardants, and heavy metals made significant effects on soil bacterial community. Bacterial diversity was destroyed and the number of resistant bacteria increased obviously such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and Paracoccus. This paper presented the ecological destroy of soil when the resin particles were deposited on soil surface. It also suggested the government to urgently manage the resin particles produced in the recovery of waste printed circuit boards.

Feasibility of microwave-induced combustion combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for bromine and iodine determination in human nail.

RATIONALE: Bromine and iodine have important physiological functions; however, in inadequate concentration, they can also cause several physiological problems. Their mobility assessment in human organisms through biological sampling may help clarify some doubts related to metabolic routes, which are still not well elucidated. In this context, a suitable analytical method for this purpose should be developed. METHODS: An analytical method for determining ultratrace levels of bromine and iodine in human nail samples was developed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) using a conventional nebulization system was immediately chosen as the determination tool because of its powerful sensitivity and selectivity. Sample preparation methods including microwave-induced combustion (MIC), microwave-assisted extraction, and microwave-assisted digestion were evaluated. The compatibility of the final solutions with ICP-MS analysis was considered while the method was developed. RESULTS: MIC was chosen as the most suitable method for the sample preparation for determining the levels of bromine and iodine in human nail samples using ICP-MS. Unlike other sample preparation methods, this one fully eliminated interferences related to the carbon content and memory effects. Sample masses up to 100 mg were efficiently digested, and the analytes were quantitatively absorbed using only 50 mmol L-1 NH4 OH solution. Recoveries ranged from 93% to 102%, and the relative standard deviation was < 8%. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed analytical method presents important characteristics for routine analysis. It allows ultratrace determination even when low sample masses are used because of the low blank values, reduced volume of reagents, and powerful detectability using ICP-MS.

Risk associated with increasing bromide in drinking water sources in Yancheng City, China.

The bromide concentration in water source (WS) of Yancheng City in China increased unexpectedly due to industrial discharge and saltwater intrusion, which leads to the formation of trihalomethane (THMs) in finished water of water treatment plants (WTP), especially brominated THMs. In Yancheng City, drinking water is supplied by WTP1 and WTP2, primarily sourced by WS1 and WS2, respectively. In this paper, the seasonal variations of bromide in WS1 and WS2 and THMs species in WTP1 and WTP2 were analyzed and compared. The effects of bromide in WS on THMs formation in finished water of WTP in terms of bromine substitution factor (BSF) were simulated by statistical linear model. Although the THMs concentrations in WTP1 were approximate to that in WTP2, the brominated THMs concentrations in WTP1 were higher than that in WTP2 due to higher bromide concentration in WS1 than WS2. The cancer risk analysis indicated that THMs' species of DBCM is the dominant THMs for WTP1 as well as WTP2, which can provide more information for WTPs with higher bromide concentration in water source.

Evaluation of Direct Analysis in Real Time - High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (DART-HRMS) for WEEE specific substance determination in polymeric samples.

There is an increased need for quick screening tools enabling the detection of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and in particular brominated flame retardants (BFRs), in polymeric materials. Unfortunately, common laboratory techniques might face matrix effects or encounter long sample preparation times. Therefore, an ambient desorption mass spectrometric technique such as Direct Analysis in Real Time - High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (DART-HRMS) might provide fast BFR identification in polymeric objects. Within this pilot-study, the potential of DART-HRMS for the detection of WEEE fractions has been tested on WEEE impacted consumer goods such as toys and food contact articles. The identification of polymeric material containing WEEE to date has relied on measuring multiple parameters such as; polymer purity, bromine and antimony content, as well as presence of rare earth elements (REEs). In this respect DART-HRMS demonstrated an excellent ability to identify BFRs in samples at WEEE relevant concentrations, and in certain cases, volatile antimony species could be detected. DART-HRMS can be used complementary to X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy and thermal desorption GC-MS. However, more efforts to characterize DART-HRMS sensitivity limits for antimony detection are needed to ensure DART-HRMS adds value as a stand-alone screening technique for WEEE in contaminated polymers and consumer goods.

Towards integrating toxicity characterization into environmental studies: case study of bromine in soils.

AbstractPollution from bromine and some of its related compounds is currently unregulated in soil from Russia and other countries, and tools for sound assessment of environmental impacts of bromine contamination are largely missing. Hence, assessing potential implications for humans and ecosystems of bromine soil contamination is urgently needed, which requires the combination of measured soil concentrations from environmental studies and quantified potential toxicity impacts. To address this need, we used data from an experimental study assessing bromine in soils (384 samples) of Tomsk oblast, Russia, starting from measured concentrations obtained by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis in an earlier study. From these data, we calculated the bromine mass in soils and used these as starting point to characterize related cumulative impacts on human health and ecosystems in the Tomsk region, using a global scientific consensus model for screening-level comparative toxicity characterization of chemical emissions. Results show that the combination of sampling methodology with toxicity characterization techniques presents a new approach to be used in environmental studies aimed at environmental assessment and analysis of a territory. Our results indicate that it is important to account for substance-specific chemical reaction pathways and transfer processes, as well as to consider region-specific environmental characteristics. Our approach will help complement environmental assessment results with environmental sustainability elements, to consider potential tradeoffs in impacts, related to soil pollution, in support of improved emission and pollution reduction strategies.