Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated organic compounds
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are brominated organic compounds which consist of two brominated aromatic rings but differ in number (1-10) and site of the bromine atoms (congeners). In total 209 congeners exist. However, not all congeners are commercially relevant.
PBDEs are used as additive flame retardants since the 1960s. They are found in a wide variety of products, e.g. electrical and electronic devices, polyurethane foams, plastics, textiles, building materials and thermoplastics.
Here mainly three technical mixture are used, namely PentaBDE, OctaBDE and DecaBDE which differ in their mean number of bromium atoms.
During processing and use PBDEs may enter the environment.
PentaBDE typically consists of 50 - 60% pentaBDE, 24 - 38% tetraBDE, and 4 - 8% hexaBDE. Its main components are the congeners BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100 and BDE-153.
OctaBDE consists of ≤12% hexaBDE, ≤45% HeptaBDE, ≤33% OctaBDE, ≤10% NonaBDE and ≤0.7% DecaBDE. The dominant congeners are BDE-183 and BDE-153.
DecaBDE consists of 97 - 98% BDE-209 and 0.3 - 3% lesser brominated congeners (mainly nonabromodiphenyl ethers). DecaBDE is the most widely used PBDE-flame retardant.Recent studies suggest that decaBDE is slowly photodegraded into lesser brominated but more toxic and higher bioaccumulative congeners.
Many of these compounds are persistent and bioaccumulative. Especially the lower brominated congeners which are abundant in the technical mixtures PentaBDE and OctaBDE are highly toxic and are suspected to be carcinogenic and endocrine disruptive.
For these reasons PentaBDE and OctaBDE are banned in the EU since 2004. In 2008 the use of DecaBDE was restricted. Moreover, in 2009, hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether as well as tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether were included in Annex A of the Stockholm POP Convention (ban of production).
Substances
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2,4,4'-TriBDE (BDE-28)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',4,4'-TetraBDE (BDE-47)PBDE congener with 4 bromine atoms. Main component of technical pentaBDE
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2,2',4,4',5-PentaBDE (BDE-99)PBDE congener with 5 bromine atoms. Main component of technical pentaBDE
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2,2',4,4',6-PentaBDE (BDE-100)PBDE congener with 5 bromine atoms. Component of technical pentaBDE
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2,2',4,4',5,5'-HexaBDE (BDE-153)PBDE congener with 6 bromine atoms. Component of technical pentaBDE
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2,2',4,4',5,6'-HexaBDE (BDE-154)PBDE congener with 6 bromine atoms. Minor component of technical pentaBDE
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2,3',4,4'-TetraBDE (BDE-66)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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DecaBDE (BDE-209)Brominated flame retardant with BDE-209 as main component
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2,2',3',4,4',5',6-HeptaBDE (BDE-183)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2’,4,5’-TetraBDE (BDE-49)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',4-Tribromodiphenyl ether (TriBDE) (BDE-17)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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3,3',4,4'- TetraBDE (BDE-77)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,4,4'-Pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE) (BDE-85)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,3',4',6-TetraBDE (BDE-71)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,4,4',5'-Hexabromo diphenylether (HexaBDE) (BDE-138)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6'-Octabromodiphenyl ether (OctaBDE) (BDE-196)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,3',4,4',6,6'-OctaBDE (BDE-197)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6-Nonabromdiphenyl ether (NonaBDE)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6,6'-NonaBDE (BDE-207)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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3,3',4,4',5-PentaBDE (BDE-126)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,3',4,4',6-PentaBDE (BDE-119)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,2',3,4,4',6,6'-HeptaBDE (BDE-184)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,3,3',4,4',5',6-HeptaBDE (BDE-191)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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2,3,3',4,4',5-HexaBDE (BDE-156)Specific congener of the group of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
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Sum of PBDE congeners (EQS compliant)According to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), brominated diphenyl ethers are subject to an environmental quality standard (EQS) of 0.0085 ng/g in biota. The biota EQS refers to fish and applies to the sum of the congeners BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153 and BDE-154.
Specimen
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Bioindicator in rivers and lakes
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Fine insoluble mineral or organic particles in the water phase
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One of the most important edible mussel species common in the North and Baltic Sea
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As the only viviparous fish in German nearshore waters, it is a bioindicator in nearshore coastal marine ecosystems.
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Inshore, the herring gull mainly feeds from the sea: upon fish, mussels, and crabs.
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A major primary producer in semi-natural and anthropogenic affected ecosystems.
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A major primary producer in semi-natural and anthropogenic affected ecosystems.
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A deciduous tree typical of ecosystems close to dense conurbations and an indicator for the characterisation of the immission situation during the vegetation period.
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As the most dominant deciduous tree species in Central Europe, it plays a significant role in most nearly natural and also anthropogenically influenced forest ecosystems up to an altitude of 1100 m.
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The roe deer is the most common of the larger herbivores (first order-consumer) to be found in the wild in Europe.
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As an organism living at ground level, it is a major driver of the decomposition of organic material (e.g. plant litter).
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As an organism living at ground level, it is a major driver of the decomposition of organic material (e.g. plant litter).
Sampling area
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The only high mountains national park in Germany and an area of the Limestone Alps with international relevance
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Important, old-industrialised conurbation in Germany.
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Main water divide between the North- and Baltic Sea
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Longest river in Germany
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Germany's first national park
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National Park in the largest brackish water (Bodden) habitat of the world.
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National park in the world largest connected sand and mud flats.
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Fourth largest river basin in Central Europe
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Region in the chemical triangle of Central Germany
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Germany's largest forest national park
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Second highest and largest low mountain range in Northern Germany
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Germany's largest connected forest area in a range of low mountains
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The Upper Bavarian Tertiary Uplands are a part of the Southern German Molasse Basin
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Second largest river in Europe
Sampling period
1985 - 2017