Organophosphate
and Halogenated Flame Retardants in
Atmospheric Particles from a European Arctic Site
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Abstract
Levels
of 13 organophosphate esters (OPEs) and 45 brominated and
chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs) were measured in particle phase
atmospheric samples collected at Longyearbyen on Svalbard in the European
Arctic from September 2012 to May 2013. Total OPE (ΣOPEs) concentrations
ranged from 33 to 1450 pg/m<sup>3</sup>, with the mean ΣOPE
concentration of 430 ± 57 pg/m<sup>3</sup>. The nonchlorinated
tri-<i>n</i>-butyl phosphate (TnBP) and 2-ethylhexyl-diphenyl
phosphate (EHDPP) were the most abundant OPE congeners measured, and
the sum of all nonchlorinated OPE concentrations comprised ∼75%
of the ΣOPE concentrations. The most abundant chlorinated OPE
was <i>tris</i>(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP). Total
BFR concentrations (ΣBFRs) were in the range of 3–77
pg/m<sup>3</sup>, with a mean concentration of 15 ± 3 pg/m<sup>3</sup>. 2-Ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and <i>bis</i>(2-ethylhexyl)tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) were among the
relatively abundant BFRs measured in these samples and comprised ∼46%
and 17% of ΣBFR concentrations, respectively. Total PBDE (ΣPBDE)
concentrations constituted ∼37% of ΣBFR concentrations
on average and ranged from 1 to 31 pg/m<sup>3</sup>. The most abundant
PBDE congener was BDE-209, which contributed 24% to ΣPBDE concentrations.
Dechlorane Plus (DP) was detected in all of the samples, and ΣDP
concentrations (<i>syn</i>- + <i>anti</i>-DP concentrations)
ranged from 0.05 to 5 pg/m<sup>3</sup>. Overall, ΣOPE concentrations
were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than the ΣBFR concentrations