Tetrabromobisphenol A and hexabromocyclododecanes in sediments from fishing ports along the coast of South China: Occurrence, distribution and ecological risk

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) have attracted extensive attention due to their strong persistence and toxicity. However, little has been known about their pollution status in fishing ports, which are typical sinks of land-sourced pollutants. In this study, we investigated the occurrence, distribution and ecological risk of TBBPA and HBCDDs in sediments from fishing ports along the coast of South China. The concentrations of TBBPA and EHBCDD (sum of alpha-, 13-, and gamma-HBCDD) in the fishing-port sediments were in the ranges of 0.02-21.5 ng/g dw and 1.06-14.1 ng/g dw, respectively. gamma-HBCDD was the predominant diastereoisomer in most fishing-port sediments. The enantiomeric analysis indicated a preferential enrichment of (-)-enantiomers for alpha-, 13-, and gamma-HBCDD. The geographical location of fishing ports is a significant determinant of distribution for TBBPA and HBBCDs. The concentrations of TBBPA and HBCDDs in fishing-port sediments were strongly associated with local population density, but weakly correlated with total organic carbon content of the

Automated summary

This study investigated the pollution status of TBBPA and HBCDDs in sediments from fishing ports along the coast of South China. The concentrations of TBBPA and HBCDDs were strongly associated with local population density, but weakly correlated with total organic carbon content. γ-HBCDD was found to be the predominant diastereoisomer in the sediments.