Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China
Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are a class of substances that pose potential risks to human health and ecosystems due to their large-scale production, wide range of applications, and ubiquitous presence in the environment. With their potential for long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT), O...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500051X |
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| author | Haibao Zhu Jinlin Hu Zheng Ruan Danhua Liu Meirong Zhao |
| author_facet | Haibao Zhu Jinlin Hu Zheng Ruan Danhua Liu Meirong Zhao |
| author_sort | Haibao Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are a class of substances that pose potential risks to human health and ecosystems due to their large-scale production, wide range of applications, and ubiquitous presence in the environment. With their potential for long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT), OPFR pollution in high-altitude areas has become an increasing concern. Herein, a general pretreatment method for OPFRs across various sample matrices was established and combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), utilizing a programmed temperature ramp in the vaporization chamber to enable high-throughput detection of OPFRs in various environmental matrices. OPFRs were quantified in soil, grass, tree bark, and wild rat liver samples collected from Qinghai, China (elevation: 2657–4635 m), and their occurrence and bioaccumulation behaviors were systematically investigated. All samples were contaminated with OPFRs, with ∑OPFR concentrations showing the trend of rat liver (mean: 439 ng/g, median: 420 ng/g) > grass (mean: 338 ng/g, median: 273 ng/g) > soil (mean: 190 ng/g, median: 162 ng/g) > tree bark (mean: 125 ng/g, median: 116 ng/g). Paired sample Spearman correlation analysis showed that soil ∑OPFRs were significantly positively correlated with grass ∑OPFRs (P = 0.0023), indicating that soil is the main source of OPFRs in grass. Among soil, grass, tree bark, and rat liver samples, tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) had the highest contribution rates to ∑OPFRs, with cumulative contributions of 60.9 %, 48.6 %, 76.5 %, and 71.1 %, respectively, indicating that the proportion of industrial sources of OPFRs reaching this area through LRAT is relatively high. Biomagnification factor (BMF) analysis revealed that ∑OPFRs exhibited significant bioaccumulation and biomagnification effects within the soil-grass-rat terrestrial food chain. The ecological risk assessment results indicated that ∑OPFRs in the soil of the study area pose a high ecological risk, with aryl-OPFRs posing the greatest risk. Our findings provide a crucial foundation for further investigation into the contamination and bioaccumulation characteristics of OPFRs in high-altitude regions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ebe3884c65d45a9942455ca90ae349f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ebe3884c65d45a9942455ca90ae349f2025-01-23T05:26:12ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01289117715Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, ChinaHaibao Zhu0Jinlin Hu1Zheng Ruan2Danhua Liu3Meirong Zhao4School of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, PR China; Corresponding author.Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, PR ChinaSchool of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, PR ChinaSchool of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, PR ChinaOrganophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are a class of substances that pose potential risks to human health and ecosystems due to their large-scale production, wide range of applications, and ubiquitous presence in the environment. With their potential for long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT), OPFR pollution in high-altitude areas has become an increasing concern. Herein, a general pretreatment method for OPFRs across various sample matrices was established and combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), utilizing a programmed temperature ramp in the vaporization chamber to enable high-throughput detection of OPFRs in various environmental matrices. OPFRs were quantified in soil, grass, tree bark, and wild rat liver samples collected from Qinghai, China (elevation: 2657–4635 m), and their occurrence and bioaccumulation behaviors were systematically investigated. All samples were contaminated with OPFRs, with ∑OPFR concentrations showing the trend of rat liver (mean: 439 ng/g, median: 420 ng/g) > grass (mean: 338 ng/g, median: 273 ng/g) > soil (mean: 190 ng/g, median: 162 ng/g) > tree bark (mean: 125 ng/g, median: 116 ng/g). Paired sample Spearman correlation analysis showed that soil ∑OPFRs were significantly positively correlated with grass ∑OPFRs (P = 0.0023), indicating that soil is the main source of OPFRs in grass. Among soil, grass, tree bark, and rat liver samples, tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) had the highest contribution rates to ∑OPFRs, with cumulative contributions of 60.9 %, 48.6 %, 76.5 %, and 71.1 %, respectively, indicating that the proportion of industrial sources of OPFRs reaching this area through LRAT is relatively high. Biomagnification factor (BMF) analysis revealed that ∑OPFRs exhibited significant bioaccumulation and biomagnification effects within the soil-grass-rat terrestrial food chain. The ecological risk assessment results indicated that ∑OPFRs in the soil of the study area pose a high ecological risk, with aryl-OPFRs posing the greatest risk. Our findings provide a crucial foundation for further investigation into the contamination and bioaccumulation characteristics of OPFRs in high-altitude regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500051XOPFRsHigh-altitude areaOccurrenceBioaccumulationEcological risk |
| spellingShingle | Haibao Zhu Jinlin Hu Zheng Ruan Danhua Liu Meirong Zhao Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety OPFRs High-altitude area Occurrence Bioaccumulation Ecological risk |
| title | Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China |
| title_full | Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China |
| title_fullStr | Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China |
| title_short | Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China |
| title_sort | occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high altitude regions a comprehensive field survey in qinghai province china |
| topic | OPFRs High-altitude area Occurrence Bioaccumulation Ecological risk |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500051X |
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