A 21-year record of methoxylated and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediments from the East China Sea

Sediments are major sinks for organic pollutants and therefore can be used as archives of pollutant history. Methoxylated (MeO-) and hydroxylated (OH-) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are of increasing concern because of their potential toxicity and worldwide distribution. However, there is limited information on these compounds in marine environments. Here we determined the contents of nine MeO-PBDE, ten OH-PBDE and total organic carbon in a sediment core collected from the inner shelf of the East China Sea in 2009. The historical trends of 6-MeO-BDE47, 6-OH-BDE47 and total organic carbon were reconstructed. Our results show that 6-MeO-BDE47 concentrations present no significant trend from 1987 to 2005 and then increase from 2005 to 2008. 6-OH-BDE47 concentrations generally increase slightly from 1987 to the end of the 1990s and then decrease. Comparisons between 6-OH-BDE47 and 6-MeO-BDE47 as well as total organic carbon suggest that 6-OH-BDE47 is mainly from terrigenous inputs.