Dynamics of brominated flame retardants removal in contaminated wastewater sewage sludge under anaerobic conditions.

Disposal of solid waste to landfills from waste water sewage treatment plants (WWTPs) serves as a potential source of contamination by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). Native microbial communities have been found to degrade a variety of xenobiotics, such as PBDEs and HBCDs. This study investigates the potential of autochthonous microflora to remove 11 PBDE congeners and HBCDs in waste water sludge under anaerobic conditions.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and other halogenated compounds in fish from the upper Labe River basin.

This study summarizes results on levels of 25 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), three hexabromocyclododecane isomers (HBCDs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), three brominated phenols and four hydroxylated derivates of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) in 59fish samples collected in nine localities on two major rivers from the Czech Republic. To identify potential sources of these chemicals, several sampling sites located close to highly industrialized areas were also involved. The major PFAS representatives, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), C9-C14 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) were detected in 100% fish samples.

Brominated flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances in sediments from the Czech aquatic ecosystem.

This study reports results of analysis of various groups of halogenated chemicals, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs), such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in 31 sediment samples collected in different localities of the Czech Republic. In this survey, identification of potential sources of these compounds was also performed; therefore several sampling sites located in highly industrialized areas were involved. Concentrations of target groups of analytes determined in sediments from several Czech rivers examined within this study decreased in the following order: decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) >>> TBBPA~HBCDs~linear perfluorooctane sulfonate (L-PFOS)>other PBDEs~perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs)~perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA).

Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in various food items of animal origin collected in four European countries.

This study summarises the results of the levels of 21 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in 50 selected pooled samples representing 15 food commodities with the special focus on those of animal origin, as meat, seafood, fish, milk, dairy products and hen eggs, which are commonly consumed in various European markets, e.g. Czech, Italian, Belgian and Norwegian.