US EPA

2241702 

Journal Article 

UV-induced formation of bromophenols from polybrominated diphenyl ethers 

Bendig, P; Vetter, W 

2013 

1 

Environmental Science & Technology
ISSN: 0013-936X
EISSN: 1520-5851 

American Chemical Society 

Easton 

47 

8 

3665-3670 

English 

23472584 

10.1021/es304785f 

WOS:000317813400016 

https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/uv-induced-formation-bromophenols-polybrominated/docview/2000223331/se-2?accountid=171501
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Bromophenols (BPs) are both man-made industrial compounds and naturally produced secondary metabolites of algae and sponges. This study explored the formation of BPs by UV irradiation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Simulated sunlight (10-80 min) and natural sunlight irradiations (5 days) of BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, BDE-196, and technical octabromodiphenyl ether (DE-79) generated hydrodebrominated PBDEs along with up to 0.7-4 mass % BPs. UV absorption spectra were recorded to show that the para-substituted PBDEs and BPs are those predominately transformed because this structural feature causes a significant bathochromic shift of λmax to higher wavelength. A decrease of higher brominated BPs in favor of lower brominated BPs was observed with time. All possible substitution patterns on the BPs formed by the cleavage of the parent PBDEs and respective hydrodebromination products were observed. The main di- and tribromophenols detected were 2,4-diBP > 2,5-diBP and 2,4,6-triBP > 2,4,5-triBP on average. The irradiation conditions were similar to real-world scenarios and emphasized the environmental relevance of these photolysis products of PBDEs. The meta-substituted BPs can be used as markers to distinguish photolytic PBDE transformation products from naturally produced BPs, which exclusively feature bromo-substitutents in ortho- and para-positions. 

article; absorption; algae; irradiation; lighting; photolysis; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; secondary metabolites; solar radiation; ultraviolet radiation; wavelengths