Occurrence and levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in recent sediments and marine organisms from Xiamen offshore areas, China

Surface sediments and porewater from 12 sites within Xiamen offshore areas and organisms from a heavily contaminated site Yuandang Lagoon were sampled and analyzed for eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congeners (-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, -183 and -209). The total concentrations of eight PBDEs (∑8PBDEs) and BDE-209 in sediments ranged from 0.27 to 76.54 ng/g with an average of 16.31 ng/g and from 0.10 to 70.11 ng/g with an average of 14.94 ng/g, respectively. Concentrations of ∑8PBDEs in porewater ranged from 2.5 to 34.1 ng/L, with a mean value of 15.3 ng/L. In this study, the partition coefficients (log K oc ′ ) of PBDE congeners (without -209) were significantly correlated with their octanol–water partition coefficients (log KOW) (r2 = 0.74, P < 0.01). ∑8PBDE concentrations ranged from 0.33 to 1.26 ng/g (lipid weight) in marine organisms, and PBDE congener patterns were significantly different between fish and clam, crab.