# Chemicals from Brominated Flame Retardants: Analytical Methods, Occurrence, Transport and Risks
## 3 Distribution of BFRs in Different Matrices  
Multiple studies have been conducted on the distribution of BFRs in different matrices including surface sediments, biota, water, food stuffs, air and dust, and soil and human samples. These studies are summarized in Table 2. Data from previous studies highlight the significant variability in concentrations of BFRs across different environmental matrices,with the highest concentrations found in surface sediments from e-waste dismantling regions in China, particularly for PBDEs, which reach up to 401,000 ng/g dw. In contrast, the lowest concentrations are observed for Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in office air and dust in Sweden, at less than 0.1 pg/m3. Other notable high concentrations include PBDEs in surface sediments and NBFRs in water bodies impacted by industrial activities. These findings underscore the impact of improper waste management and industrial activities on environmental contamination and highlight the need for stringent monitoring and regulatory measures to mitigate potential health risks. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**Chemicals** & **Concentration** & **Occurrence** & **Country/Region** & **Reference** \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{**Surface Sediments**} \\ \hline  & ND–12.591 \(\mu\)g/kg & surface sediment & \begin{tabular}{c} Western Guangdong, \\ China \\ \end{tabular} & [15] \\ \cline{2-5}  & 0.02–18.3 \(\mu\)g/kg & surface sediment & South China Coast & [13] \\ \cline{2-5} Tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA) & 19.8–1.52 \(\times\) 10\({}^{4}\) ng/g dw & \
\begin{tabular}{c} A typical waste \\ dismantling site \\ \end{tabular} & China & [14] \\ \cline{2-5}  & 0.003–0.31 ng/g dw, not \\ detected (ND) to 1.11 ng/g & Margrove wetlands & South China & [57] \\ \cline{2-5}  & 0.02–21.5 ng/g dw & Coast land & South China & [13] \\ \hline Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDs): \(\alpha\)-, \(\beta\)-, and \(\gamma\)-HBCD & ND–6.307 \(\mu\)g/kg & surface sediment & South China Coast & [15] \\ \hline Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) & 0.345–401,000 ng/g dw &
7 Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) & 0.581–73,100 ng/g dw & \begin{tabular}{c} A typical e-waste \\ dismantling region \\ \end{tabular} & China & [58] \\ \hline  & **Biota** & & \\ \hline Tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA) & 0.56–22.1 ng/g ww & \begin{tabular}{c} Biota species from two \\ mangrove wetlands \\ \end{tabular} & South China & [57] \\ \hline  & ND–9.83 \(\mu\)g/kg ww & Zooplankton samples & \begin{tabular}{c} Yellow Sea and Bohai \\ Sea, Northern China \\ \end{tabular} & [59] \\ \hline Tetrabromobisphenol-A-bis(2,3,-dibromopropyl ether) & \(<\)LOD-42.8 ng/g ww & \begin{tabular}{c} Herring gull egg pools \\ American \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} Laurentian Great \\ lakes, North \\ American \\ \end{tabular} & [60] \\ \hline  & **Water** & & \\ \hline Tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA) & \begin{tabular}{c} ND–0.46 \(\mu\)g/L \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} surface seawater \\ Weihe River Basin \\ \end{tabular} & China & [61] \\ \cline{2-5}  & 18.5–82.6 ng/L & Baiyang Lake & China & [62] \\ \cline{2-5}  & ND–32.3 ng/L & Surface water & Taihu Lake, China & [63] \\ \hline  & 0.00226–0.00751 ng/L & \begin{tabular}{c} Bohai Sea \\ \end{tabular} & China & [63] \\ \cline{2-5}  & \begin{tabular}{c} ND–71.77 ng/L \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} Surface water \\ \end{tabular} & Taizhou, China & [64] \\ \cline{2-5}  &
\begin{tabular}{c} ND–4.28 ng/L \\ \end{tabular} & Sea & South China & [65] \\ \cline{2-5}  & 0.723–3.796 ng/L & Dongjiang River & China & [66] \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Concentrations of BFRs and associated chemicals in different matrices.