Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Mendoza River basin and el Carrizal reservoir: levels distribution and correlation with physico-chemical variables

ALTAMIRANO, JORGELINA C.; FONTANA, ARIEL R.; WUILLOUD, RODOLFO G.

Kioto

Simposio; V INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS; 2010

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have become an issue of global contamination concern. PBDEs have been used extensively over the past two decades as additive brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in most types of polymers applied to electronic equipment, plastics, textiles, building materials, carpets, vehicles and aircrafts (Allchin et al., 1999). BFRs are used to prevent ignition of the polymer and to slow the initial phase of combustion. However, they are one of the most prominent and persistent environmental pollutants, which have adverse effects on human health and wild life. Little information is found in the international literature on PBDEs in environmental systems of South America. It includes information about PBDEs presence in salmon and air samples from Chile (Pozo et al., 2004; Montory and Barra, 2006); and skipjack tuna and human breast adipose tissue from Brazil (Ueno et al., 2004; Kalantzi et al., 2009). Nevertheless there is not information about PBDEs in Argentina. The aim of the present work was to investigate PBDEs presence in Argentine environment. The first approach was across the study of the sediment of Mendoza River basin and El Carrizal reservoir. Additional physico-chemical analysis, including sample pH, electrical conductivity (C.E.), total organic matter (O.M) and characterization of the organic matter by infrared spectrometry were carried out. The information was analyzed using multivariate analysis in order to identify a possible correlation between those variables and presence of PBDEs for the analyzed samples. The working hypothesis was: PBDEs levels and distribution in the basin are related to anthropogenic intervention.