Investigation of atmospheric polybrominated diphenly ether (PBDE) levels in the metropolis of İstanbul

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of chemicals that resist to degradation or degraded slowly in the environment. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated chemicals used as a flame reterdant to increase the durability of consumer products to ignition. In this study, ambient air concentrations of PBDEs , that the usage and production banned in 2009 under Stockholm Convention. For this purpose active air samples were collected in an urban (Besiktas) and background (Beykoz) location in Istanbul and PBDEs were investigated in gas and particulate phase. Samples were soxhlet extracted concentrated cleaned up and Σ14 PBDE congeners were anlyzed using GC-MS. The total of gas and particulate phase concentrations at urban siteand rural ranged from tsa-59.8 pg/m3 and 2.55-70.4 pg/m3 respectively. Gas phase concentrations are higher than particulate phase concentrations, however congener patterns indicate that both locations are affected by the similar sources. Results of the study showed that, concentrations and congener profiles in backgournd area is even similar to these in urban area which means that such flame retardant chemicals in consumer products are at detectable levels whereever consumers use them. Levels detected in Istanbul were lower compared to levels from other cities in the world. Current study is a pioneering study for the similar studies to be conducted in Istanbul in the future or studies to be conducted in other cities of Turkey.