Decabromodiphenyl ether

Decabromodiphenyl ether (also known as decaBDE, deca-BDE, DBDE, deca, decabromodiphenyl oxide, DBDPO, or bis(pentabromophenyl) ether) is a brominated flame retardant which belongs to the group of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Decabromodiphenyl ether (also known as decaBDE, deca-BDE, DBDE, deca, decabromodiphenyl oxide, DBDPO, or bis(pentabromophenyl) ether) is a brominated flame retardant which belongs to the group of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Commercial decaBDE is a technical mixture of different PBDE congeners, with PBDE congener number 209 (decabromodiphenyl ether) and nonabromodiphenyl ether being the most common. The term decaBDE alone refers to only decabromodiphenyl ether, the single 'fully brominated' PBDE. DecaBDE is a flame retardant. The chemical 'is always used in conjunction with antimony trioxide' in polymers, mainly in 'high impact polystyrene (HIPS) which is used in the television industry for cabinet backs.' DecaBDE is also used for 'polypropylene drapery and upholstery fabric' by means of backcoating and 'may also be used in some synthetic carpets.' The annual demand worldwide was estimated as 56,100 tonnes in 2001, of which the Americas accounted for 24,500 tonnes, Asia 23,000 tonnes, and Europe 7,600 tonnes. In 2012 between 2500 and 5000 metric tonnes of Deca-BDE was sold in Europe. As of 2007, Albemarle in the U.S., Chemtura in the U.S., ICL-IP in Israel, and Tosoh Corporation in Japan are the main manufacturers of DecaBDE. As stated in a 2006 review, 'Deca-BDE has long been characterized as an environmentally stable and inert product that was not capable of degradation in the environment, not toxic, and therefore of no concern.' However, 'some scientists had not particularly believed that Deca-BDE was so benign, particularly as evidence to this effect came largely from the industry itself.' One problem in studying the chemical was that 'the detection of Deca-BDE in environmental samples is difficult and problematic'; only in the late 1990s did 'analytical advances... allow DecaBDE is released by different processes into the environment, such as emissions from manufacture of decaBDE-containing products and from the products themselves. Elevated concentrations can be found in air, water, soil, food, sediment, sludge, and dust. A 2006 study concluded 'in general, environmental concentrations of BDE-209 appear to be increasing.' An important scientific issue is whether decaBDE debrominates in the environment to PBDE congeners with fewer bromine atoms, since such PBDE congeners may be more toxic than decaBDE itself. Debromination may be 'biotic' (caused by biological means) or 'abiotic' (caused by nonbiological means). The European Union (EU) in May 2004 stated 'the formation of PBT/vPvB substances in the environment as a result of degradation is a possibility that cannot be quantified based on current knowledge.' In September 2004 an Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) report asserted that 'DecaBDE seems to be largely resistant to environmental degradation.' In May 2006, the EPHA Environment Network (now The Health and Environment Alliance) released a report reviewing the available scientific literature and concluding the following: Subsequently, many studies have been published concerning decaBDE debromination. Common anaerobic soil bacteria debrominated decaBDE and octaBDE in a 2006 study. In 2006-2007 studies, metabolic debromination of decaBDE was demonstrated in fish, birds, cows, and rats. A 2007 study by La Guardia and colleagues measured PBDE congeners 'from a wastewater treatment plant (sludge) to receiving stream sediments and associated aquatic biota'; it 'support the hypothesis that metabolic debromination of -209 does occur in the aquatic environment under realistic conditions.' In another 2007 study, Stapleton and Dodder exposed 'both a natural and a BDE 209 spiked dust material' to sunlight, and found 'nonabrominated congeners' and 'octabrominated congeners' consistent with debromination of decaBDE in the environment.