Review of contamination of sewage sludge and amended soils by polybrominated diphenyl ethers based on meta-analysis

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are still present in sewage sludge and sludge-amended soil, even though commercial PBDEs were prohibited or voluntarily phased out several years ago. In this study, levels and compositional profiles of seven major PBDE congeners in sludge are assessed in relation to their usage patterns in commercial products, and years of being banned and phased out in North America, Europe, and Asia. Annual accumulations and future long-term changes of PBDE in sludge-amended soil are estimated. BDE-209 has the highest concentration, followed by BDE-99 and BDE-47. The highest concentrations, up to 23,500 ng g⁻¹, of PBDEs in sludge were found in North America until 2004–2007, whereas since then sludge PBDE concentrations, up to 6600 ng g⁻¹ have been higher in Asia than on the other two continents. The amount of sludge applied and the soil organic matter content play important roles in determining PBDE concentrations in sludge-amended soil. The estimated concentrations of BDE-47, -99, and -209 in soils receiving sludge applications during the past 15 years are 40–300 times higher than in soils after the initial sludge application. The accumulated concentrations of BDE-47 and BDE-99 are expected to decrease by 99% between 2016 and 2100, whereas the decrease in the BDE-209 concentration is predicted to be approximately 87%. - Highlights: • PBDE levels in sludge were highest in North America until 2004-2007. • Since 2007, PBDE concentrations in sludge have been highest in Asia. • BDE-209 has the highest concentration in sludge, followed by BDE-99 and -47. • The concentration of BDE-209 in soil is predicted to decrease by 87% by 2100. - Past and future PBDE concentrations in sewage sludge and sludge-amended soils are compared and predicted.