Measurement of Poly-Brominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDES) in the Air and Water of the Hudson River Estuary (HRE)

In this study, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (BDEs) were measured in atmospheric and water samples collected as part of two projects: the New Jersey Atmospheric Deposition Network (NJADN), and a previous grant from the Hudson River Foundation (HRF 004/99A) designed to measure exchange of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) between air, water and phytoplankton. By re-analyzing samples collected as part of these two research projects, this study generated the first data set on BDE concentrations in the Harbor. This study had several objectives: To quantify BDEs in previously collected samples of air (gas and particulate) and water (dissolved and particulate phases) of the NY/NJ Harbor; To assess the partitioning of BDEs between gas and particle phases in the air and dissolved and particulate phases in Raritan Bay; To estimate the concentrations of BDEs in the phytoplankton of the estuary based on concentrations observed in suspended particulate matter; To investigate temporal trends in atmospheric concentrations of BDEs in the air of the NY/NJ Harbor watershed and compare these to trends observed for other semivolatile organic contaminants such as PCBs and PAHs; To assess the wet (rain) and dry particle atmospheric deposition of BDEs to the NY/NJ Harbor, and; To assess whether BDEs volatilize from or are absorbed by the waters of the NY/NJ Harbor. ; Final report to the Hudson River Foundation (HRF). Grant number 012/02A. Archil Zarnadze, Major Contributor. ; Purpose: To measure Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in atmostpheric and water samples in the Hudson River Estuary region.