Chemicals of concern in plastic marine debris: Hexabromocyclododecanes in expanded polystyrene products

Abstract

Plastic marine debris contains numerous organic chemicals such as adsorbed hydrophobic chemicals and additives.Adsorbed chemicals are adsorbed from surrounding water due to their high affinity towards hydrophobic surface ofplastic, and additives are added during manufacture in order to enhance the performance of plastics. However, ourunderstanding about what are the chemicals of high concern along with their ecological impact is very poor. Wehave detected large amounts of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in expanded polystyrene (EPS) buoys strandedalong the coasts of South Korea. HBCD is currently the most widely used brominated flame retardants. Due to itspotential toxicity, environmental persistence, bioaccumulative tendencies and long-range transportability, HBCDhas been added to the list of global elimination compounds under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent OrganicPollutants in 2013. The concentration of HBCD in the outside layer was lower than that of inside the buoys, whichindicates leaching of HBCD from the surface of the buoys throughout their lifetime. HBCD was also measuredin small sized EPS spherules spreading over the coasts. Through laboratory and field experiment, it is observedthat HBCD can easily and quickly leach out from the surface of EPS buoy to surrounding water and enriched innearby environment and aquatic species. The occurrence of HBCD in EPS buoys and its fragments additives are added during manufacture in order to enhance the performance of plastics. However, ourunderstanding about what are the chemicals of high concern along with their ecological impact is very poor. Wehave detected large amounts of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in expanded polystyrene (EPS) buoys strandedalong the coasts of South Korea. HBCD is currently the most widely used brominated flame retardants. Due to itspotential toxicity, environmental persistence, bioaccumulative tendencies and long-range transportability, HBCDhas been added to the list of global elimination compounds under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent OrganicPollutants in 2013. The concentration of HBCD in the outside layer was lower than that of inside the buoys, whichindicates leaching of HBCD from the surface of the buoys throughout their lifetime. HBCD was also measuredin small sized EPS spherules spreading over the coasts. Through laboratory and field experiment, it is observedthat HBCD can easily and quickly leach out from the surface of EPS buoy to surrounding water and enriched innearby environment and aquatic species. The occurrence of HBCD in EPS buoys and its fragments