Hexabromocyclododecane in municipal wastewater treatment plant: Occurrence, fate and potential environmental risks

Wastewater and sewage sludge samples were collected from a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Shanghai, and the concentrations of a frequently detected brominated flame retardant (BFR), namely hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), were determined. In wastewater samples, HBCD was detected in concentrations ranging from 1.2 to 1.7 ng/L, and in sewage sludge, HBCD level was detected to be 2.2 ng/g dry weight, which was in the low end of HBCD levels reported worldwide. The daily releasing loading of HBCD via final effluent and sewage sludge were calculated to be 73 and 70 mg, respectively, suggesting that WWTP could be a potential pollution source of HBCD in municipal environment.