Organophosphate and Halogenated Flame Retardants in Atmospheric Particles from a European Arctic Site

Levels of 13 organophosphate esters (OPEs) and 45 brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs) were measured in particle phase atmospheric samples collected at Longyearbyen on Svalbard in the European Arctic from September 2012 to May 2013. Total OPE (Sigma OPEs) concentrations ranged from 33 to 1450 pg/m(3), with the mean Sigma OPE concentration of 430 +/- 57 pg/m(3). The nonchlorinated tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) and 2-ethylhexyl-diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) were the most abundant OPE congeners measured, and the sum of all nonchlorinated OPE concentrations comprised similar to 75% of the Sigma OPE concentrations. The most abundant chlorinated OPE was tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP). Total BFR concentrations (Sigma BFRs) were in the range of 3-77 pg/m(3), with a mean concentration of 15 +/- 3 pg/m(3). 2-Ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) were among the relatively abundant BFRs measured in these samples and comprised similar to 46% and 17% of Sigma BFR concentrations, respectively. Total PBDE (Sigma PBDE) concentrations constituted similar to 37% of Sigma BFR concentrations on average and ranged from 1 to 31 pg/m(3). The most abundant PBDE congener was BDE-209, which contributed 24% to Sigma PBDE concentrations. Dechlorane Plus (DP) was detected in all of the samples, and Sigma DP concentrations (syn- + anti-DP concentrations) ranged from 0.05 to 5 pg/m(3). Overall, Sigma OPE concentrations were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the Sigma BFR concentrations.