多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)作为一种溴系阻燃剂(BFRs),在多种环境介质和生物体内广泛存在且浓度逐年增加,因而越来越多地受到研究者关注。综合PBDEs各方面研究报道,认为其在环境中存在生物和非生物两种转化方式。非生物转化主要是光降解,即PBDEs在光照条件下可通过自由基反应脱溴生成低溴同系物及多溴联苯呋喃(PBDFs)。生物转化则包括微生物转化、生物体内转化和生物体外代谢,其转化代谢途径除脱溴外,还有醚键断裂、羟基化和羟基化/脱溴等。对PBDEs在环境中不同转化方式的转化速率、转化途径和转化产物等的研究现状进行综述,对今后PBDEs在环境中归趋、生态风险和健康评价研究将起到一定的指导作用。
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) , which are of particular concern due to their ubiquitous presence in environment and increasing environmental concentrations. The transformation of PBDEs in environment can be classified into two ways, abiotic and biotic transformation. The major abiotic transformation is photodegradation, where PBDEs debrominate rapidly under irradiance via radical reactions and lower brominated diphenyl ether and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs) are generated. Biotic transformation of PBDEs includes biotransformation by microorganisms and higher organisms, including human. Besides debromination, ether linkage fission, hydroxylation and hydroxylation/debromination are also metabolic pathways. This paper reviewed the current understanding on the transformation pathways of PBDEs and their products in environment. Suggestions are also given regarding to further study on the fate of PBDEs, and their ecological and health risk assessment.