A passive sampling method for assessing the occurrence and risk of organophosphate flame retardants in aquatic environments

Abstract A modified polar organic chemical integrative sampler (m-POCIS) was used to determine the occurrence of and risk posed by organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in the Yangtze River in Nanjing. Laboratory calibrations were performed to determine sampling rates ( R s ) in different situations. R s values increased with the flow rate, but the effect of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on R s was relatively small. The validation of R s in the m-POCIS for 15 days at the Yangtze River in 2015 showed that the R s values for most of the test compounds are considerably larger than those obtained in the laboratory. The aqueous concentrations of OPFRs were estimated by using R s values obtained in the field. OPFRs were widely distributed in the Yangtze River, with total concentrations as determined by the m-POCIS ranging from 44.95 ng/L to 118.38 ng/L. These suggest their widespread use and persistence in the river. This study also provided a protocol for the assessment of risk posed by OPFRs. It showed that tripentyl phosphate (TPeP) could pose medium risk to daphnia in the Yangtze River.