Organophosphate ester flame retardants have reached Arctic Ocean sediments, where there are certainly no couches or car seats to be applied to. This is a surprise to researchers as OPEs were supposed to be less persistent than the previous family of flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). PBDEs were phased out in the early 2000s because they were found to be toxic (interfering with the endocrine system and contaminating mothers’ milk), persistent, travel long distances (contaminating deep ocean ecosystems), and accumulate in the food chain.

OPEs absorb to solid particles in air and are able to ride all the way to the Arctic, shielded from destruction by sunlight. In fact, OPEs were detected at higher levels than PBDEs, suggesting that they are actually able to travel more efficiently.

Scientists are concerned OPEs might meet some but not all of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants’ criteria that was used to add two kinds of PBDEs to their list in 2009, letting them fall through the cracks. There is now some conversation about whether the chemical evaluation process regarding long-range transportation should change in order to take into account this newly understood mode of OPE global transport.

[Source: Chemical & Engineering News]