Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Baseline Studies Of Selected Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers In The Air Of The Nandamojo Watershed, Costa Rica, Mary Sophia Geesey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants in a number of common household and commercial products around the world. PBDEs enter the environment in a variety of ways, such as through emissions, leaching from end-of-life electronics in landfills, and incineration. While many countries have phased out the manufacturing of penta-, octa-, and deca-PBDEs or have banned the manufacture and use of these congeners altogether, these persistent organic pollutants (POPs) continue to be detected in humans and the environment.

This study investigates spatial and temporal variations of selected PBDEs in the air of the Nandamojo watershed area in …