Interim report of the HELCOM CORESET project

72
need to be revisited in light of progress of EQS development in the EU and experience gained in their environmental
application.
All the proposed core indicators are listed in the summary table below and the following sections will provide
descriptions of the proposed core indicators, including background documentation. Each core indicator has
been given a separate section, following the numbering of the summary table.
Table 3.1. Proposed core indicators for hazardous substances and their effects.
Proposed core indicators Parameters
Polybrominated biphenyl ethers Congeners 28, 47, 99, 100, 153,154.
Hexabromocyclododacene Hexabromocyclododacene (HBCD)
Perfl uorooctane sulphonate Perfl uorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)
Polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins and furans CB congeners 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180.
WHO-TEQ of dioxins and furans and dioxin-like PCBs.
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons and their metabolites The US EPA 16 PAHs in bivalves and sediment and
selected metabolites in fi sh.
Metals Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)
Radioactive substances Caesium-137
Tributyltin compounds / imposex index Tributyltin and/or imposex index
Pharmaceuticals Diclofenac and 17-alpha-ethinylestradiol
General stress indicator Lysosomal membrane stability
General stress indicator for fi sh Fish disease index
Genotoxicity indicator Micronucleus induction
Reproductive disorders Malformed embryos of eelpout and amphipods
3.1. Poly Brominated Diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
General information 11
Author: Jaakko Mannio
Acknowledged persons:
Anders Bignert, Elin Boalt, Anna Brzozowska, Galina
Garnaga, Michael Haarich, Jenny Hedman, Ulrike
Kamman, Thomas Lang, Martin M. Larsen, Kari
Lehtonen, Rita Poikane, Rolf Schneider, Doris Schiedek,
Jakob Strand, Joanna Szlinder-Richert, Tamara Zalewska
General properties (e.g. herbicide, lipophilic, bioaccumulating, persistence, volatile)
The polybrominated diphenyl ethers (polyBDE) are diphenyl ethers with degrees of bromination varying
from 2 to 10. Among these polyBDEs which are mainly used as fl ame retardants, three are available commercially:
“pentaBDE commercial product”, “octaBDE commercial product” and “decaBDE commercial
product”. However, these products are all a mixtures of diphenyl ethers as shown in the table hereunder.
Therefore, to differentiate “pentaBDE commercial product” and “octaBDE commercial product” from
“pentaBDE substance” and “octaBDE substance”, respectively, these commercial products will be referred
to as “c-pentaBDE” and “c-octaBDE” in the present fact sheet.
All polyBDE’s are hydrophobic or very hydrophobic substances, are very likely to adsorb on particulate matter
and not likely to volatilize from water phase. PBDEs have the potential to photodegrade in the environment.
11 Following mostly the EU/CIRCA WFD /WGE draft dossier 22 Dec 2010