Formation of 2'-hydroxy-2,3',4,5'-tetrabromodipheyl ether (2'-HO-BDE68) from 2,4-dibromophenol in aqueous solution under simulated sunlight irradiation.

Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (HO-PBDEs) have received significant attention due to their toxicities and universal presence in the environmental matrices. However, their origins are not fully understood. We explored the feasibility of the generation of HO-PBDEs through photochemical processes from bromophenol, a commonly detected pollutant with anthropogenic source in freshwater and natural source in the marine environment. The results showed that when 2,4-dibromophenol (2,4-diBP) was irradiated in aquatic solutions under simulated sunlight, significant amounts of 2'-hydroxy-2,3',4,5'-tetrabromodipheyl ether (2'-HO-BDE68) were rapidly formed as the dimeric product of 2,4-diBP. The formation of 2'-HO-BDE68 intensified with the increase of light intensity and with the initial concentration increase of 2,4-diBP, whereas it weakened with an increase in pH. Moreover, Fe(III) and fulvic acid played important roles in the formation of 2'-HO-BDE68. This study provides important insight into a possible source of HO-PBDEs from bromophenols in natural aquatic systems through photochemical approaches.