Unveiling the impact of lipophilic brominated flame retardants in Danube River sediments: a deep dive into pollution sources and distribution

Authors

  • Maja Brborić University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • Branka Nakomčić Smaragdakis University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • Borivoje Stepanov University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Energy and Process Technique, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • Maja Turk Sekulić University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Novi Sad, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60923/issn.2281-4485/22398

Keywords:

PBDEs, aquatic sediment, Danube River

Abstract

Aquatic sediments serve as both a major sink and a potential secondary source of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants. This study assessed ten PBDE congeners in Danube River sediments (Serbia), addressing their occurrence, spatial distribution, and potential sources. Σ10PBDE concentrations ranged from 0.52 µg/kg dry weight (War Island) to 31.21 µg/kg dry weight (Neštin), with BDE-209 as the predominant congener. Localized dominance of hepta- and penta-BDEs at Neštin and Šangaj suggested site-specific contamination patterns. Comparative analysis indicated levels comparable to or exceeding  those in  other industrialized regions, implicating anthropogenic activities as key contributors. Source apportionment using Principal Component Analysis identified three major pathways: (1) transport and debro-mination of higher-brominated congeners, (2) direct anthropogenic discharge, and (3) improper waste manage-ment. Hierarchical cluster analysis and Kohonen’s self-organizing maps pinpointed Neštin as a pollution hotspot. This study provides the most comprehensive dataset on PBDE contamination in Serbian Danube sediments, establishing a critical baseline for future monitoring and regulatory actions.

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Published

2025-10-13

How to Cite

Brborić, M., Nakomčić Smaragdakis, B., Stepanov, B., & Turk Sekulić, M. (2026). Unveiling the impact of lipophilic brominated flame retardants in Danube River sediments: a deep dive into pollution sources and distribution. EQA - International Journal of Environmental Quality, 71, 51–60. https://doi.org/10.60923/issn.2281-4485/22398

Issue

Vol. 71 (2026)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Maja Brborić, Branka Nakomčić Smaragdakis, Borivoje Stepanov, Maja Turk Sekulić

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.