Occurrence and Partition of Organophosphate Flame Retardants in Seawater and Sediment from the Coastal Areas of East China and Yellow Sea

Organophosphates (OPEs) are manmade organic pollutants that are widely used as flame retardants, plasticizers, and antifoaming and hydraulic agents. In this study, seven OPEs in seawater and sediment from the Yellow Sea and East China Sea were determined to study the distribution and diffusion behavior, and to evaluate the environmental risks. The ΣOPEs in the seawater and sediments ranged from below the method detection limit ( 1.0, indicating high ecological risks to aquatic organisms.