Abstract
Flame retardants (FRs) have been used since several decades to reduce the inflammability of industrial and
commercial products. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), in particulate polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs),
are known to be harmful for the environment including their potential for bioaccumulation, persistence, toxicity and
long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) in the marine environment1; 2. Consequently, they have been banned
worldwide by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)3. Hence, there is growing use and
demand for other, non-regulated FRs. Dechlorane Plus (DP) is a highly chlorinated FR with an estimated production
volume as high as 4500 tons4 which is highly hydrophobic (log Kow = 9.3)5, bioaccumulativ6 and resistant against
photodegradation and biodegradation5. In 2006, DP has firstly been detected in the environment in air, fish and
sediment of the Great Lakes7 and following in tree bark8, indoor dust9 and surface water10. However, abiotic levels
and transport pathways of DP in the marine environment are unknown.
Here we show the occurrence and distribution of DP in marine boundary layer air and surface seawater in the Arctic
environment of East Greenland Sea and along a transect from the Atlantic Ocean to the Antarctica.
