Fate of polybrominated biphenyls (PBB's) in soils. Persistence and plant uptake

The flame retardant polybrominated biphenyl was found to comprise a 2,2 ,4,4 5,5 hexabromobiphenyl as the major component, two isomers of pentabromobiphenyl, three additional isomers of hexabromobiphenyl, and two isomers of heptabromobiphenyl. The PBB's were extremely persistent with only one pentabromobiphenyl isomer showing any significant disappearance after 24 weeks of incubation in soils. Orchard grass and carrots grown in soil contaminated with PBB's showed none or only very minor PBB uptake. PBB's were detected in soils from a field that had received manure from a PBB contaminated dairy herd 10 months earlier.