Assessing the combined influence of TOC and black carbon in soil–air partitioning of PBDEs and DPs from the Indus River Basin, Pakistan

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DPs) were investigated in the Indus River Basin from Pakistan. Concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ∑DPs were ranged between 0.05 and 2.38 and 0.002–0.53 ng g−1 in the surface soils while 1.43–22.1 and 0.19–7.59 pg m−3 in the passive air samples, respectively. Black carbon (fBC) and total organic carbon (fTOC) fractions were also measured and ranged between 0.73 and 1.75 and 0.04–0.2%, respectively. The statistical analysis revealed strong influence of fBC than fTOC on the distribution of PBDEs and DPs in the Indus River Basin soils. BDE's congener profile suggested the input of penta–bromodiphenylether (DE-71) commercial formulation in the study area. Soil–air partitioning of PBDEs were investigated by employing octanol-air partition coefficients (KOA) and black carbon-air partition coefficients (KBC−A). The results of both models suggested the combined influence of total organic carbon (absorption) and black carbon (adsorption) in the studied area. •Model based calculations of black carbon-air partition coefficients for PBDEs.•Soil and air levels of PBDEs and DPs reported first time for ecologically important sites of the Indus River Basin, Pakistan.•Both, fBC and fTOC showed combined influence on soil–air partitioning of PBDEs in the Indus River Basin, Pakistan. BC and TOC showed combined influence on soil–air partitioning of POPs i-e., PBDEs in the Indus River Basin, Pakistan.