Legacy Dechlorane Plus in remediated electronic waste dismantling areas in East China: Multi-matrix exposure and isomer-specific bioaccumulation.

This study investigates the environmental persistence and human exposure risks of Dechlorane Plus (DP) in remediated, abandoned electronic waste dismantling areas in Taizhou City, China. Based on comprehensive sampling, DP concentrations, isomer profiles, and multi-pathway exposure routes were evaluated in air (median: 26.2 pg/m3), soil (median: 12.3 ng/g dry weight), indoor dust (median: 19.4 ng/g dw), and food (median: 36.9 pg/g dw). Results revealed anti-DP as the dominant isomer across all matrices (air fanti = 0.80; soil fanti = 0.92; dust fanti = 0.89; food fanti = 0.71; serum fanti = 0.85), with dietary intake identified as the primary exposure pathway (mean: 0.75 ng/kg/day), contributing 75 % of total intake. DP levels in human serum indicated ongoing human exposure (median: 9.28 ng/g lipid weight), while fugacity modeling confirmed net atmospheric deposition (ƒƒ < 0.3), suggesting the presence of persistent external sources. Molecular docking revealed stronger binding of anti-DP to CYP2B6 (-8.10 kcal/mol vs. syn-DP's - 7.33 kcal/mol), highlighting isomer-specific metabolic processing. Despite reduced contamination post-remediation, legacy DP pose long-term risks, underscoring the need for targeted mitigation strategies in repurposed electronic waste areas.