Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) remediation: State-of-the-art mechanistic insights, innovative technologies, and sustainable management approaches

초록

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most widely used brominated flame retardant and a persistent endocrine-active contaminant, motivating credible, scalable remediation. In this review, we synthesize the mechanisms, performance, and sustainability of the principal treatment strategies—adsorption, advanced oxidation, membrane processes, biological systems, and reductive catalysis—with emphasis on intermediate fate and residual risk. Adsorption concentrates TBBPA efficiently but requires secure regeneration or disposal; membranes provide separation rather than destruction and benefit from catalytic or biological polishing. Oxidative routes achieve rapid parent removal yet often under-mineralize and can generate brominated by-products, whereas reductive debromination reliably transforms TBBPA but frequently plateau at bisphenol A. Evidence across matrices indicates that hybrid trains—particularly sequential anoxic-to-oxic bioprocessing, optionally coupled with sorptive capture and electro-/membrane polishing—most consistently minimize toxicity while approaching full mineralization. Cross-cutting benchmarks integrate removal and kinetics with matrix tolerance, stability, energy and reagent demand, and life-cycle considerations to situate technologies on practicality and risk. We outline design rules for catalysts and microbes that suppress toxic intermediates and sustain activity in complex waters, and identify priorities for scale-up and standardized toxicity endpoints to accelerate deployment. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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