Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; adverse effects ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the depositional characteristics of several tree barks, including Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Pine (Pinus densiflora), Platanus (Platanus), and Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). These were used as passive air sampler (PAS) of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). METHODS: Tree barks were sampled from the same site. PBDEs were analyzed by highresolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometer, and the lipid content was measured using the gravimetric method by n-hexane extraction. RESULTS: Gingko contained the highest lipid content (7.82 mg/g dry), whereas pine (4.85 mg/g dry), Platanus (3.61 mg/g dry), and Metasequoia (0.97 mg/g dry) had relatively lower content. The highest total PBDEs concentration was observed in Metasequoia (83,159.0 pg/g dry), followed by Ginkgo (53,538.4 pg/g dry), Pine (20,266.4 pg/g dry), and Platanus (12,572.0 pg/g dry). There were poor correlations between lipid content and total PBDE concentrations in tree barks (R2=0.1011, p =0.682). Among the PBDE congeners, BDE 206, 207 and 209 were highly brominated PBDEs that are sorbed to particulates in ambient air, which accounted for 90.5% (84.3-95.6%) of the concentration and were therefore identified as the main PBDE congener. The concentrations of particulate PBDEs deposited on tree barks were dependent on morphological characteristics such as surface area or roughness of barks. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, when using the tree barks as the PAS of the atmospheric PBDEs, samples belonging to same tree species should be collected to reduce errors and to obtain reliable data.
Ginkgo biloba ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers* ; Plant Bark* ; Trees

This review surveys the recent literature on the neurodevelopmental impacts of chemical exposures during pregnancy. The review focuses primarily on chemicals of recent concern, including phthalates, bisphenol-A, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and perfluorinated compounds, but also addresses chemicals with longer histories of investigation, including air pollutants, lead, methylmercury, manganese, arsenic, and organophosphate pesticides. For some chemicals of more recent concern, the available literature does not yet afford strong conclusions about neurodevelopment toxicity. In such cases, points of disagreement among studies are identified and suggestions provided for approaches to resolution of the inconsistencies, including greater standardization of methods for expressing exposure and assessing outcomes.
Air Pollutants ; Arsenic ; Biphenyl Compounds ; Child ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; Humans ; Manganese ; Neurobehavioral Manifestations ; Pesticides ; Pregnancy

Eleven recently completed toxicological studies were critically reviewed to identify toxicologically significant endpoints and dose-response information. Dose-response data were compiled and entered into the USEPA's benchmark dose software (BMDS) for calculation of a benchmark dose (BMD) and a benchmark dose low (BMDL). After assessing 91 endpoints across the nine studies, a total of 23 of these endpoints were identified for BMD modeling, and BMDL estimates corresponding to various dose-response models were compiled for these separate endpoints. Thyroid, neurobehavior and reproductive endpoints for BDE-47, -99, -209 were quantitatively evaluated. According to methods and feature of each study, different uncertainty factor (UF) value was decided and subsequently reference doses (RfDs) were proposed. Consistent with USEPA, the lowest BMDLs of 2.10, 81.77, and 1698 µg/kg were used to develop RfDs for BDE-47, -99, and -209, respectively. RfDs for BDE-99 and BDE-209 were comparable to EPA results, and however, RfD of BDE-47 was much lower than that of EPA, which may result from that reproductive/developmental proves to be more sensitive than neurobehavior for BDE-47 and the principal study uses very-low-dose exposure.
Animals ; Female ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Reference Standards ; Toxicity Tests

OBJECTIVETo reveal the levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in fish and egg products at retail in Shenzhen, and to evaluate the local people's exposure to PBDEs from these food.

METHODS27 fish and egg samples were collected from supermarket and farmer's market in Shenzhen during August and October in 2008. According to the guideline of USEPA1614 method, the accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) technology was used for the extraction of PBDEs from fish and egg samples. After a series of purification processes including treatments of FMS column chromatography, acidic silica gel, silica gel and Al2O3 column, the levels of eight PBDEs congeners in the samples were determined by isotope dilution high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS) method.

RESULTSWhen BDE-209 was not taken into account, the median concentrations of ΣPBDEs in fish products was 914.7 pg/g wet weight, among which the datas for fresh water fish and sea fish were 328.2 and 1108.8 pg/g wet weight, respectively, showing a statistical significant difference (P < 0.05). BDE-47 was the predominant congener in fresh water fish and sea fish by a contribution proportion of 61% and 57%, respectively. The median concentrations of ΣPBDEs in egg products were 99.8 pg/g wet weight and the predominant congeners are BDE-47 and BDE-99, with a contribution proportion above 70%. BDE-209 was not detected in fresh water fish and the median concentration in sea fish and egg products are 243.7 and 472.6 pg/g wet weight, respectively, which caused the predominant congener changed to BDE-209 in egg products when BDE-209 was take into account. The median dietary intake of PBDEs from fish and egg products among local residents in Shenzhen was estimated as 102 ng/d.

CONCLUSIONThe level of ΣPBDEs in fish and egg products in Shenzhen is relatively high. The characteristics of PBDEs pollution are quite different between fish and egg products. The level of daily dietary intake of PBDEs from fish and egg products among local residents in Shenzhen is also relatively high.

Eggs ; analysis ; Fish Products ; analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; analysis

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; analysis ; Workplace

Objective To discuss the effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） exposure in e-waste dismantling region on the human body and provide data support for the identification of environmental health damage to residents in the e-waste dismantling region. Methods Adults in an e-waste dismantling region （exposed group, 54 participants） and a control region （control group, 58 participants） were selected, questionnaires were carried out and blood and urine samples were collected. Blood PBDEs, blood lipids, blood routine, blood lead, urine cadmium, urine chromium and urine nickel were detected. T-test was utilized to compare the differences of PBDEs between the two groups. Multivariate analysis were utilized to compare the differences between the two groups in blood routine indexes. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between PBDEs and blood routine. Results Exposure levels of PBDEs were significantly higher in the exposed group （240.00 ng/g, adjusted mass fraction of blood lipids, thereafter） than in the control group （93.00 ng/g, P<0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the differences in most blood routine indexes of the two groups （ P>0.05）, and their reference values were all within normal ranges. Mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, basophils percentage, absolute value of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were higher in the exposed group than in the control group （P<0.05）. Platelet distribution widths were lower in the exposed group than in the control group and below the normal reference range （P<0.05）. Conclusion PBDEs exposure in e-waste dismantling region tend to change platelet morphology, the number of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and may pose potential health hazards to local residents.
Adult ; China ; Electronic Waste/analysis* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers/toxicity* ; Human Body ; Humans

Animals ; Female ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; Herbicides ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Phenyl Ethers ; toxicity

OBJECTIVEThis study was conducted to characterize polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) load in human serum of Taiyuan city in 2010.

METHODSA total of 42 blood samples were collected in Taiyuan city, 2010. Solid-phase extraction (SPE)-gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry method was used to measure the concentration of brominated diphenyl ethers (BDE)-17, BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-66, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183 and BDE-209 and ΣPBDEs was calculated.

RESULTSOf the tested serum samples, ΣPBDEs ranged from 2.09 to 66.74 ng/g of lipid weight (lw), the median and mean was 6.32 ng/g lw and 9.84 ng/g lw, respectively. BDE-209 was the main source of ΣPBDEs and its concentration ranged from no detection to 64.99 ng/g lw, the median was 4.11 ng/g lw, accounting for 67.6% of ΣPBDEs. Second source was BDE-153 and its concentration ranged from 0.29 to 4.92 ng/g lw, the median was 0.62 ng/g lw accounting for 10.1% of ΣPBDEs.

CONCLUSIONThe overall load of PBDEs in the serum of local residents was low in 2010.

Adult ; China ; Cities ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum ; chemistry ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo measure the concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in human breast milk from a hospital in Shanghai and analyze the influencing factors.

METHODSForty-eight puerperal from a hospital in Shanghai were selected to answer a questionnaire, and their breast milk samples were collected from September 2006 to April 2007. All the puerperal were singleton pregnancies, excluding high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV infection and adverse medical history. Seven congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-100, BDE-99, BDE-154, BDE-153 and BDE-183) were measured by gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry and the influencing factors were analyzed.

RESULTSThe median of total PBDEs concentration in breast milk was 8.81 ng/g lipid weight (lw), and the range was 1.92 - 41.55 ng/g lw. The detection rates of seven congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-100, BDE-99, BDE-154, BDE-153, BDE-183) were 98% (47/48), 96% (46/48), 86% (41/48), 90% (43/48), 83% (40/48), 98% (47/48), 90% (43/48), and the median of them was 0.88, 0.99, 0.97, 1.39, 1.14, 2.17, 1.41 ng/g lw, respectively. LogΣ(7PBDEs) in breast milk from mothers with different education levels were divided into junior high school or lower (0.89 ± 0.24), senior high school (1.02 ± 0.17), junior college or higher (1.08 ± 0.28). LogΣ(7PBDEs) in breast milk from mothers with different income levels were divided as < 1000 yuan (0.89 ± 0.12), 1000 - 3000 yuan (1.01 ± 0.24), > 3000 yuan (1.13 ± 0.21). Correlation analysis showed that both the mothers' education level (r = 0.322, P < 0.05) and income level (r = 0.388, P < 0.05) have a positive correlation to PBDEs levels in breast milk.

CONCLUSIONIt is very common to detect PBDEs in human breast milk, however, the education and income levels of the mothers may be the influencing factors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; analysis ; Humans ; Milk, Human ; chemistry ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult