TY - JOUR
T1 - Emerging and legacy brominated flame retardants in the breast milk of first time Irish mothers suggest positive response to restrictions on use of HBCDD and Penta- and Octa-BDE formulations
AU - Wemken, Nina
AU - Drage, Daniel
AU - Cellarius, Claire
AU - Cleere, Kathy
AU - Morrison, John
AU - Daly, Sean
AU - Abdallah, Mohamed
AU - Tlustos, Christina
AU - Harrad, Stuart
AU - Coggins, Marie
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - The brominated flame retardants (BFRs) hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD),
eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenyl
ethane (DBDPE) were measured in 16 pools of human milk from Ireland.
Concentrations of BDEs-47, -99, −100, −153, and HBCDD were significantly
lower (p < 0.05) than those in Irish human milk collected
in 2011. In contrast, concentrations of BDE-209 in our study exceeded
those in 2011, and while decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) was not
detected in 2011 it was detected in 3 of our samples. This suggests
increased use of DBDPE and that while restrictions on the Penta- and
Octa-BDE formulations are reducing human exposure, those on Deca-BDE use
have yet to reduce body burdens. Estimated exposures for nursing
infants to all target BFRs do not suggest a health concern. A one
compartment pharmacokinetic model was used to predict body burdens
arising from BFR intakes via air, dust and diet. While for most targeted
BFRs, predicted and observed body burdens derived from our human milk
data compared reasonably well; predicted BDE-209 and DBDPE values were
substantially lower than observed. This suggests exposure pathways not
included in the model like dermal uptake from fabrics may be important,
and highlights knowledge gaps about the human half-lives and
bioavailability of these contaminants.
AB - The brominated flame retardants (BFRs) hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD),
eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenyl
ethane (DBDPE) were measured in 16 pools of human milk from Ireland.
Concentrations of BDEs-47, -99, −100, −153, and HBCDD were significantly
lower (p < 0.05) than those in Irish human milk collected
in 2011. In contrast, concentrations of BDE-209 in our study exceeded
those in 2011, and while decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) was not
detected in 2011 it was detected in 3 of our samples. This suggests
increased use of DBDPE and that while restrictions on the Penta- and
Octa-BDE formulations are reducing human exposure, those on Deca-BDE use
have yet to reduce body burdens. Estimated exposures for nursing
infants to all target BFRs do not suggest a health concern. A one
compartment pharmacokinetic model was used to predict body burdens
arising from BFR intakes via air, dust and diet. While for most targeted
BFRs, predicted and observed body burdens derived from our human milk
data compared reasonably well; predicted BDE-209 and DBDPE values were
substantially lower than observed. This suggests exposure pathways not
included in the model like dermal uptake from fabrics may be important,
and highlights knowledge gaps about the human half-lives and
bioavailability of these contaminants.
KW - BFRs
KW - DBDPE
KW - Human biomonitoring
KW - Temporal trends
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108805
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108805
M3 - Article
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 180
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
M1 - 108805
ER -