Domestic Duck Eggs: An Important Pathway of Human Exposure to PBDEs around E-Waste and Scrap Metal Processing Areas in Eastern China

Abstract

Although consumption of local foods is recognized as an important pathway of human exposure to PBDEs in areas of China involved in rudimentary recycling of electronic waste (e-waste), dietary intake studies to date have not considered the contribution from consumption of duck eggs, despite being a common dietary component. Fresh duck eggs (n = 11) were collected from each of five farms located within 500 m of e-waste recycling workshops in the Wenling and Luqiao districts of Taizhou City, Eastern China, in November 2011, along with eggs from a control site located 90 km to the northeast. Average ΣPBDE yolk concentrations in eggs from the Taizhou farms ranged from 52.7 to 1778 ng/g lipid weight (8 ng/g lipid weight at the control site), at the high end of values previously reported for PBDEs in chicken eggs from the same locations and with BDE-209 predominant in over 60% of samples. Estimated typical adult daily ΣPBDE intakes due to consumption of duck eggs were in the range of 159-5124 ng/person per day. For the pentabrominated BDE-99 congener, estimated intakes from duck eggs alone were substantially above the no adverse effect level (NAEL) for impaired human spermatogenesis proposed by Netherlands researchers.

Phosphate flame retardants and novel brominated flame retardants in home-produced eggs from an e-waste recycling region in China

“…By contrast, if considering approximately 10% lipid content in eggs, Labunska et al (2015) reported higher levels of EH-TBB (average: 4.3 ng/ g lw) and similar levels of BEH-TEBP (average: 1.1 ng/g lw) in poultry eggs from another e-waste recycling area in southern China. Similar to our findings, the concentrations of EH-TBB and BEH-TEBP in their egg samples were only 2e5 times higher than the levels (or LOQ) for control site, while distinctive differences of persistent contaminants, such as PBDEs, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could be seen in eggs from e-waste sites and control sites (1e3 orders of magnitude higher in eggs from e-waste sites than control sites) (Labunska et al, 2013(Labunska et al, , 2015Zheng et al, 2012).…”

Habitat- and species-dependent accumulation of organohalogen pollutants in home-produced eggs from an electronic waste recycling site in South China: Levels, profiles, and human dietary exposure

“…Generally, the ranges of OHP concentrations reported here for chicken eggs were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those observed in chicken eggs from the other sites (Covaci et al, 2009;Hu et al, 2011;Labunska et al, 2014Labunska et al, , 2015; however, they were comparable to those observed in chicken eggs collected from Qingyuan (an e-waste recycling region in South China) (Zheng et al, 2012) (Table S1). The OHP (except for SCCPs, TBBPA and HBB) levels in chicken eggs from site 2 were significantly lower than those from site 1 (One-way ANOVA: p < 0.05), an observation which was a priori expected, due to the greater distance between the farm and the e-waste recycling center (Fig.…”

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals in road dusts from a plastic waste recycling area in north China: implications for human health

“…In May 2009, the Stockholm Convention classified penta-and octa-BDE commercial formulations as persistent organic pollutants because of their toxic effects. Both production and use of penta-and octa-BDEs have been banned for several years in the European Union and elsewhere (Labunska et al 2013). Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) also exhibits toxic properties in animals and can be metabolized in the environment to form toxic lessbrominated PBDEs (La Guardia et al 2007;Kajiwara et al 2008;Labunska et al 2013).…”

“…Both production and use of penta-and octa-BDEs have been banned for several years in the European Union and elsewhere (Labunska et al 2013). Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) also exhibits toxic properties in animals and can be metabolized in the environment to form toxic lessbrominated PBDEs (La Guardia et al 2007;Kajiwara et al 2008;Labunska et al 2013). Although its use was phased out in North America and Europe, deca-BDE is still being produced and used in many countries, including China (Ni et al 2013).…”