Levels of non-polybrominated diphenyl ether brominated flame retardants in residential house dust samples and fire station dust samples in California

Abstract

Eleven novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were analyzed in dust samples from California homes as a part of the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study (NCCLS) and from the living quarters of California fire stations as a part of the Firefighter Occupational Exposure (FOX) study using high resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The eleven NBFRs, were: α- and β-1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (α- and β-DBE-DBCH), 2-bromoallyl 2,3,6-tribromophenylether (BATE), pentabromotoluene (PBT), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), 2,3-dibromopropyl 2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (TBP-DBPE), hexabromobenzene (HBB), 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP), and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE). Six of the seven NBFRs that are produced in relatively small quantities (i.e., α−, β−DBE-DBCH, BATE, PBEB, PBT, TBP-DBPE) were measured close to or below the limit of quantitation (0.64 ng/g) in both the NCCLS and FOX samples, and the seventh, HBB, was measured at median concentrations of 1.85 ng/g and 9.40 ng/g in the NCCLS and FOX samples, respectively. The remaining four NBFRs, EH-TBB, BEH-TEBP, BTBPE, and DBDPE, are produced in higher quantities, and were detected at median concentrations of 337 ng/g, 186 ng/g, 22.3, ng/g, and 82.8 ng/g, respectively in the NCCLS samples, and at median concentrations of 2687 ng/g, 2076 ng/g, 28.4 ng/g, and 161 ng/g, respectively, in the FOX samples. Concentrations of NBFRs in the NCCLS and FOX dust samples were several times lower than concentrations of PBDEs previously measured in the same samples. Concentrations of NBFRs in the NCCLS and FOX dust samples were generally comparable to concentrations of NBFRs in other studies of house dust from the US and Canada.

Flame retardants and their metabolites in the homes and urine of pregnant women residing in California (the CHAMACOS cohort)

“…Levels of EH-TBB and BEH-TEBP (median (range) = <MDL (<MDL-310.9) and 56.4 (<MDL-7,811) ng/g, respectively) were much lower than the PFR compounds. The maximum TCEP and TDCIPP dust levels were among the highest ever reported although, in general, the median levels were lower in CHAMACOS compared to other U.S. cohorts (median (range) = 1,079 (112.1–157,000) ng/g and 1,506 (181.3–2,140,000) ng/g, respectively) (Bradman et al 2014; Brown et al 2014; Dodson et al 2012; Hoffman et al 2015b; Meeker and Stapleton 2010; Schreder and La Guardia 2014; Stapleton et al 2014). In comparison to international studies, CHAMACOS TCEP and TDCIPP medians were slightly lower than reported levels in Japan and Sweden (Bergh et al 2011; Kanazawa et al 2010) and were similar to or higher than levels reported in studies from Belgium, New Zealand, Pakistan and Spain (Ali et al 2012a; Ali et al 2012b; Brommer et al 2012; Garcia et al 2007; Van den Eede et al 2011).…”

“…In comparison to international studies, CHAMACOS TCEP and TDCIPP medians were slightly lower than reported levels in Japan and Sweden (Bergh et al 2011; Kanazawa et al 2010) and were similar to or higher than levels reported in studies from Belgium, New Zealand, Pakistan and Spain (Ali et al 2012a; Ali et al 2012b; Brommer et al 2012; Garcia et al 2007; Van den Eede et al 2011). Figure 1 presents median flame retardant levels in CHAMACOS dust compared to other published U.S. studies (Bradman et al 2014; Brown et al 2014; Dodson et al 2012; Hoffman et al 2015b; Meeker and Stapleton 2010; Schreder and La Guardia 2014; Stapleton et al 2014). CHAMACOS sampling occurred in 2000–2001, before the PBDE phase out, while sampling in the other studies was more recent.…”

High Levels of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Vacuum Cleaner Dust from California Fire Stations

“…Brown et al measured non-PBDE brominated flame retardants in the same cohort of fire stations, 28 whereas in this complementary pilot study, we assessed the concentration of PBDEs, PAHs, and PCBs in the fire station dust and tried to identify the determinants of the observed concentrations.…”

Levels of Non-PBDE Halogenated Fire Retardants and Brominated Dioxins and their Toxicological Effects in Indoor Environments - A Review

“…Dust samples from the fire stations showed higher concentrations compared to those from houses, with EH-TBB being the most dominant compound in both sampling areas. NBFRs released during fire events might have transferred to the living quarters of fire stations through the firefighters (Brown et al, 2014). Lower levels of EH-TBB and BEH-TEBP and higher levels of BTBPE and DBDPE were found in house dust collected from Washington compared to house dust from California, with EH-TBB also found to be the most dominant NBFR (Schreder and La Guardia, 2014).…”

“…In the United States, levels of NBFRs were measured in the indoor dust from houses and fire stations (Brown et al, 2014;Schreder and La Guardia, 2014). Dust samples from California homes and in living quarters from California fire stations were investigated for EH-TBB, BTBPE, DBDPE, and BEH-TEBP contamination.…”