Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in U.S. mothers' milk.

Abstract

No previous reports exist on polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in human milk from individual U.S. mothers. This article on PBDEs is an extension of our previous studies on concentrations of dioxins, dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other chlorinated organic compounds in human milk in a number of countries. PBDE commercial products are used as flame retardants in flexible polyurethane foam (penta-BDE), in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins (octa-BDE), and in high-impact polystyrene resins (deca-BDE). Their use is permitted in the United States but is banned in some European countries because of presumed toxicity, demonstrated persistence, and bioaccumulation. Different commercial products can be found in various consumer products such as television sets, computers, computer monitors and printers, carpets, and upholstery. Analyses of human levels of these compounds suggest low but rising levels in European human milk, which may have peaked, at least in Sweden, in the late 1990s. Very few data exist on levels of PBDEs in humans in the United States, and none from milk from individual nursing mothers. To address this issue, we analyzed 47 individual milk samples from nursing mothers, 20-41 years of age, from a milk bank in Austin, Texas, and a community women's health clinic in Dallas, Texas. Up to 13 PBDE congeners were measured. The concentrations of the sum of PBDE congeners varied from 6.2 to 419 ng/g (or parts per billion) lipid, with a median of 34 ng/g and a mean of 73.9 ng/g lipid. The PBDE levels in breast milk from Texas were similar to levels found in U.S. blood and adipose tissue lipid from California and Indiana and are 10-100 times greater than human tissue levels in Europe. Their detection in breast milk raises concern for potential toxicity to nursing infants, given the persistence and bioaccumulative nature of some of the PBDE congeners. These results indicate a need for more detailed investigation of the levels of PBDE in people and food, as well as determining if animal fat in food is the major route of exposure of the general U.S. population. Other routes of intake may also be significant.

Levels and congener profiles of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk from Shanghai: Implication for exposure route of higher brominated BDEs

“…The concentrations found in our study were slightly lower than those in the United Kingdom (Kalantzi et al, 2004) and Australia (Toms et al, 2007), and were one order of magnitude lower than those reported in the United States (Schecter et al, 2003). However, BDE-209 in this study exhibited relatively higher concentrations than those observed in the United States (Schecter et al, 2003), Norway (Thomsen et al, 2010), and Japan . These findings might be explained by the amount and different types of PBDEs technical formulations used in different regions.…”

“…Compared with the general populations in other countries (Table 2), the PBDEs concentrations in milk in this study fell within the same range as those reported in Asian countries such as Japan (Eslami et al, 2006;Inoue et al, 2006), Indonesia (Sudaryanto et al, 2008a), Korea (Haraguchi et al, 2009), and the Philippines (Malarvannan et al, 2009), and from European countries such as Norway (Thomsen et al, 2010), France (Antignac et al, 2009), Spain (Gömara et al, 2007) and Belgium (Colles et al, 2008). The concentrations found in our study were slightly lower than those in the United Kingdom (Kalantzi et al, 2004) and Australia (Toms et al, 2007), and were one order of magnitude lower than those reported in the United States (Schecter et al, 2003). However, BDE-209 in this study exhibited relatively higher concentrations than those observed in the United States (Schecter et al, 2003), Norway (Thomsen et al, 2010), and Japan .…”

“…These results are consistent with those reported in Tianjin (Zhu et al, 2009b) and Nanjing (Sudaryanto et al, 2008b). However, these findings were significantly different with those reported from the United States (JohnsonRestrepo et al, 2007;Schecter et al, 2003;She et al, 2007), France (Antignac et al, 2009), Norway (Thomsen et al, 2010), the UK (Kalantzi et al, 2004) and Japan (Eslami et al, 2006;Inoue et al, 2006). The contribution of BDE-47 to ∑ 3-7 PBDEs in those countries ranged from 32.7% to 63.5%, whereas the contributions of BDE-28 and BDE-153 were lower.…”

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human semen

“…Furthermore, the PBDE burden of these patients was much lower than among occupational workers (with a mean PBDEs of 600 ng/g lipid) from Guiyu, as reported by Bi et al (2007). Nevertheless, the level of PBDE burden in the patient population was higher than those in the general European and Asian populations, which were generally below 5 ng/g lipid (Furst, 2006;Inoue et al, 2006;Lorber, 2008;Schecter et al, 1996Schecter et al, , 2003). Generally, North Americans tend to have higher body burdens of PBDEs than Europeans and Asians (Hites, 2004;Sjödin et al, 2003;Wang et al, 2007).…”

Developmental neurotoxicity of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants

“…Levels of PBDEs found in human tissues in North America are particularly alarming, as they are one to two orders of magnitude higher than those reported in Europe and Japan (Petreas et al 2003;Schecter et al 2003;Inoue et al 2006). Sources of PBDE exposure can be found in the occupational setting, in the diet, and in the indoor environment.…”