Serum Concentrations of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB) in the United States Population: 2003–2004

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (BB-153) are chemicals known as brominated flame retardants. We have assessed the exposure status of the United States population to PBDEs and BB-153 and explored associations with demographic information, including participants' age, sex, and race/ethnicity. A total of 2,062 serum samples, from participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004 aged 12 years and older, were analyzed for PBDEs and BB-153; stratified and regression analyses were used to examine levels among demographic groups. The congener with the highest serum concentration was 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) [geometric mean 20.5 ng/g lipid]; followed by 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaBDE (BDE-153) [5.7 ng/g lipid]; 2,2',4,4',5-pentaBDE (BDE-99) [5.0 ng/g lipid; a value equal to the highest limit of detection for an individual sample]; 2,2',4,4',6-pentaBDE (BDE-100) [3.9 ng/g lipid]; BB-153 [2.3 ng/g lipid]; and 2,4,4'-triBDE (BDE-28) [1.2 ng/g lipid]. For BDE-47, we observed no significant difference in the least-squares geometric mean (LSGM) by sex, but with age we found both a linear decrease (p = 0.01) and a positive quadratic trend (p = 0.01). Its LSGM, 27.9 ng/lipid, in the 12-19 year olds decreased to 17.2 ng/g lipid in the 40-49 year group, and then curved upward to 20.4 ng/g lipid in the > or =60 years olds. Mexican Americans had the highest LSGM of BDE-47 (24.5 ng/g lipid), which was significantly higher than that of non-Hispanic whites (19.7 ng/g lipid, p = 0.01). Adults 60 years and older were twice as likely as adults 20-59 years old to have a serum BDE-47 concentration above the 95th percentile (p = 0.02). These data provide needed exposure assessment data for public health decisions.

Levels and sources of brominated flame retardants in human hair from urban, e-waste, and rural areas in South China

“…The relationships between the PBDE concentration and age in the nonoccupationally exposed residents from e-waste recycling area were investigated. Sjödin et al (2008) observed a curvilinear trend between log-transformed lipid BDE concentrations in serum and age in the participants from America. In the present study, we observed a similar trend with the lowest PBDE concentrations in the adult groups (19e60 years age group) (Fig.…”

“…It is worth to compare the PBDE profiles in the hair with the serum samples reported by other previous studies (Antignac et al, 2009;Bi et al, 2007;Harrad and Porter, 2007;Kalantzi et al, 2010;Sjödin et al, 2008;Zhu et al, 2009). Due to the sets of congeners reported in different studies are not identical each other, we could only summed the most commonly reported congeners (BDE 47,99,100,153,154 and 183) and normalized them to 100%.…”

“…(Shi et al, 2009;Zeng et al, 2011). However, the majority of studies on the human BFR exposure still focused on the legacy BFRs such as PBDEs and HBCD (Eljarrat et al, 2009;Sjödin et al, 2008), and little is known about emerging BFRs such as DBDPE and BTBPE.…”

Evaluating Breast Cancer Risk under Exposure to Environmental Estrogen-Like Chemicals

“…Further studies with a prospective design and more representative controls would help reveal the true effect of PBDEs on breast cancer. In addition, PBDE levels were found inversely related to age, so the body burden of PBDEs measured at or near the time of diagnosis cannot reveal the real damage for breast cancer [57].…”

Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Biphenyls

“…Analysis of data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [2003][2004] indicated that PBB-153 was detected in 83% of samples (Sjödin et al, 2008). Nonetheless, analysis of archived serum pools indicated that PBB-153 concentrations had been decreasing in the USA, the only country Landrigan et al (1979).…”