The significance of brominated flame retardants in the environment: current understanding, issues and challenges

Alaee, Mehran; Wenning, Richard J.

doi:10.1016/s0045-6535(01)00224-7

Cited by 187 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The widespread use of TBBPA has resulted in environmental pollution caused by this compound (for reviews see [2,8]). For example, increased levels of TBBPA were found in samples of air, soil and sediments [4], and more recently in fresh waters collected in the vicinity of BFR manufacturing plants [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergistic neurotoxicity of oxygen-glucose deprivation and tetrabromobisphenol A in vitro: role of oxidative stress

Ziemińska

Stafiej

Toczyłowska

et al. 2012

Pharmacological Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Background: Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a toxic brominated flame retardant. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure of primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells (CGC) to ³ 10 µM TBBPA induces toxicity and excitotoxicity, and the underlying mechanism may involve calcium imbalance and oxidative stress. Here we examined whether the application of TBBPA at subtoxic concentrations may exacerbate acute damage of CGC challenged with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), and evaluated with fluorescent indicators the involvement of calcium imbalance, mitochondrial depolarization and oxidative stress. Methods: Survival of CGC was assessed 24 h after OGD/TBBPA using fluorescent dyes. An OGD challenge lasting for 45, 60 or 75 min induced a duration-dependent injury to the neurons. Results: Application of 2.5, 5 or 7.5 µM TBBPA for 45 min to normoxic and glucose-containing incubation medium did not reduce the viability of cultured CGC, but this compound exacerbated the toxic effects of OGD in a concentration-dependent way. Moreover, TBBPA had a slight effect on calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial membrane potential, but significantly activated the production of reactive oxygen species in CGC. The application of H 2 O 2 at 5, 10 and 25 µM mimicked the effects of TBBPA on OGD toxicity, while 0.1 mM ascorbic acid or 1 mM glutathione ameliorated this toxicity. Conclusion: These results suggest the involvement of oxidative stress in the synergistic neurotoxic effects of TBBPA and OGD.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergistic neurotoxicity of oxygen-glucose deprivation and tetrabromobisphenol A in vitro: role of oxidative stress

Ziemińska

Stafiej

Toczyłowska

et al. 2012

Pharmacological Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Though halogenated FR compounds lower the rate of flame propagation, some of them are also toxic 6 and give out toxic products and/or generate corrosive gases during combustion that threaten both air and water ecosystems. 7 They are known to be carcinogenic, causing damage to the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems. 8 In addition, they pose serious risk of secondary poisoning in the food chain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Halogen-free ultra-high flame retardant polymers through enzyme catalysis

Ravichandran

Nagarajan

et al. 2012

Green Chem.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the past few years, the use of certain types of halogenated flame retardant additives such as decabromodiphenylether has come under intense scrutiny due to their toxicity, environmental persistence and bio-accumulation. There is an immediate need for the development of non-toxic alternative flame retardant materials and fire resistant polymers with comparable or better efficacies, obtained using benign synthetic approaches. Enzymatic polymerization is being used increasingly as an environmentally friendly alternative method for the synthesis of functional materials including polymers and additives. Here, we report a biocatalytic synthesis of a new class of thermally stable, ultra-fire resistant polyphenols based on deoxybenzoins. In calorimetric studies, these polyphenols exhibit very low heat release capacities (comparable to Nomex™) and form a large amount of carbonaceous char rendering them suitable for flame retardant applications.

show abstract

“…PBDEs have been in use for the past 25 years as flame retardants; as such, they are major, nonchemically bound additives to fabrics, foams, and plastics, comprising up to 30% by weight of polyurethane foams and computer plastics (3)(4)(5). Until recently, PBDEs were considered obscure members of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) family, whose other members include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), and organochlorine pesticides (3,6,7). In 1992, exponential increases in PBDEs were found in marine sediment core samples taken from the Swedish coast over a 10-year period (7,8), but the study attracted little attention.…”

Section: Lessons Of the Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Until recently, PBDEs were considered obscure members of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) family, whose other members include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), and organochlorine pesticides (3,6,7). In 1992, exponential increases in PBDEs were found in marine sediment core samples taken from the Swedish coast over a 10-year period (7,8), but the study attracted little attention. Not until similar exponential increases were found in archived samples of Swedish breast milk in 1998 did the presence of PBDEs become known in Sweden and receive worldwide scientific and public attention: PBDE levels in breast milk had been doubling every 5 years over the preceding 25 years, but no one had known about it ( Figure 1) (1,2,8).…”

Section: Lessons Of the Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons from the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): precautionary principle, primary prevention, and the value of community-based body-burden monitoring using breast milk.

Hooper

She

2003

Environ Health Perspect

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Levels of chemicals in humans (body burdens) are useful indicators of environmental quality and of community health. Chemical body burdens are easily monitored using breast milk samples collected from first-time mothers (primiparae) with infants 2-8 weeks of age. Currently, there is no body-burden monitoring program using breast milk in the United States, although ad hoc systems operate successfully in several European countries. In this article we describe the value of such monitoring and important considerations of how it might be accomplished, drawing from our experiences with pilot monitoring projects. Breast milk has several advantages as a sampling matrix: It is simple and noninvasive, with samples collected by the mother. It monitors body burdens in reproductive-age women and it estimates in utero and nursing-infant exposures, all important to community health. Time-trend data from breast milk monitoring serve as a warning system that identifies chemicals whose body burdens and human exposures are increasing. Time trends also serve as a report card on how well past regulatory actions have reduced environmental chemical exposures. Body-burden monitoring using breast milk should include educational programs that encourage breast-feeding. Finally, and most important, clean breast milk matters to people and leads to primary prevention--the limiting of chemical exposures. We illustrate these advantages with polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a formerly obscure group of brominated flame retardants that rose to prominence and were regulated in Sweden when residue levels were found to be rapidly increasing in breast milk. A community-based body-burden monitoring program using breast milk could be set up in the United States in collaboration with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC has a large number of lactating first-time mothers: It has 6,000 clinics nationwide and serves almost half (47%) the infants born in the United States. Educational programs (e.g., those run by WIC) are needed that encourage breast-feeding, especially in lower-income communities where breast-feeding rates are low and where breast-feeding may help protect the infant from the effects of environmental chemical exposures. Education is also needed about reducing chemical body burdens. A body-burden monitoring program would provide valuable data on time trends, background levels, and community hot spots in need of mitigation and follow-up health studies; develop analytic methods for new chemicals of concern; and archive breast milk samples for future analyses of other agents.

show abstract

The significance of brominated flame retardants in the environment: current understanding, issues and challenges

Cited by 187 publications

References 16 publications

Synergistic neurotoxicity of oxygen-glucose deprivation and tetrabromobisphenol A in vitro: role of oxidative stress

Synergistic neurotoxicity of oxygen-glucose deprivation and tetrabromobisphenol A in vitro: role of oxidative stress

Halogen-free ultra-high flame retardant polymers through enzyme catalysis

Lessons from the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): precautionary principle, primary prevention, and the value of community-based body-burden monitoring using breast milk.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About