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Souza MCO, Souza JMO, da Costa BRB, Gonzalez N, Rocha BA, Cruz JC, Guida Y, Souza VCO, Nadal M, Domingo JL, Barbosa F. Levels of organic pollutants and metals/metalloids in infant formula marketed in Brazil: Risks to early-life health. Food Res Int 2023; 174:113594. [PMID: 37986457 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Infant formula intake is recommended to ensure comprehensive nutritional and caloric fulfillment when exclusive breastfeeding is not possible. However, similarly to breast milk, infant formulas may also contain pollutants capable of inducing endocrine-disrupting and neurotoxic effects. Thus, considering the sensitivity of their developing physiological systems and that infants have heightened susceptibility to environmental influences, this study was aimed at assessing the contents of essential elements, and inorganic and organic pollutants in infant formulas marketed in Brazil. Additionally, health risk assessments for selected contaminants were also performed. Measured contents of essential elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, Se, and Zn) were congruent with label information. Nevertheless, some toxic elements (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, and Al) were also detected. Notably, in the upper-bound scenario, Pb and Cd surpassed established threshold values when comparing the estimated daily intake (EDI) and tolerable daily intake (TDI - 3.57 and 0.36 μg/kg bw, respectively). Bisphenol P (BPP) and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) were frequently detected (84 % detection rate both) with elevated contents (BPP median = 4.28 ng/g and BBP median = 0.24 ng/g). Furthermore, a positive correlation (0.41) was observed between BPP and BBP, implying a potential co-occurrence within packaging materials. Methyl-paraben also correlated positively with BBP (0.57), showing a detection rate of 53 %. The cumulative PBDE contents ranged from 0.33 to 1.62 ng/g, with BDE-154 and BDE-47 the dominant congeners. When comparing EDI values with TDIs, all organic pollutants remained below the thresholds across all exposure scenarios. Moreover, non-carcinogenic risks were below the threshold (HQ > 1) when dividing the EDIs by the respective reference doses for chronic exposure. While the current findings may suggest that infant formula intake poses no immediate risk in terms of the evaluated chemicals, it remains imperative to conduct further research to safeguard the health of infants considering other chemicals, as well as their potential cumulative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marília Cristina Oliveira Souza
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Avenida do Café s/n°, 14040-903, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Maria Oliveira Souza
- Department of Biochemistry, Biological Sciences Institute, University of Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Bruno Ruiz Brandão da Costa
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Forensic Toxicology Analysis Laboratory, Avenida dos Bandeirantes, 3900 - Monte Alegre, 14015-130, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil; University of Sao Paulo, Institute of Biosciences, Department of Botany, Laboratory of Phytochemistry, Rua do Matão, 277, 05508-090 Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Neus Gonzalez
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Bruno Alves Rocha
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Avenida do Café s/n°, 14040-903, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jonas Carneiro Cruz
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Avenida do Café s/n°, 14040-903, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yago Guida
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Cristina Oliveira Souza
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Avenida do Café s/n°, 14040-903, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Martí Nadal
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - José L Domingo
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology, and Food Sciences, Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Avenida do Café s/n°, 14040-903, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Wemken N, Drage DS, Abdallah MAE, Harrad S, Coggins MA. Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants in Indoor Air and Dust from Ireland Reveal Elevated Exposure to Decabromodiphenyl Ethane. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:9826-9836. [PMID: 31310110 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 13 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) were measured in indoor air and dust collected from Irish homes, cars, offices, and primary schools during 2016-2017. Median concentrations of DBDPE in air (88 pg/m3) and dust (6500 ng/g) significantly exceed those previously reported internationally, with concentrations highest in offices and schools, suggesting that DBDPE is widely used in Ireland. Median concentrations of BDE-209 in air (340 pg/m3) and dust (7100 ng/g) exceed or are within the range of concentrations reported recently for the same microenvironments in the U.K., and exceed those reported in many other countries. Concentrations of BDE-209 in cars exceeded significantly (p < 0.05) those in other microenvironments. HBCDD was detected in all dust samples (median: 580 ng/g), and in 81% of air samples (median: 24 pg/m3) at concentrations similar to those reported recently for the U.K. and elsewhere. Estimates of exposure to DBDPE of Irish adults (92 ng/day) and toddlers (210 ng/day) as well as to BDE-209 (220 ng/day and 650 ng/day for adults and toddlers, respectively) substantially exceed those reported for the U.K. population. Moreover, our estimates of exposure of the Irish population to Σtrideca-PBDEs exceed previous estimates for Ireland via dietary exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Wemken
- School of Physics and the Ryan Institute , National University of Ireland , Galway , H91TK33 , Ireland
| | - Daniel Simon Drage
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham B15 2TT , United Kingdom
| | - Mohamed Abou-Elwafa Abdallah
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham B15 2TT , United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Harrad
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham B15 2TT , United Kingdom
| | - Marie Ann Coggins
- School of Physics and the Ryan Institute , National University of Ireland , Galway , H91TK33 , Ireland
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Zhang Y, Wang X, Chen C, An J, Shang Y, Li H, Xia H, Yu J, Wang C, Liu Y, Guo S. Regulation of TBBPA-induced oxidative stress on mitochondrial apoptosis in L02 cells through the Nrf2 signaling pathway. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 226:463-471. [PMID: 30951941 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a commonly used brominated flame retardant, which has a wide range of toxic effects on organisms. This study investigated the cytotoxic effects on human hepatocytes (L02 cells) after treated with 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 μM of TBBPA. Results showed that TBBPA significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and the ratio of oxidized/reduced glutathione (GSSG/GSH) dose-dependently. TBBPA also decreased the cell mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caused the release of cytochrome C (Cyt C) to cytoplasm and promoted the expression of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and finally increased the level of apoptosis. The ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) relieved the oxidative stress responses, and prevented the decrease of MMP and increase of apoptosis. In addition, TBBPA promoted the expression of antioxidant genes related to Nrf2, such as quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), catalase (CAT), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Oxidative stress initiated by TBBPA, activated mitochondrial apoptosis and Nrf2 pathway, and increased the degree of apoptosis in L02 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchao Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Chao Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Jing An
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Yu Shang
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Hui Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China; Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China.
| | - Hubin Xia
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Jun Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Yongdi Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, PR China
| | - Shu Guo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510655, PR China
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Gustavsson J, Wiberg K, Ribeli E, Nguyen MA, Josefsson S, Ahrens L. Screening of organic flame retardants in Swedish river water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 625:1046-1055. [PMID: 29996401 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Alternative flame retardants (FRs) have now replaced legacy FRs (such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs), but little is known about their fate in the aquatic environment. In this study, a range of legacy FRs (n=10) and alternative FRs, including halogenated FRs (HFRs, n=32) and organophosphorus FRs (OPFRs, n=19), were screened in water samples collected from 23 rivers covering the whole latitudinal range of Sweden. Of the 61 targeted FRs, 26 were detected in at least one of the river samples, with ΣFR concentrations ranging up to 170ngL-1 (mean 31±45ngL-1). In general, higher concentrations and a larger variety of FRs were detected in southern Sweden (ΣFR=60±56ngL-1) compared with the north (ΣFR=9.0±16ngL-1). In the south, HFRs were dominant, constituting on average 59% of ∑FRs, whereas in the north, OPFRs were dominant, constituting on average 82% of ∑FRs. This difference was best explained by higher population density in the south. The total daily flux of FRs into the Baltic Sea was estimated to be ~31kg and comprised mainly tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), 3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalic anhydride (TEBP-Anh), and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of environmental occurrence of TEBP-Anh, which was detected in two rivers and is suggested to originate from airports located near the sampling sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Gustavsson
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Karin Wiberg
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Ribeli
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Minh Anh Nguyen
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sarah Josefsson
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Geological Survey of Sweden, Box 670, 75128 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
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Abdallah MAE, Pawar G, Harrad S. Evaluation of 3D-human skin equivalents for assessment of human dermal absorption of some brominated flame retardants. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2015; 84:64-70. [PMID: 26232142 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Ethical and technical difficulties inherent to studies in human tissues are impeding assessment of the dermal bioavailability of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). This is further complicated by increasing restrictions on the use of animals in toxicity testing, and the uncertainties associated with extrapolating data from animal studies to humans due to inter-species variations. To overcome these difficulties, we evaluate 3D-human skin equivalents (3D-HSE) as a novel in vitro alternative to human and animal testing for assessment of dermal absorption of BFRs. The percutaneous penetration of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) through two commercially available 3D-HSE models was studied and compared to data obtained for human ex vivo skin according to a standard protocol. No statistically significant differences were observed between the results obtained using 3D-HSE and human ex vivo skin at two exposure levels. The absorbed dose was low (less than 7%) and was significantly correlated with log Kow of the tested BFR. Permeability coefficient values showed increasing dermal resistance to the penetration of γ-HBCD>β-HBCD>α-HBCD>TBBPA. The estimated long lag times (>30 min) suggests that frequent hand washing may reduce human exposure to HBCDs and TBBPA via dermal contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abou-Elwafa Abdallah
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, 71526 Assiut, Egypt.
| | - Gopal Pawar
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Harrad
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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Garcia-Reyero N, Escalon BL, Prats E, Stanley JK, Thienpont B, Melby NL, Barón E, Eljarrat E, Barceló D, Mestres J, Babin PJ, Perkins EJ, Raldúa D. Effects of BDE-209 contaminated sediments on zebrafish development and potential implications to human health. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2014; 63:216-23. [PMID: 24317228 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are compounds widely used as flame-retardants, which are of increasing environmental concern due to their persistence, and potential adverse effects. This study had two objectives. First, we assessed if BDE-209 in sediment was bioavailable and bioaccumulated into zebrafish embryos. Secondly, we assessed the potential impact on human and environmental health of bioavailable BDE-209 using human in vitro cell assays and zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish were exposed from 4h to 8days post-fertilization to sediments spiked with 12.5mg/kg of BDE-209. Zebrafish larvae accumulated ten fold more BDE-209 than controls in unspiked sediment after 8days. BDE-209 impacted expression of neurological pathways and altered behavior of larvae, although BDE-209 had no visible affect on thyroid function or motoneuron and neuromast development. Zebrafish data and in silico predictions suggested that BDE-209 would also interact with key human transcription factors and receptors. We therefore tested these predictions using mammalian in vitro assays. BDE-209 activated human aryl hydrocarbon receptor, peroxisome proliferator activating receptors, CF/b-cat, activator protein 1, Oct-MLP, and the estrogen receptor-related alpha (ERRα) receptor in cell-based assays. BDE-209 also inhibited human acetylcholinesterase activity. The observation that BDE-209 can be bioaccumulated from contaminated sediment highlights the need to consider this as a potential environmental exposure route. Once accumulated, our data also show that BDE-209 has the potential to cause impacts on both human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natàlia Garcia-Reyero
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA.
| | - B Lynn Escalon
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, USA
| | - Eva Prats
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo, CID-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jacob K Stanley
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, USA
| | - Benedicte Thienpont
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Nicolas L Melby
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, USA
| | - Enrique Barón
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ethel Eljarrat
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Mestres
- Chemotargets, IMIM-Hospital del Mar, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Patrick J Babin
- Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolism, Université Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - Edward J Perkins
- Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, USA
| | - Demetrio Raldúa
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Bendig P, Blumenstein M, Hägele F, Vetter W. Hydrodebromination of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) in cooking experiments with salmon fillet. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2012; 60:8521-8527. [PMID: 22846051 DOI: 10.1021/jf302137f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are environmental contaminants regularly detected in biota and food. Seafood has been identified as the major dietary source for human uptake. Fish is predominantly consumed after cooking, and this process may alter the actual human intake of contaminants. This study thus aimed to investigate the fate of PBDEs in this cooking process. Heating of fish fortified with 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) at typical cooking conditions (200 °C, in plant oil) resulted in a decrease of its concentration in favor of the formation of lower brominated congeners. After 15 min, ∼25% of BDE-209 was transformed into nona- to octabrominated congeners. The major transformation route was BDE-209 → BDE-206 → BDE-196 and BDE-199. Low amounts of heptabrominated congeners as well as one hexabromodibenzofuran and a heptabromodibenzofuran isomer were also detected. However, penta- and tetrabrominated diphenyl ethers were not observed, and heating of BDE-47 did not produce new transformation products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bendig
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hohenheim , Garbenstrasse 28, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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