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Bonner EM, Poutasse CM, Haddock CK, Poston WSC, Jahnke SA, Tidwell LG, Anderson KA. Addressing the need for individual-level exposure monitoring for firefighters using silicone samplers. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00700-y. [PMID: 39033252 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00700-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Firefighters are occupationally exposed to hazardous chemical mixtures. Silicone passive sampling devices capture unique exposures over time with minimal impact to the participant and allow for the analysis of a broad chemical space. OBJECTIVE Silicone dog tags were worn by firefighters while on- and off-duty to measure individual exposures, identify potential occupational exposures, and assess their relation to occupational variables including fire response frequency, rank, and years as a firefighter. METHODS Fifty-six firefighters were recruited from two fire departments with relatively high and low call volumes in the Kansas City metropolitan area to wear two different silicone dog tags as passive samplers while on- and off-duty. Each dog tag was worn for a cumulative 30-day exposure period. Extracts of the dog tags were analyzed with gas chromatography, mass spectrometry methods for 43 flame retardants (FRs), 21 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 42 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 63 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). RESULTS Ninety-two total chemicals were detected, with eight chemicals not previously reported in firefighter exposure studies. Based on the magnitude and frequency of increased exposure in on-duty dog tags, relative to paired off-duty dog tags, five PBDEs and sec-butylbenzene were identified as potential occupational exposures; sec-butylbenzene and PBDE 49 have not previously been reported in firefighter exposure studies to the authors' knowledge. Multivariate analyses for these six compounds indicated that firefighter rank, fire response rates, and years in the fire service were poor indicators of increased occupational exposure. The greatest on-duty exposures to PBDEs were found in the low-call volume department among operational firefighters. Dog tags from firefighters at the high-call volume department accounted for 75% of PCB detections; one particular fire response may have contributed to this. Additionally, there was measurable similarity in total chemical exposure profiles between paired on- and off-duty tags for some firefighters. IMPACT This study used personal silicone passive samplers in the configuration of dog tags worn around the neck to quantify firefighter occupational exposure in on-duty samples relative to paired off-duty samples for several chemical categories: flame retardants, VOCs, and PCBs. Five PBDEs and sec-butylbenzene were identified as potential occupational exposures, however their prevalence in on-duty tags was not associated with frequency of fire responses, firefighter rank, or years the firefighter has been in the fire service. Additionally, similarity between chemical exposures in on- and off-duty tags from the same firefighter invites further investigation into individual behaviors influencing occupational and para-occupational exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Bonner
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | | | - Christopher K Haddock
- Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI)-USA, Leawood, KS, USA
| | - Walker S C Poston
- Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI)-USA, Leawood, KS, USA
| | - Sara A Jahnke
- Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI)-USA, Leawood, KS, USA
| | - Lane G Tidwell
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Kim A Anderson
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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2
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Gill R, Wang Q, Takaku-Pugh S, Lytle E, Wang M, Bennett DH, Park J, Petreas M. Trends in flame retardant levels in upholstered furniture and children's consumer products after regulatory action in California. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 351:141152. [PMID: 38218243 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
In 2013, California revised its upholstered furniture flammability standard TB 117-2013 to improve fire safety without the need for flame retardant (FR) chemicals. Subsequent legislation (SB 1019) required disclosure of FR content. In 2020 California expanded restriction on FR chemicals to include juvenile products and upholstered furniture (AB 2998). To monitor trends in FR use, and assess the effectiveness of the new regulations, we analyzed 346 samples from upholstered furniture (n = 270) and children's consumer products (n = 76), collected pre- and post-regulatory intervention for added FR chemicals (i.e., ∑FR > 1000 mg/kg). Upholstered furniture samples, collected from products before enactment of the new regulations, had a median FR concentration of 41,600 mg/kg (range: 1360-92,900 mg/kg), with 100% of the foam samples and 13.7% of the textile samples containing ∑FR > 1000 mg/kg. Firemaster formulations (FM 550 and FM 600), a mixture of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP) and a mixture of isopropyl- or tert-butyl-triphenyl phosphates (ITPs or TBPPs), were the most frequently detected FR (34%), followed by tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP; 25%), TPHP with a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDE-47, 99, 100, 153 and 154; 20%) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP; 11%). Upholstered furniture components collected after enactment of the new legislation had a median FR concentration of 2600 mg/kg (range: 1160-49,800 mg/kg, outlier sample 282,200 mg/kg), with 11.9% of the foam samples and no textile samples containing ∑FR > 1000 mg/kg. Of these samples, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was the most frequently detected FR (55%), followed by TDCIPP (30%) and Firemaster (FM 550, 15%). No PBDEs were detected in the post-regulatory intervention products. Our initial work on children's products showed 15% of the samples contained ∑FR > 1000 mg/kg. In our post- AB 2998 work, no regulated children's product components failed compliance (i.e., ∑FR > 1000 mg/kg). The data confirm successful adoption of the new regulations with most samples in compliance, demonstrating the efficacy of regulatory intervention. Given these results, environmental FR exposure is expected to decrease as older FR treated consumer products are replaced with FR free products.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Gill
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States.
| | - Q Wang
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
| | - S Takaku-Pugh
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
| | - E Lytle
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
| | - M Wang
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
| | - D H Bennett
- University of California, Davis, Department of Public Health Sciences, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - J Park
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States; University of California, San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - M Petreas
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
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3
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Rogula-Kozłowska W, Piątek P, Kozielska B, Walczak A. Off-gassing from firefighter suits (nomex) as an indoor source of BTEXS. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 350:140996. [PMID: 38141684 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
The clothes and special equipment of firefighters can be a source of indoor air pollution. Nevertheless, it has not been investigated so far what the scale of the release of various compounds from such materials into the indoor air can be. The following study analysed the results of an experiment involving the passive measurement of concentrations of selected compounds, i.a. benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene, styrene, isopropylbenzene and n-propylbenzene (BTEXS) in the air of a room where firefighters' special clothing, which had been previously exposed to emissions from simulated fires, was stored. The study included simulations of fires involving three materials: wood, processed wood (OSB/fibreboard) and a mixture of plastics. After being exposed to the simulated fire environment, special clothing (so-called nomex) was placed in a sealed chamber, where passive collection of BTEXS was carried out using tube-type axial passive samplers and a gas chromatograph. Irrespective of which burned material special clothing was exposed to, the compound emitted into the air most intensively was toluene. Its rate of release from a single nomex ranges from 4.4 to 28.6 μg h-1, while the corresponding rates for the sum of BTEXS are between 9.97 and 44.29 μg h-1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piotr Piątek
- Fire University, 52/54 Słowackiego St., 01-629, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Barbara Kozielska
- Silesian University of Technology, 22B Konarskiego St., 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.
| | - Agata Walczak
- Fire University, 52/54 Słowackiego St., 01-629, Warsaw, Poland.
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Luarte T, Hirmas-Olivares A, Höfer J, Giesecke R, Mestre M, Guajardo-Leiva S, Castro-Nallar E, Pérez-Parada A, Chiang G, Lohmann R, Dachs J, Nash SB, Pulgar J, Pozo K, Přibylová PP, Martiník J, Galbán-Malagón C. Occurrence and diffusive air-seawater exchanges of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168323. [PMID: 37949125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
We report the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in seawater and air, and the air-sea dynamics through diffusive exchange analysis in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, between November 2019 and January 30, 2020. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was the most abundant compound in both air and seawater with concentrations around 39 ± 2.1 pg m-3 and 3.2 ± 2.4 pg L-1 respectively. The most abundant PCB congener was PCB 11, with a mean of 3.16 ± 3.7 pg m-3 in air and 2.0 ± 1.1 pg L-1 in seawater. The fugacity gradient estimated for the OCP compounds indicate a predominance of net atmospheric deposition for HCB, α-HCH, γ-HCH, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDE and close to equilibrium for the PeCB compound. The observed deposition of some OCs may be driven by high biodegradation rates and/or settling fluxes decreasing the concentration of these compounds in surface waters, which is supported by the capacity of microbial consortium to degrade some of these compounds. The estimated fugacity gradients for PCBs showed differences between congeners, with net volatilization predominating for PCB-9, a trend close to equilibrium for PCB congeners 11, 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, and 153, and deposition for PCB 180. Snow amplification may play an important role for less hydrophobic PCBs, with volatilization predominating after snow/glacier melting. As hydrophobicity increases, the biological pump decreases the concentration of PCBs in seawater, reversing the fugacity gradient to atmospheric deposition. This study highlights the potential impacts of climate change, through glacier retreat, on the biogeochemistry of POPs, remobilizing those compounds previously trapped within the cryosphere which in turn will transform the Antarctic cryosphere into a secondary source of the more volatile POPs in coastal areas, influenced by snow and ice melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Luarte
- Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile; GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute of Environment, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Andrea Hirmas-Olivares
- GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Juan Höfer
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ricardo Giesecke
- Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Independencia 631, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Mireia Mestre
- Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Sergio Guajardo-Leiva
- Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile; Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile; Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Andrés Pérez-Parada
- Departamento de Desarrollo Tecnológico, Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Ruta 9 y Ruta 15, Rocha 27000, Uruguay
| | - Gustavo Chiang
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile; Centro de Investigación para Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Jordi Dachs
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, Catalunya 08034, Spain
| | - Susan Bengtson Nash
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - José Pulgar
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Karla Pozo
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, Chile; Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra P Přibylová
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Martiník
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Cristóbal Galbán-Malagón
- GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute of Environment, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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5
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Bralewska K. Air pollution inside fire stations: State-of-the-art and future challenges. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 255:114289. [PMID: 37976582 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114289] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are frequently exposed to products of combustion and pyrolysis. Exposure to these substances occurs not only during fires but also at fire stations, particularly where fire equipment and fire uniforms are stored after firefighting operations. The aims of this study were to review the research on the concentrations of various air pollutants in fire stations, identify the limitations and strengths of such research, identify research gaps and related future challenges, and highlight potential solutions for reducing firefighter exposure to air pollution at fire stations. A total of 32 articles published in international journals during 1987-2023 were selected for analysis. The most frequently studied pollutants in fire stations were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and diesel particulate matter. Research was most often conducted on changing rooms and garages. Firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, fire trucks, and combustion tools were identified as the main sources of pollution at fire stations. Recommendations aimed at reducing the concentration of pollutants in fire stations were mainly concerned with the systematic decontamination of equipment and the introduction of ventilation solutions that would remove exhaust fumes from garages. This in-depth literature review indicates a lack of comprehensive research on the state and quality of air at fire stations. It also highlights the emerging need for more knowledge on the concentrations of air pollutants in fire stations, health exposure related to these substances, and an analysis of the effectiveness of the proposed solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Bralewska
- Institute of Safety Engineering, Fire University (formerly Main School of Fire Service), 52/54 Slowackiego Street, Warsaw, 01-629, Poland.
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6
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Galbán-Malagón C, Gómez-Aburto VA, Hirmas-Olivares A, Luarte T, Berrojalbiz N, Dachs J. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) levels in air and surface sea waters along the Antarctic Peninsula. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115699. [PMID: 37924734 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread worldwide, even reaching polar regions. Among POPs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and their metabolites have been reported scarcely in the Antarctic environment. Here we report the levels of p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and o,p'-DDE in air and water samples collected during austral summer 2009. The levels found ranged from 0.25 to 4.26 pg m-3 in the atmospheric samples while in the water samples ranged from 0.07 to 0.25 pg L-1. These concentrations were within the range of the reported concentrations in the last 20 years in Antarctica. However, the source ratio showed that most of p,p'-DDT comes from fresh applications and Dicofol formulations. The back-trajectories estimated for the air masses revealed that most of the p,p'-DDT came from the continental Antarctic peninsula and surrounding waters. The diffusive exchange direction showed that Antarctic surface waters are the final sink of the studied compounds during the survey period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Galbán-Malagón
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute for Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | | | - Andrea Hirmas-Olivares
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thais Luarte
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile; PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Naiara Berrojalbiz
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Dachs
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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Guo X, Liu B, Liu H, Du X, Chen X, Wang W, Yuan S, Zhang B, Wang Y, Guo H, Zhang H. Research advances in identification procedures of endocrine disrupting chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:83113-83137. [PMID: 37347330 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27755-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are increasingly concerned substance endangering human health and environment. However, there is no unified standard for identifying chemicals as EDCs, which is also controversial internationally. In this review, the procedures for EDC identification in different organizations/countries were described. Importantly, three aspects to be considered in identifying chemical substances as EDCs were summarized, which were mechanistic data, animal experiments, and epidemiological information. The relationships between them were also discussed. To elaborate more clearly on these three aspects of evidence, scientific data on some chemicals including bisphenol A, 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2 dibromoethyl) cyclohexane and perchlorate were collected and evaluated. Altogether, the above three chemicals were assessed for interfering with hormones and elaborated their health hazards from macroscopic to microscopic. This review is helpful for standardizing the identification procedure of EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Guo
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Bing Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinghai Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Wenjun Wang
- College of Nursing, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shumeng Yuan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongshui Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China.
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Runkel AA, Stajnko A, Snoj Tratnik J, Mazej D, Horvat M, Přibylová P, Kosjek T. Exposure of children and adolescents from Northeastern Slovenia to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 321:138096. [PMID: 36773682 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7-10 and 12-15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after phospholipid removal. 9 out of 12 analytes were detected at detection frequencies above 30%, with the highest geometric means (GM) being observed for PFOS (GM 1.9 ng/mL) > PFOA (GM 1.0 ng/mL) > PFHxS (GM 0.3 ng/mL) = PFNA (GM 0.3 ng/mL). We identified the participants' socio-economic status, age, sex, sampling region, public water supply, and the consumption of fish and seafood, cereals, and locally produced fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as the predominant determinants of exposure. Furthermore, we compared our results with the serum and plasma concentrations reported for similar age groups in other studies and concluded that PFAS exposure in this highly agricultural area in Slovenia is notably low. This is the first study systematic HBM study of PFAS exposure in Slovenia, although it was conducted on a limited number of participants representative of rural and agricultural areas, it represents a good basis for upgrading the approach to a nationwide HBM study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agneta A Runkel
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anja Stajnko
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janja Snoj Tratnik
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Darja Mazej
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Milena Horvat
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Petra Přibylová
- RECETOX (Research Center for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tina Kosjek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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9
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Luarte T, Tucca F, Nimptsch J, Woelfl S, Casas G, Dachs J, Chiang G, Pozo K, Barra R, Galbán-Malagón C. Occurrence and air-water diffusive exchange legacy persistent organic pollutants in an oligotrophic north Patagonian lake. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112042. [PMID: 34555404 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the occurrence and diffusive air-water exchange of POPs in Panguipulli Lake (39°42'S-72°13'W), an oligotrophic lake located in northern Patagonia (Chile), were determined. Air and water samples were collected between March and August 2017 (autumn-winter) and analyzed for concentrations of OCPs (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH and HCB) and PCBs (PCB-28,-52,-101,-118,-153,-158,-180) using gas chromatography coupled with an electron capture detector. The direction of air-water exchange direction was evaluated using a fugacity approach (ƒw ƒa-1), and net diffusive exchange fluxes (FAW, ng m-2 d-1) were also estimated. Total ∑4OCP levels in air ranged from 0.31 to 37 pg m-3, with a maximum for β-HCH, while Σ7PCB levels ranged from 3.05 to 43 pg m-3. The most abundant congener was PCB-153, accounting for 60% of the total PCBs in air. Surface water ∑4OCPs measured in this study ranged from 1.01 to 3.9 pg L-1, with γ-HCH predominating, while surface water Σ7PCB levels ranged from 0.32 to 24 pg L-1, with PCB-101, PCB-118, and PCB-153 presenting the highest levels. Diffusive air-water exchanges of HCB, α-HCH, γ-HCH and PCBs in the form of volatilization from the lake to air predominated; in contrast, for β-HCH net deposition dominated during the sampling period. Estimates suggested faster microbial degradation in the dissolved phase compared to atmospheric degradation for all analyzed POPs. Overall, these results could indicate that the oligotrophic lakes of northern Patagonia act as a secondary source of atmospheric POPs, mainly PCBs and some OCPs. This study is a first attempt to understand the occurrence of POPs in air and water, as well as their dynamics in oligotrophic lakes in the southern hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Luarte
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de La Conservación, Facultad Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Tucca
- Instituto Tecnológico Del Salmón (INTESAL de SalmonChile), Av. Juan Soler Manfredini 41, Of. 1802, Puerto Montt, Chile.
| | - Jorge Nimptsch
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Casilla 567, Chile
| | - Stefan Woelfl
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Casilla 567, Chile
| | - Gemma Casas
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Dachs
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gustavo Chiang
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karla Pozo
- RECETOX, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic; Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, Bío Bío, Chile
| | - Ricardo Barra
- Departamento de Sistemas Acuáticos, Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA, Universidad de Concepción, 4070386, Chile
| | - Cristóbal Galbán-Malagón
- GEMA, Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.
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10
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Madyaratri EW, Ridho MR, Aristri MA, Lubis MAR, Iswanto AH, Nawawi DS, Antov P, Kristak L, Majlingová A, Fatriasari W. Recent Advances in the Development of Fire-Resistant Biocomposites—A Review. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14030362. [PMID: 35160351 PMCID: PMC8840495 DOI: 10.3390/polym14030362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers represent an eco-friendly and inexpensive alternative to conventional petroleum-based materials and have been increasingly utilized in a wide variety of industrial applications due to their numerous advantages, such as their good mechanical properties, low production costs, renewability, and biodegradability. However, these engineered composite materials have inherent downsides, such as their increased flammability when subjected to heat flux or flame initiators, which can limit their range of applications. As a result, certain attempts are still being made to reduce the flammability of biocomposites. The combustion of biobased composites can potentially create life-threatening conditions in buildings, resulting in substantial human and material losses. Additives known as flame-retardants (FRs) have been commonly used to improve the fire protection of wood and biocomposite materials, textiles, and other fields for the purpose of widening their application areas. At present, this practice is very common in the construction sector due to stringent fire safety regulations on residential and public buildings. The aim of this study was to present and discuss recent advances in the development of fire-resistant biocomposites. The flammability of wood and natural fibers as material resources to produce biocomposites was researched to build a holistic picture. Furthermore, the potential of lignin as an eco-friendly and low-cost FR additive to produce high-performance biocomposites with improved technological and fire properties was also discussed in detail. The development of sustainable FR systems, based on renewable raw materials, represents a viable and promising approach to manufacturing biocomposites with improved fire resistance, lower environmental footprint, and enhanced health and safety performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvara Windra Madyaratri
- Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia; (E.W.M.); (M.R.R.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Muhammad Rasyidur Ridho
- Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia; (E.W.M.); (M.R.R.); (M.A.A.)
- Research Center for Biomaterials BRIN, Jl Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia;
| | - Manggar Arum Aristri
- Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia; (E.W.M.); (M.R.R.); (M.A.A.)
- Research Center for Biomaterials BRIN, Jl Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia;
| | | | - Apri Heri Iswanto
- Department of Forest Product, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan 20155, Indonesia
- JATI-Sumatran Forestry Analysis Study Center, Jl. Tridharma Ujung No. 1, Kampus USU, Medan 20155, Indonesia
- Correspondence: (A.H.I.); (D.S.N.); or (W.F.)
| | - Deded Sarip Nawawi
- Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia; (E.W.M.); (M.R.R.); (M.A.A.)
- Correspondence: (A.H.I.); (D.S.N.); or (W.F.)
| | - Petar Antov
- Faculty of Forest Industry, University of Forestry, 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Lubos Kristak
- Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, 96001 Zvolen, Slovakia; (L.K.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Majlingová
- Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, 96001 Zvolen, Slovakia; (L.K.); (A.M.)
| | - Widya Fatriasari
- Research Center for Biomaterials BRIN, Jl Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia;
- Correspondence: (A.H.I.); (D.S.N.); or (W.F.)
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11
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Trowbridge J, Gerona R, McMaster M, Ona K, Clarity C, Bessonneau V, Rudel R, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Organophosphate and Organohalogen Flame-Retardant Exposure and Thyroid Hormone Disruption in a Cross-Sectional Study of Female Firefighters and Office Workers from San Francisco. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:440-450. [PMID: 34902963 PMCID: PMC9037981 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposures to flame retardants (FRs), a class of suspected endocrine-disrupting compounds, are of health concern for firefighters. We sought to characterize exposure to FR compounds and evaluate their association with thyroid hormone levels, a biomarker of early effect, in female firefighters and office workers in San Francisco. In a cross-sectional study, we measured replacement organophosphate and organohalogen FRs in spot urine samples from firefighters (N = 86) and office workers (N = 84), as well as total thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone in plasma for 84 firefighters and 81 office workers. Median bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (BDCPP) levels were 5 times higher in firefighters than office workers. Among firefighters, a doubling of BDCPP was associated with a 2.88% decrease (95% confidence interval -5.28, -0.42) in T4. We did not observe significant associations between FRs and T4 among office workers. In the full group, intermediate body mass index and a college education were associated with higher FR levels. The inverse association observed between FRs and T4 coupled with the lack of studies on women workers and evidence of adverse health effects from FR exposure─including endocrine disruption and breast cancer risk─warrant further research on occupational exposures and identification of opportunities for exposure reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Trowbridge
- Department
of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- School
of Public Health, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Roy Gerona
- Clinical
Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Laboratory, Department
of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Michael McMaster
- Department
of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of
California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
- Center
for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and
Reproductive Sciences, University of California,
San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Katherine Ona
- Center
for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and
Reproductive Sciences, University of California,
San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Cassidy Clarity
- Department
of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- School
of Public Health, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | - Ruthann Rudel
- Silent Spring
Institute, Newton, Massachusetts 02460, United States
| | - Heather Buren
- United
Fire Service Women, San Francisco, California 94140-0487, United States
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department
of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- School
of Public Health, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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12
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Clarity C, Trowbridge J, Gerona R, Ona K, McMaster M, Bessonneau V, Rudel R, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco. Environ Health 2021; 20:97. [PMID: 34454526 PMCID: PMC8403436 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00778-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental chemical exposures can affect telomere length, which in turn has been associated with adverse health outcomes including cancer. Firefighters are occupationally exposed to many hazardous chemicals and have higher rates of certain cancers. As a potential biomarker of effect, we assessed associations between chemical exposures and telomere length in women firefighters and office workers from San Francisco, CA. METHODS We measured serum concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), urinary metabolites of flame retardants, including organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), and telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes in women firefighters (N = 84) and office workers (N = 79) who participated in the 2014-15 Women Workers Biomonitoring Collaborative. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations between chemical exposures and telomere length. RESULTS Regression results revealed significant positive associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and telomere length and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and telomere length among the whole cohort. Models stratified by occupation showed stronger and more significant associations among firefighters as compared to office workers. Among firefighters in models adjusted for age, we found positive associations between telomere length and log-transformed PFOA (β (95%CI) = 0.57(0.12, 1.02)), PFOS (0.44 (0.05, 0.83)), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (0.43 (0.02, 0.84)). Modeling PFAS as categories of exposure showed significant associations between perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and telomere length among firefighters. Significant associations between OPFR metabolites and telomere length were seen for bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and telomere length among office workers (0.21(0.03, 0.40)) and bis (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP) and telomere length among firefighters (- 0.14(- 0.28, - 0.01)). For OPFRs, the difference in the direction of effect by occupational group may be due to the disparate detection frequencies and concentrations of exposure between the two groups and/or potential unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest positive associations between PFAS and telomere length in women workers, with larger effects seen among firefighters as compared to office workers. The OPFR metabolites BDCPP and BCEP are also associated with telomere length in firefighters and office workers. Associations between chemical exposures and telomere length reported here and by others suggest mechanisms by which these chemicals may affect carcinogenesis and other adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassidy Clarity
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Trowbridge
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Roy Gerona
- Department of Obstetrics, Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Ona
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael McMaster
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Bessonneau
- Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA, USA
- Univ. Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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13
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Brominated Flame Retardants in Children's Room: Concentration, Composition, and Health Risk Assessment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18126421. [PMID: 34198502 PMCID: PMC8296256 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Children spend most of their daily time indoors. Many of the items used indoors, such as furniture, electronics, textile, and children toys, are treated with chemicals to provide longevity and fulfil the safety standards. However, many chemicals added to these products are released into the environment during leaching out from the treated products. Many studies have reported brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in indoor environments; however, few have focused on environments specified for young children. In this study, paired air (PM10) and dust samples were collected from the rooms (n = 30) of Saudi children. These samples were analyzed for different congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and three important alternative flame retardants using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) was the most important analyzed BFR in dust and PM10 samples with a median value of 3150 ng/g of dust and 75 pg/m3. This indicates the wider application of BDE 209 has implications for its occurrence, although its use has been regulated for specified uses since 2014. Among alternative BFRs, 2-Ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), Bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), and 1,2-Bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) were found with a median levels of 10, 15 and 8 ng/g of dust, respectively. However, alternative BFRs were present in <50% of the PM10 samples. The calculated long term and daily exposures via indoor dust and PM10 of Saudi children from their rooms were well below the respective reference dose (RfD) values. Nonetheless, the study highlights BDE 209 at higher levels than previously reported from household dust in Saudi Arabia. The study warrants further extensive research to estimate the different classes of chemical exposure to children from their rooms.
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14
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Marteinson SC, Bodnaryk A, Fry M, Riddell N, Letcher RJ, Marvin C, Tomy GT, Fernie KJ. A review of 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane in the environment and assessment of its persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 195:110497. [PMID: 33232751 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Following the ban of many historically-used flame retardants (FRs), numerous replacement chemicals have been produced and used in products, with some being identified as environmental contaminants. One of these replacement flame retardants is 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)-cyclohexane (DBE-DBCH; formerly abbreviated as TBECH), which to date has not been identified for risk assessment and potential regulation. DBE-DBCH technical mixtures consist largely of α- and β-diastereomers with trace amounts of γ- and δ-DBE-DBCH. The α- and β-isomers are known contaminants in various environmental media. While current global use and production volumes of DBE-DBCH are unknown, recent studies identified that DBE-DBCH concentrations were among the highest of the measured bromine-based FRs in indoor and urban air in Europe. Yet our mass balance fugacity model and modeling of the physical-chemical properties of DBE-DBCH estimated only 1% partitioning to air with a half-life of 2.2 d atmospherically. In contrast, our modeling characterized DBE-DBCH adsorbing strongly to suspended particulates in the water column (~12%), settling onto sediment (2.5%) with minimal volatilization, but with most partitioning and adsorbing strongly to soil (~85%) with negligible volatilization and slow biodegradation. Our modeling further predicted that organisms would be exposed to DBE-DBCH through partitioning from the dissolved aquatic phase, soil, and by diet, and given its estimated logKow (5.24) and a half-life of 1.7 d in fish, DBE-DBCH is expected to bioaccumulate into lipophilic tissues. Low concentrations of DBE-DBCH are commonly measured in biota and humans, possibly because evidence suggests rapid metabolism. Yet toxicological effects are evident at low exposure concentrations: DBE-DBCH is a proven endocrine disruptor of sex and thyroid hormone pathways, with in vivo toxic effects on reproductive, metabolic, and other endpoints. The objectives of this review are to identify the current state of knowledge concerning DBE-DBCH through an evaluation of its persistence, potential for bioaccumulation, and characterization of its toxicity, while identifying areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Marteinson
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Anjelica Bodnaryk
- University of Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Mark Fry
- University of Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Nicole Riddell
- Wellington Laboratories, 345 Southgate Dr., Guelph, ON, N1G 3M5, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Chris Marvin
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Gregg T Tomy
- University of Manitoba, Department of Chemistry, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON, L7S 1A1, Canada.
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15
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Clarity C, Trowbridge J, Gerona R, Ona K, McMaster M, Bessonneau V, Rudel R, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.11.05.20226183. [PMID: 33173912 PMCID: PMC7654908 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.05.20226183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental chemical exposures can affect telomere length, which in turn has been associated with adverse health outcomes including cancer. Firefighters are occupationally exposed to many hazardous chemicals and have higher rates of certain cancers. As a potential marker of effect, we assessed associations between chemical exposures and telomere length in women firefighters and office workers from San Francisco, CA. METHODS We measured serum levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), urinary metabolites of flame retardants, including organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), and telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes in women firefighters and office workers who participated in the 2014-15 Women Workers Biomonitoring Collaborative. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations between chemical exposures and telomere length. RESULTS Regression results revealed significant positive associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and telomere length and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and telomere length among the whole cohort. Models stratified by occupation showed stronger and more significant associations among firefighters as compared to office workers. Among firefighters in models adjusted for age, we found positive associations between telomere length and log-transformed PFOA ( β (95%CI) = 0.57(0.12, 1.02)), PFOS (0.44 (0.05, 0.83)), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (0.43 (0.02, 0.84)). Modeling PFAS as categories of exposure showed significant associations between perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and telomere length among firefighters. Significant associations between OPFR metabolites and telomere length were seen for bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and telomere length among office workers (0.21(0.03, 0.40)) and bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP) and telomere length among firefighters (-0.14(-0.28, -0.01)). For OPFRs, the difference in the direction of effect by occupational group may be due to the disparate detection frequencies and levels of exposure between the two groups and/or potential unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest positive associations between PFAS and telomere length in women workers, with larger effects seen among firefighters as compared to office workers. The OPFR metabolites BDCPP and BCEP are also associated with telomere length in firefighters and office workers. Associations between chemical exposures and telomere length reported here and by others suggest mechanisms by which these chemicals may affect carcinogenesis and other adverse health outcomes.
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16
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Osimitz TG, Blais M, Hayes AW, Kacew S, Droege W. Comment on "Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants in Indoor Air and Dust from Ireland Reveal Elevated Exposure to Decabromodiphenyl Ethane". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11631-11633. [PMID: 32881486 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Osimitz
- Science Strategies, LLC, 1001 East Market St., Suite 202, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, United States
| | - Matthew Blais
- Fire Technology Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78238, United States
| | - A Wallace Hayes
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Sam Kacew
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K2G 3G8, Canada
| | - Wiebke Droege
- Science Strategies, LLC, 1001 East Market St., Suite 202, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, United States
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17
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Varshavsky JR, Sen S, Robinson JF, Smith SC, Frankenfield J, Wang Y, Yeh G, Park JS, Fisher SJ, Woodruff TJ. Racial/ethnic and geographic differences in polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels across maternal, placental, and fetal tissues during mid-gestation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12247. [PMID: 32699379 PMCID: PMC7376153 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69067-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposures are a public health concern due to their persistence and potential for reproductive and developmental harm. However, we have little information about the extent of fetal exposures during critical developmental periods and the variation in exposures for groups that may be more highly exposed, such as communities of color and lower socioeconomic status (SES). To characterize maternal-fetal PBDE exposures among potentially vulnerable groups, PBDE levels were examined in the largest sample of matched maternal serum, placenta, and fetal liver tissues during mid-gestation among a geographically, racially/ethnically, and socially diverse population of pregnant women from Northern California and the Central Valley (n = 180; 2014-16). Maternal-fetal PBDE levels were compared to population characteristics using censored Kendall's tau correlation and linear regression. PBDEs were commonly detected in all biomatrices. Before lipid adjustment, wet-weight levels of all four PBDE congeners were highest in the fetal liver (p < 0.001), whereas median PBDE levels were significantly higher in maternal serum than in the fetal liver or placenta after lipid-adjustment (p < 0.001). We also found evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in PBDE exposures (Non-Hispanic Black > Latina/Hispanic > Non-Hispanic White > Asian/Pacific Islander/Other; p < 0.01), with higher levels of BDE-100 and BDE-153 among non-Hispanic Black women compared to the referent group (Latina/Hispanic women). In addition, participants living in Fresno/South Central Valley had 34% (95% CI: - 2.4 to 84%, p = 0.07) higher wet-weight levels of BDE-47 than residents living in the San Francisco Bay Area. PBDEs are widely detected and differentially distributed in maternal-fetal compartments. Non-Hispanic Black pregnant women and women from Southern Central Valley geographical populations may be more highly exposed to PBDEs. Further research is needed to identify sources that may be contributing to differential exposures and associated health risks among these vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Varshavsky
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Mailstop 0132, 550 16th Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Saunak Sen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 66 North Pauline St, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Joshua F Robinson
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Mailstop 0132, 550 16th Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sabrina Crispo Smith
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, 700 Heinz Ave # 200, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Julie Frankenfield
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, 700 Heinz Ave # 200, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Yunzhu Wang
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, 700 Heinz Ave # 200, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Greg Yeh
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, 700 Heinz Ave # 200, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - June-Soo Park
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, 700 Heinz Ave # 200, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Susan J Fisher
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Mailstop 0132, 550 16th Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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18
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Occurrence of Halogenated Pollutants in Domestic and Occupational Indoor Dust. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17113813. [PMID: 32471253 PMCID: PMC7313465 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17113813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The occurrence of halogenated organic pollutants in indoor dust can be high due to the presence of textile, electronic devices, furniture, and building materials treated with these chemicals. In this explorative study, we focused on emerging organic pollutants, such as novel brominated flame retardants (nBFRs) and some perfluoroalkyl substances, together with legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) in settled dust collected in houses and workplaces such as one office and two electrotechnical and mechanical workshops. The total contribution of the investigated pollutants was lower in house and in office dusts except for few nBFRs (such as bis (2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate at a concentration of 464.5 ng/g in a house and hexachlorocyclopentadienyldibromocyclooctane at 40.4 ng/g in the office), whereas in electrotechnical and mechanical workshops a high incidence of PCBs, BDEs, and nBFRs occurred (for example, BDE 209 at a concentration of 2368.0 ng/g and tetrabromobisphenol A at 32,320.1 ng/g in electrotechnical and mechanical workshops). Estimated daily intakes were also calculated, showing that domestic and occupational environments can lead to a similar contribution in terms of human exposure. The higher exposure contribution was associated to nBFRs, whose EDIs were in the range of 3968.2–555,694.2 pg/kg bw/day. To provide a complete view about the indoor contamination, in this investigation, we also included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygenated and nitrated derivatives. Definitely, dust collection represents a simple, fast, and cost-effective sampling and dust contamination level can be a useful indicator of environment healthiness. Besides, the presented method can be a smart tool to provide a time and money saving technique to characterize 99 pollutants thanks to a single sample treatment.
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene (BTEXS) concentrations in the changing room and garage in a fire station located in the Upper Silesian agglomeration (Poland), to compare them with the concentrations of the same compounds in the atmospheric air (outdoor background) and to assess the health exposure to BTEXS among firefighters and office workers in this unit. BTEXS samples were collected during the winter of 2018 in parallel in the garage, in the changing room, and outside, using sorption tubes filled with activated carbon. The average total BTEXS concentrations in the changing room and garage were over six times higher than those in the atmospheric air in the vicinity of the fire station. At each sampling site, toluene and benzene had the highest concentrations. According to the diagnostic indicators, the combustion of various materials and fuels was the source of BTEXS inside, while outside, the sources were the combustion of fuels and industrial activity. The carcinogenic risk related to benzene inhalation by the firefighters and office employees in the monitored unit exceeded the acceptable risk level value of 7.8 × 10−6 per 1 μg/m3 by more than 20 times.
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20
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Trowbridge J, Gerona RR, Lin T, Rudel RA, Bessonneau V, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances in a Cohort of Women Firefighters and Office Workers in San Francisco. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:3363-3374. [PMID: 32100527 PMCID: PMC7244264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Studies of firefighters have shown increased exposures to carcinogenic compounds and elevated rates of certain cancers compared to the general population, yet this research has focused almost exclusively on men. To address this gap, the Women Firefighters Biomonitoring Collaborative created a biological sample archive and analyzed levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) among women firefighters (N = 86) and office workers (N = 84) in San Francisco. Serum samples were collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure and compare PFAS levels between firefighters and office workers. 7 of 12 PFAS congeners were detected in the least 70% of the study population, and 4 congeners were detected in 100% of participants. In regression models comparing PFAS levels by occupation and adjusting for potential confounders, firefighters had higher geometric mean concentrations of PFAS compared to office workers PFHxS (2.22 (95% CI = 1.55, 3.18)), PFUnDA (1.83 (95% CI = 0.97, 3.45)), and PFNA (1.26 (95% CI = 1.01, 1.58)). Among firefighters, occupational position predicted exposure-firefighters and officers had higher PFNA, PFOA, PFDA, and PFUnDA levels compared to drivers. Women firefighters are exposed to higher levels of some PFAS compared to office workers, suggesting that some of these exposures may be occupationally related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Trowbridge
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Roy R. Gerona
- Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Thomas Lin
- Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | | | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Corresponding author: Rachel Morello-Frosch, , 510-643-6358, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, 130 Mulford, Hall #3144, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720
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21
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Wang X, Wei L, Zhu J, He B, Kong B, Jin Y, Fu Z. Tetrabromoethylcyclohexane (TBECH) exhibits immunotoxicity in murine macrophages. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2020; 35:159-166. [PMID: 31696622 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tetrabromoethylcyclohexane (TBECH) has been linked to endocrine disruption, hepatotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. However, its immunotoxicity remains largely unknown. In the present study, RAW 264.7 cells, mouse macrophage cell line, were exposed to TBECH. MTT assays showed that TBECH significantly enhanced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in RAW 264.7 cells. The mRNA expression of some proapoptotic genes was upregulated by TBECH. Accordingly, TBECH elevated caspase-3 activity. In addition, TBECH upregualted the mRNA levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas it downregulated LPS-stimulated mRNA expression of these cytokines. Moreover, TBECH downregulated the mRNA expression of selected antigen presenting-related genes. Furthermore, TBECH increased reactive oxygen species level, reduced glutathione content and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and upregulated the mRNA expression of selected oxidative stress-related genes. The obtained data demonstrated that TBECH exhibits immunotoxicity in macrophages, and will help to evaluate its health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lai Wei
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianbo Zhu
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bingnan He
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Baida Kong
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuanxiang Jin
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhengwei Fu
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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Estill CF, Slone J, Mayer A, Chen IC, La Guardia MJ. Worker exposure to flame retardants in manufacturing, construction and service industries. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105349. [PMID: 31810010 PMCID: PMC6957722 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Workers in several industries are occupationally exposed to flame retardants. This study characterizes flame retardant exposure for nine industries through air and hand wipe measures for 105 workers. Specifically, we analyzed 24 analytes from three chemical classes: organophosphate flame retardants (OFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and non-PBDE brominated flame retardants (NPBFRs). The industries were: carpet installation, chemical manufacturing, foam manufacturing, electronic scrap, gymnastics, rigid board installation, nail salons, roofing, and spray polyurethane foam. Workers wore personal air samplers for two entire workdays and provided hand wipe samples before and after the second work day. Bulk products were also analyzed. The air, hand wipe and bulk samples were evaluated for relevant flame retardants. Spray polyurethane foam workers' tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate air (geometric mean = 48,500 ng/m3) and hand wipe (geometric mean = 83,500 ng per sample) concentrations had the highest mean industry concentration of any flame retardant analyzed in this study, followed by triphenyl phosphate air concentration and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate hand wipe concentration from chemical manufacturers. Overall, OFR air and hand wipe concentrations were higher and more prevalent than PBDEs or non-PBDE brominated flame retardants. Some industries including spray polyurethane foam application, chemical manufacturing, foam manufacturing, nail salons, roofing, and rigid polyiso board installation had high potential for both air and hand exposure to OFRs. Carpet installers, electronic scrap workers, and gymnastic workers had exposures to all three classes of flame retardants including PBDEs, which were phased out of production in 2013. Air and dermal exposures to OFRs are prevalent in many industries and are replacing PBDEs in some industries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexander Mayer
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), United States.
| | - I-Chen Chen
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), United States
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23
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Ekpe OD, Choo G, Barceló D, Oh JE. Introduction of emerging halogenated flame retardants in the environment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.coac.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Xiong P, Yan X, Zhu Q, Qu G, Shi J, Liao C, Jiang G. A Review of Environmental Occurrence, Fate, and Toxicity of Novel Brominated Flame Retardants. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:13551-13569. [PMID: 31682424 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Use of legacy brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), has been reduced due to adverse effects of these chemicals. Several novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), such decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), have been developed as replacements for PBDEs. NBFRs are used in various industrial and consumer products, which leads to their ubiquitous occurrence in the environment. This article reviews occurrence and fate of a select group of NBFRs in the environment, as well as their human exposure and toxicity. Occurrence of NBFRs in both abiotic, including air, water, dust, soil, sediment and sludge, and biotic matrices, including bird, fish, and human serum, have been documented. Evidence regarding the degradation, including photodegradation, thermal degradation and biodegradation, and bioaccumulation and biomagnification of NBFRs is summarized. The toxicity data of NBFRs show that several NBFRs can cause adverse effects through different modes of action, such as hormone disruption, endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, and behavioral modification. The primary ecological risk assessment shows that most NBFRs exert no significant environmental risk, but it is worth noting that the result should be carefully used owing to the limited toxicity data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Xueting Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Qingqing Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
- Institute of Environment and Health , Jianghan University , Wuhan , Hubei 430056 , China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
- Institute of Environment and Health , Jianghan University , Wuhan , Hubei 430056 , China
| | - Chunyang Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
- Institute of Environment and Health , Jianghan University , Wuhan , Hubei 430056 , China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- College of Resources and Environment , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
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Engelsman M, Snoek MF, Banks APW, Cantrell P, Wang X, Toms LM, Koppel DJ. Exposure to metals and semivolatile organic compounds in Australian fire stations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 179:108745. [PMID: 31546131 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Firefighting is an occupation with exposure to a wide range of chemicals by means of inhalation, ingestion or dermal contact. Although advancements in personal protective clothing and equipment have reduced the risks for acute exposure during fire suppression operations, chronic exposure may still be present at elevated levels in fire stations. The aim of this study was to assess chemicals in air and on surfaces in fire stations, compare this with other indoor environments, and use this data to estimate firefighter exposure within the fire station. Fifteen Australian fire stations were selected for chemical exposure assessment by means of 135 active air monitors, 60 passive air monitors, and 918 wipe samples. These samples were collected from the interior and exterior of fire stations, from personal protective clothing and equipment, and from within the cabins of vehicles. Chemicals analysed included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, metals, and diesel particulate matter. Specific chemicals were detected from within each class of chemicals, with metals being most frequently detected. Statistical analysis by means of Pearson's Correlations and threshold tests were used to consider the source of exposure, and a collective addition risk quotient calculation was used to determine firefighter exposure. The presence of metals in fire stations was compared with findings from global indoor dust measurements. Concentrations across firefighter ensemble, inside vehicle cabins, and within fire stations for chromium (39.5-493 μg/m2), lead (46.7-619 μg/m2), copper (594-3440 μg/m2), zinc (11100-20900 μg/m2), nickel (28.6-2469 μg/m2) and manganese (73.0-997 μg/m2) were in most instances orders of magnitude higher when compared with concentrations measured in homes and offices. Our study suggests that the elevated concentrations are associated with the transfer of chemicals from fire suppression operations. Due to this elevated concentration of chemicals, firefighters may face increased exposure, and in turn increased risk of adverse health effects. Data suggest that exposure may be mitigated by means of increased laundering frequency and increased decontamination at the scene of the fire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Engelsman
- Fire and Rescue NSW, 1 Amarina Avenue, Greenacre, NSW, 2190, Australia; QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
| | - Milena F Snoek
- Centre for Health Service Development, Australian Health Services Research Institute (AHSRI), Faculty of Business, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Andrew P W Banks
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Phillip Cantrell
- SafeWork NSW, Hygiene & Toxicology Team, Hazardous Chemical Facilities & Safety Management Audits, Policy and Regulation Division, Department of Customer Services, Australia
| | - Xianyu Wang
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Leisa-Maree Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Biomedical Health and Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia
| | - Darren J Koppel
- Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; CSIRO Land and Water, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
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Chen T, Yu D, Yang L, Sui S, Lv S, Bai Y, Sun W, Wang Y, Chen L, Sun Z, Tian L, Wang D, Niu P, Shi Z. Thyroid function and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) exposure in Chinese adults from a DBDPE manufacturing area. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 133:105179. [PMID: 31627134 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are persistent organic pollutants, affect thyroid function. Human exposure to decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), which has a similar structure to PBDEs, has recently increased, and the health effects of DBDPE have not been well studied. The objective of this study was to determine whether human exposure to DBDPE was associated with thyroid hormone levels in adults from a DBDPE manufacturing area. Three hundred-two blood samples were collected from two populations in the largest DBDPE manufacturing area located in North China: 133 DBDPE occupationally exposed workers from a DBDPE manufacturing plant and 169 non-DBDPE occupationally exposed residents from a nearby food processing plant. The levels of DBDPE, and thyroid function parameters [total thyroxine (TT4), free T4 (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free T3 (FT3), thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin antibody (TG-Ab), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab)] were measured in serum samples. Serum concentrations of DBDPE ranged from 3.148 to 54,360 ng g-1 lipid weight (lw), with a geometric mean of 332.6 ng g-1 lw. A 10-fold increase in the DBDPE concentration was associated with increase of 4.73 nmol L-1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.75, 6.71] TT4 and 0.046 nmol L-1 TT3 [95% CI: 0.012, 0.081], corresponding to increases of approximately of 4.73% (95% CI: 2.75%-6.71%) and 2.38% (95% CI: 0.62%-4.20%), respectively. DBDPE in serum was also significantly and positively associated with the concentrations of TG-Ab and TPO-Ab. Our study found that exposure to DBDPE was associated with changes in thyroid activity in adults exposed to a high concentration of DBDPE, mainly increases of TT4, TT3, TPO-Ab, and TG-Ab. The association between DBDPE exposure and thyroid homeostasis requires further investigation because increasing DBDPE exposure has emerged in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Chen
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Dong Yu
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Jinan 250062, Shandong, China
| | - Luping Yang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Shaofeng Sui
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Shibo Lv
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Yi Bai
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Wen Sun
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Li Chen
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Lin Tian
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Dejun Wang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China.
| | - Piye Niu
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
| | - Zhixiong Shi
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
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Lee HJ, Jung JH, Kwon JH. Evaluation of the bioaccumulation potential of selected alternative brominated flame retardants in marine fish using in vitro metabolic transformation rates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 653:1333-1342. [PMID: 30759573 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The global consumption of alternative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) has increased with the restriction of the first generation BFRs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs). However, many alternative BFRs are suspected to be persistent in the environment and possibly bioaccumulative after their release into the environment because of their chemical properties, which are similar to those of the already banned BFRs. In this study, the bioaccumulation potential of selected alternative BFRs (1,2-bis(2,4,6‑tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), 1,2,3,4,5,6‑hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), 2,3,4,5,6‑pentabromotoluene (PBT), 2‑ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), and 2,3,4,5‑tetrabromo-6-chlorotoluene (TBCT)) was evaluated. The in vitro depletion rate constants (kdepl) were measured for the alternative BFRs using liver S9 fractions isolated from five marine fish species (Epinephelus septemfasciatus, Konosirus punctatus, Lateolabrax japonicus, Mugil cephalus, and Sebastes schlegelii) that inhabit the oceans off the Korean coast. The measured kdepl values were converted to in vitro intrinsic clearance rate constants (CLin vitro) to estimate whole-body metabolic rate constants (kMET) using an in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) model. Finally, the bioconcentration factors (BCF) were determined using a one-compartment model. The transformation kinetics for obtaining kdepl agreed well with first-order chemical kinetics, regardless of initial BFR concentrations. The values of CLin vitro were lower in the selected marine fish species than those in freshwater fish species, implying slower metabolic transformation. The derived BCF values based on the total concentration in water (BCFTOT) ranged from 16 (TBB in M. cephalus) to 27,000 (HBB in K. punctatus). The BCF values for HBB and PBT were >2000 except for those in M. cephalus suggesting further investigation of BCF values of BFRs whose log KOW is between 6 and 7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Jeoung Lee
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee-Hyun Jung
- Oil & POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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28
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Mayer AC, Fent KW, Bertke S, Horn GP, Smith DL, Kerber S, La Guardia MJ. Firefighter hood contamination: Efficiency of laundering to remove PAHs and FRs. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2019; 16:129-140. [PMID: 30427284 PMCID: PMC8647047 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2018.1540877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are occupationally exposed to products of combustion containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and flame retardants (FRs), potentially contributing to their increased risk for certain cancers. Personal protective equipment (PPE), including firefighter hoods, helps to reduce firefighters' exposure to toxic substances during fire responses by providing a layer of material on which contaminants deposit prior to reaching the firefighters skin. However, over time hoods that retain some contamination may actually contribute to firefighters' systemic dose. We investigated the effectiveness of laundering to reduce or remove contamination on the hoods, specifically PAHs and three classes of FRs: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), non-PBDE flame retardants (NPBFRs), and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). Participants in the study were grouped into crews of 12 firefighters who worked in pairs by job assignment while responding to controlled fires in a single-family residential structure. For each pair of firefighters, one hood was laundered after every scenario and one was not. Bulk samples of the routinely laundered and unlaundered hoods from five pairs of firefighters were collected and analyzed. Residual levels of OPFRs, NPBFRs, and PAHs were lower in the routinely laundered hoods, with total levels of each class of chemicals being 56-81% lower, on average, than the unlaundered hoods. PBDEs, on average, were 43% higher in the laundered hoods, most likely from cross contamination. After this initial testing, four of the five unlaundered exposed hoods were subsequently laundered with other heavily exposed (unlaundered) and unexposed (new) hoods. Post-laundering evaluation of these hoods revealed increased levels of PBDEs, NPBFRs, and OPFRs in both previously exposed and unexposed hoods, indicating cross contamination. For PAHs, there was little evidence of cross contamination and the exposed hoods were significantly less contaminated after laundering (76% reduction; p = 0.011). Further research is needed to understand how residual contamination on hoods could contribute to firefighters' systemic exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth W Fent
- b Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Stephen Bertke
- b Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Gavin P Horn
- c Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois
| | - Denise L Smith
- c Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois
- d Health and Exercise Sciences Department , Skidmore College , Saratoga Springs , New York
| | - Steve Kerber
- e Firefighter Safety Research Institute, Underwriters Laboratories , Northbrook , Illinois
| | - Mark J La Guardia
- f Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary , Williamsburg , Virginia
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Li J, Dong Z, Wang Y, Bao J, Yan Y, Liu A, Jin J. Human exposure to brominated flame retardants through dust in different indoor environments: Identifying the sources of concentration differences in hair from men and women. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 205:71-79. [PMID: 29684693 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) can accumulate in humans and are associated with adverse health effects. The study was conducted to determine the differences in Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative brominated flame retardant (Alt-BFR) concentrations between men and women. We analyzed hair samples from 14 male and 20 female university students, paired dust samples from their dormitories (10 for males and 8 for females), and six dust samples from university teaching buildings. The total PBDE concentrations in hair from females were significantly (three times) higher (p = 0.012) than that from males (means 372 and 109 ng/g, respectively). The mean total PBDE concentrations in classroom and dormitory dust were 36100 and 2012 ng/g, respectively. The PBDE patterns were different in the male and female hair samples, as were the patterns in the classroom and dormitory dust. There are no reports concerning human exposure to BFRs through dust that was assessed considering academic and residential environments simultaneously. The differences between BFR exposure for males and females and the differences between BFR concentrations in hair samples from males and females were consistent for 71.4% of the compounds. However, using only dormitory dust in the calculations gave consistent differences only for 28.6% of the compounds, suggesting that the BFR concentration differences in hair were mainly because females spent much more time than males in classrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqi Li
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zheng Dong
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Junsong Bao
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yijun Yan
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Anming Liu
- Binhai Branch of Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang 262737, China
| | - Jun Jin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China; Engineering Research Center of Food Environment and Public Health, Beijing 100081, China.
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Vuong AM, Yolton K, Dietrich KN, Braun JM, Lanphear BP, Chen A. Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and child behavior: Current findings and future directions. Horm Behav 2018; 101:94-104. [PMID: 29137973 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are recognized neurotoxicants, but the extent to which PBDEs influence various domains of behavior in children is not fully understood. As such, we reviewed epidemiologic studies published to date to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on PBDEs' potential role in behavioral development. We identified 19 epidemiologic studies reporting on associations of prenatal and childhood concentrations of PBDEs with behaviors assessed in children from 1 to 12years, including executive function, attention, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, adaptive skills, and social behaviors/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While the mechanisms of PBDE neurotoxicity in humans are still not clearly elucidated, findings from this review indicate that PBDE exposure during fetal development is associated with impairments in executive function and poorer attentional control in children. Results from large prospective cohorts demonstrate that prenatal and postnatal PBDE exposure adversely impacts externalizing behavior (e.g., hyperactivity and conduct problems). Additional studies are needed to determine whether PBDEs are associated with internalizing problems, adaptive skills, and social behaviors/ASD in children. Future studies will help better understand the potential neurotoxic effects of PBDE exposures during adolescence, possible sex-dependent effects, and the impact of exposure to BDE-209 and alternative flame retardants. Future studies should also examine chemical mixtures to capture real-world exposures when examining PBDEs and their impact on various behavioral domains in the context of multiple chemical exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Vuong
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 7035, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Kim N Dietrich
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main St, Box G-S121-2, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Aimin Chen
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Kharlyngdoh JB, Pradhan A, Olsson PE. Androgen receptor modulation following combination exposure to brominated flame-retardants. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4843. [PMID: 29556062 PMCID: PMC5859252 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting compounds can interfere with androgen receptor (AR) signaling and disrupt steroidogenesis leading to reproductive failure. The brominated flame-retardant (BFR) 1, 2-dibromo-4-(1, 2-dibromoethyl) cyclohexane (TBECH), is an agonist to human, chicken and zebrafish AR. Recently another group of alternative BFRs, allyl 2, 4, 6-tribromophenyl ether (ATE), and 2, 3-dibromopropyl 2, 4, 6-tribromophenyl ether (DPTE) along with its metabolite 2-bromoallyl 2, 4, 6-tribromophenyl ether (BATE) were identified as potent human AR antagonists. These alternative BFRs are present in the environment. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of mixed exposures to the AR agonist and the AR antagonists at environmentally relevant concentrations. In vitro reporter luciferase assay showed that the AR antagonists, when present at concentration higher than TBECH, were able to inhibit TBECH-mediated AR activity. These AR antagonists also promoted AR nuclear translocation. In vitro gene expression analysis in the non-tumorigenic human prostate epithelial cell RWPE1 showed that TBECH induced AR target genes whereas DPTE repressed these genes. Further analysis of steroidogenic genes showed that TBECH up-regulated most of the genes while DPTE down-regulated the same genes. The results indicate that when TBECH and DPTE are present together they will antagonize each other, thereby reducing their individual effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joubert Banjop Kharlyngdoh
- Biology, Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.,Glomerular Disease Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Centre, IL-60612, Chicago, USA
| | - Ajay Pradhan
- Biology, Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- Biology, Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
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Wang J, Wang Y, Shi Z, Zhou X, Sun Z. Legacy and novel brominated flame retardants in indoor dust from Beijing, China: Occurrence, human exposure assessment and evidence for PBDEs replacement. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:48-59. [PMID: 29126026 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Levels of legacy brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane isomers (HBCDs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and six currently used novel BFRs were determined in house dust and office dust collected from a community in Beijing, China. This is the first study where the three kinds of legacy BFRs and novel BFRs were all measured in dust samples from China. HPLC-MS/MS was used for the detection of TBBPA and HBCDs, and the other BFRs were tested on a GC-NCI/MS. Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), PBDEs, HBCD and TBBPA were found to be the main BFRs in the dust samples, with median levels of 709, 241, 199 and 26.7ng/g dust, respectively. Due to the high density of electronic equipment used in offices, levels of BFRs in office dust were found to be higher than those in house dust. DBDPE, as a replacement of PBDEs, was the predominant BFR, and the median level of DBDPE was not only several orders of magnitude higher than that of other novel BFRs but also 3 to 27 times higher than that of the three legacy BFRs, indicating that the consumption pattern of BFRs in the Chinese market has shifted from PBDEs to PBDE alternatives. Median estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of BFRs through dust ingestion for adults (>20years) and toddlers (<2years) were in the range of 2.8×10-5-0.201ng/kg body weight (bw)/day and 5.7×10-4-2.52ng/kg bw/day, respectively. The body burden of BFRs for toddlers was far higher than that for adults; however, a comparison between EDIs and threshold values suggested that daily intakes of BFRs for both adults and toddlers were unlikely to raise significant health concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiandi Wang
- Shunyi Women and Children's Hospital of Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 110113, China; School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Zhixiong Shi
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
| | - Xianqing Zhou
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
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Shen B, Whitehead TP, Gill R, Dhaliwal J, Brown FR, Petreas M, Patton S, Hammond SK. Organophosphate flame retardants in dust collected from United States fire stations. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 112:41-48. [PMID: 29247842 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are exposed to chemicals during fire events and we previously demonstrated that fire station dust has high levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). In conducting the Fire Station Dust Study, we sought to further characterize the chemicals to which firefighters could be exposed - measuring the emerging class of phosphorous-containing flame retardants (PFRs) in fire stations, for the first time, as well as PBDEs. Dust samples from 26 fire stations in five states were collected from vacuum-cleaner bags and analyzed for PFRs and PBDEs. PFR concentrations were found to be on the same order of magnitude as PBDE concentrations (maximum PFR: 218,000ng/g; maximum PBDE: 351,000ng/g). Median concentrations of tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate (TDCIPP) in dust from fire stations were higher than those previously reported in homes and other occupational settings around the world. Total PFR levels did not vary significantly among states. Levels of TDCIPP were higher in stations where vacuum cleaners were used to clean surfaces other than the floor. PBDE levels were comparable to those found in our previous study of 20 California fire stations and much higher than levels in California residences. PFR and PBDE levels in fire station dust are higher than in other occupational and residential settings, underscoring the need to identify and control sources of this contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Shen
- School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Todd P Whitehead
- School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ranjit Gill
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joginder Dhaliwal
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - F Reber Brown
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Myrto Petreas
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sharyle Patton
- Biomonitoring Resource Center, Commonweal, 451 Mesa Road, Bolinas, CA, USA
| | - S Katharine Hammond
- School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Wang Z, Fu Z, Yu Q, Chen J. Oxidation reactivity of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) by Compound I model of cytochrome P450s. J Environ Sci (China) 2017; 62:11-21. [PMID: 29289282 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2017.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Alternative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have become prevalent as a consequence of restrictions on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). For risk assessment of these alternatives, knowledge of their metabolism via cytochrome P450 enzymes is needed. We have previously proved that density functional theory (DFT) is able to predict the metabolism of PBDEs by revealing the molecular mechanisms. In the current study, the reactivity of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane and structurally similar chemicals with the Compound I model representing the active site of P450 enzymes was investigated. The DFT calculations delineated reaction pathways which lead to reasonable explanations for products that were detected by wet experiments, meanwhile intermediates which cannot be determined were also proposed. Results showed that alkyl hydrogen abstraction will lead to bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethanol, which may undergo hydrolysis yielding 2,4,6-tribromophenol, a neurotoxic compound. In addition, a general pattern of oxidation reactivity regarding the 2,4,6-tribromophenyl moiety was observed among several model compounds. Our study has provided insights for convenient evaluation of the metabolism of other structurally similar BFRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Qi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
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Malliari E, Kalantzi OI. Children's exposure to brominated flame retardants in indoor environments - A review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 108:146-169. [PMID: 28863388 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to present up-to-date research on children's exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in indoor environments. Large geographical variations were observed for all BFRs [polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)], with the highest concentrations of PBDEs measured in North America (BDE-47) and Europe (BDE-209), where higher concentrations of PBDEs are present in dust from houses, daycare centers and primary schools. In Asia the highest PBDE concentrations were measured in China, near e-waste recycling areas. In the Middle East, Australia and Africa BFR levels were low in most indoor spaces. Asian countries also have the highest concentrations of TBBPA and HBCDD, followed by European countries. Fewer studies have been conducted measuring novel and emerging BFRs (NBFRs or EBFRs), of which decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) has the highest concentration in indoor environments, especially in China. The vast majority of children's exposure studies have been conducted in houses, sampling either dust or air, and considerably fewer in schools, daycare centers, cars and public facilities, despite BFR levels being comparable to (or sometimes even higher than) house dust. Relatively fewer studies focused on children's tissues such as serum, and only two studied exposure via mouthing toys. Alternative noninvasive sampling matrices that may act as surrogates for exposure to BFRs such as handwipes and silicone wristbands have recently started to gain momentum, because of the ease of sampling, faster collection time and better correlations to serum than house dust. Feces sampling is another promising alternative to children's serum that warrants further research. While many studies have associated different indoor environment characteristics, there is a knowledge gap on the association between children's behaviour and activity patterns and their exposure to BFRs, as well as data on infant exposure to BFRs via baby products. Results from the studies showed that dust ingestion was the dominant exposure pathway for most studied BFRs compared to indoor air inhalation and dermal contact, especially for infants and toddlers who have higher exposures than older children.
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Fent KW, Alexander B, Roberts J, Robertson S, Toennis C, Sammons D, Bertke S, Kerber S, Smith D, Horn G. Contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment and skin and the effectiveness of decontamination procedures. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2017; 14:801-814. [PMID: 28636458 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1334904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters' skin may be exposed to chemicals via permeation/penetration of combustion byproducts through or around personal protective equipment (PPE) or from the cross-transfer of contaminants on PPE to the skin. Additionally, volatile contaminants can evaporate from PPE following a response and be inhaled by firefighters. Using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as respective markers for non-volatile and volatile substances, we investigated the contamination of firefighters' turnout gear and skin following controlled residential fire responses. Participants were grouped into three crews of twelve firefighters. Each crew was deployed to a fire scenario (one per day, four total) and then paired up to complete six fireground job assignments. Wipe sampling of the exterior of the turnout gear was conducted pre- and post-fire. Wipe samples were also collected from a subset of the gear after field decontamination. VOCs off-gassing from gear were also measured pre-fire, post-fire, and post-decon. Wipe sampling of the firefighters' hands and neck was conducted pre- and post-fire. Additional wipes were collected after cleaning neck skin. PAH levels on turnout gear increased after each response and were greatest for gear worn by firefighters assigned to fire attack and to search and rescue activities. Field decontamination using dish soap, water, and scrubbing was able to reduce PAH contamination on turnout jackets by a median of 85%. Off-gassing VOC levels increased post-fire and then decreased 17-36 min later regardless of whether field decontamination was performed. Median post-fire PAH levels on the neck were near or below the limit of detection (< 24 micrograms per square meter [µg/m2]) for all positions. For firefighters assigned to attack, search, and outside ventilation, the 75th percentile values on the neck were 152, 71.7, and 39.3 µg/m2, respectively. Firefighters assigned to attack and search had higher post-fire median hand contamination (135 and 226 µg/m2, respectively) than other positions (< 10.5 µg/m2). Cleansing wipes were able to reduce PAH contamination on neck skin by a median of 54%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth W Fent
- a Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Barbara Alexander
- b Division of Applied Research and Technology (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Jennifer Roberts
- b Division of Applied Research and Technology (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Shirley Robertson
- b Division of Applied Research and Technology (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Christine Toennis
- b Division of Applied Research and Technology (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Deborah Sammons
- b Division of Applied Research and Technology (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Stephen Bertke
- a Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Steve Kerber
- c Firefighter Safety Research Institute , Underwriters Laboratories , Northbrook , Illinois
| | - Denise Smith
- d Health and Exercise Sciences Department , Skidmore College , Saratoga Springs , New York
- e Illinois Fire Service Institute , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Champaign , Illinois
| | - Gavin Horn
- e Illinois Fire Service Institute , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Champaign , Illinois
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Nguyen KH, Abou-Elwafa Abdallah M, Moehring T, Harrad S. Biotransformation of the Flame Retardant 1,2-Dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH) in Vitro by Human Liver Microsomes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:10511-10518. [PMID: 28846412 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b02834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The technical mixture of 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH or DBE-DBCH) and the pure β-TBECH isomer were subjected to in vitro biotransformation by human liver microsomes (HLM). After 60 min of incubation, 5 potential metabolites of TBECH were identified in microsomal assays of both the TBECH mixture and β-TBECH using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry. These include mono- and dihydroxylated TBECH and mono- and dihydroxylated TriBECH as well as an α-oxidation metabolite bromo-(1,2-dibromocyclohexyl)-acetic acid. Our results indicate potential hepatic biotransformation of TBECH via cyctochrome P450-catalyzed hydroxylation, debromination, and α-oxidation. Kinetic studies revealed that the formation of monohydroxy-TBECH, dihydroxy-TBECH, and monohydroxy-TriBECH were best fitted to a Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetic model. Respective estimated Vmax values (maximum metabolic rate) for these metabolites were 11.8 ± 4, 0.6 ± 0.1, and 10.1 ± 0.8 pmol min-1 mg protein-1 in TBECH mixture and 4992 ± 1340, 14.1 ± 4.9, and 66.1 ± 7.3 pmol min-1 mg protein-1 in β-TBECH. This indicates monohydroxy-TBECH as the major metabolite of TBECH by in vitro HLM-based assay. The estimated in vitro intrinsic clearance (Clint) of TBECH mixture was slower (P < 0.05) than that of pure β-TBECH. While the formation of monohydroxy-TBECH may reduce the bioaccumulation potential and provide a useful biomarker for monitoring TBECH exposure, further studies are required to fully understand the levels and toxicological implications of the identified metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanh-Hoang Nguyen
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, B5 2TT United Kingdom
| | - Mohamed Abou-Elwafa Abdallah
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, B5 2TT United Kingdom
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University , 71526 Assiut, Egypt
| | - Thomas Moehring
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (GmbH) Bremen , Hanna-Kunath-Strasse 11, 28199 Bremen, Germany
| | - Stuart Harrad
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham , Birmingham, B5 2TT United Kingdom
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Castorina R, Butt C, Stapleton HM, Avery D, Harley KG, Holland N, Eskenazi B, Bradman A. Flame retardants and their metabolites in the homes and urine of pregnant women residing in California (the CHAMACOS cohort). CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 179:159-166. [PMID: 28365501 PMCID: PMC5491392 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.03.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), used in consumer products since the 1970s, persist in the environment. Restrictions on penta-polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants resulted in increased use of Firemaster® 550 (FM® 550), and the organophosphate triesters: tris(1,3- dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP); tris(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCIPP); tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP); and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). The objectives of this study were to (1) identify determinants of flame retardants (4 PFRs, PentaBDEs and FM® 550) in house dust, (2) measure urinary PFR metabolites in pregnant women, and (3) estimate health risks from PFR exposure. We measured flame retardants in house dust (n = 125) and metabolites in urine (n = 310) collected in 2000-2001 from Mexican American women participating in the CHAMACOS birth cohort study in California. We detected FM® 550 and PFRs, including two (TCEP and TDCIPP) known to the state of California to cause cancer, in most dust samples. The maximum TCEP and TDCIPP dust levels were among the highest ever reported although the median levels were generally lower compared to other U.S. cohorts. Metabolites of TDCIPP (BDCIPP: bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) and TPHP (DPHP: diphenyl phosphate) were detected in 78% and 79% of prenatal urine samples, respectively. We found a weak but positive correlation between TPHP in dust and DPHP in 124 paired prenatal urine samples (Spearman rho = 0.17; p = 0.06). These results provide information on PFR exposure and risk in pregnant women from the early 2000's and are also valuable to assess trends in exposure and risk given changing fire safety regulations and concomitant changes in chemical flame retardant use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Castorina
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA.
| | - Craig Butt
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Dylan Avery
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Kim G Harley
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Nina Holland
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Asa Bradman
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
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39
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Dodson RE, Rodgers KM, Carey G, Cedeno Laurent JG, Covaci A, Poma G, Malarvannan G, Spengler JD, Rudel RA, Allen JG. Flame Retardant Chemicals in College Dormitories: Flammability Standards Influence Dust Concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:4860-4869. [PMID: 28406624 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Furniture flammability standards are typically met with chemical flame retardants (FRs). FRs can migrate out of products into dust and are linked to cancer, neurological impairment, and endocrine disruption. We collected 95 dust samples from dormitory common areas and student rooms on two U.S. college campuses adhering to two different furniture flammability standards: Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117) and Technical Bulletin 133 (TB133). Because TB133 requires furniture to withstand a much-more-demanding test flame than TB117, we hypothesized that spaces with TB133 furniture would have higher levels of FRs in dust. We found all 47 targeted FRs, including 12 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, 19 other brominated FRs, 11 phosphorus FRs (PFRs), 2 Dechlorane-Plus (DP) isomers, and 3 hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) isomers in the 95 dust samples. We measured the highest reported U.S. concentrations for a number of FRs, including BDE 209 (up to 990 000 ng/g), which may be used to meet the TB133 standard. We prioritized 16 FRs and analyzed levels in relation to flammability standard as well as presence and age of furniture and electronics. Adherence to TB133 was associated with higher concentrations of BDE 209, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), DPs, and HBCDD compared to adherence to TB117 in univariate models (p < 0.05). Student dormitory rooms tended to have higher levels of some FRs compared to common rooms, likely a result of the density of furniture and electronics. As flammability standards are updated, it is critical to understand their impact on exposure and health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin E Dodson
- Silent Spring Institute , 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, Massachusetts 02460, United States
| | - Kathryn M Rodgers
- Silent Spring Institute , 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, Massachusetts 02460, United States
| | - Gale Carey
- University of New Hampshire , Rudman Hall, 46 College Road, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, United States
| | | | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Giulia Poma
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Govindan Malarvannan
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
| | - John D Spengler
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , 401 Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ruthann A Rudel
- Silent Spring Institute , 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, Massachusetts 02460, United States
| | - Joseph G Allen
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , 401 Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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40
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Giraudo M, Douville M, Letcher RJ, Houde M. Effects of food-borne exposure of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to emerging brominated flame retardants 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2017; 186:40-49. [PMID: 28249227 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) represent a large group of chemicals used in a variety of household and commercial products to prevent fire propagation. The environmental persistence and toxicity of some of the most widely used BFRs has resulted in a progressive ban worldwide and the development of novel BFRs for which the knowledge on environmental health impacts remains limited. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of two emerging BFRs, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), in diet exposed juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Both compounds were detected in fish carcasses at 76% and 2% of the daily dosage of BTBPE and EH-TBB, respectively, indicating accumulation of BTBPE and by contrast extensive depuration/metabolism of EH-TBB. Liver gene transcription analysis using RNA-sequencing indicated that the chronic 28-d dietary exposure of trout to EH-TBB down-regulated one single gene related to endocrine-mediated processes, whereas BTBPE impacted the transcription of 33 genes, including genes involved in the immune response, reproduction, and oxidative stress. Additional analysis using qRT-PCR after 48-h and 28-d of exposure confirmed the impact of BTBPE on immune related genes in the liver (apolipoprotein A-I, lysozyme) and the head-kidney (complement c3-4). However, the activity of lysozymes measured at the protein level did not reflect transcriptomic results. Overall, results suggested an impact on immune-related gene transcription in BTBPE exposed fish, as well as oxidative stress and endocrine disruption potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeva Giraudo
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7 Canada.
| | - Mélanie Douville
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7 Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Bldg. 33, 1125 Colonel By Dr. (Raven Road), Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7 Canada
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41
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Vojta Š, Bečanová J, Melymuk L, Komprdová K, Kohoutek J, Kukučka P, Klánová J. Screening for halogenated flame retardants in European consumer products, building materials and wastes. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 168:457-466. [PMID: 27855342 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
To fulfill national and international fire safety standards, flame retardants (FRs) are being added to a wide range of consumer products and building materials consisting of flammable materials like plastic, wood and textiles. While the FR composition of some products and materials has been identified in recent years, the limited global coverage of the data and the large diversity in consumer products necessitates more information for an overall picture of the FR composition in common products/materials. To address this issue, 137 individual samples of various consumer products, building materials and wastes were collected. To identify and characterize potential sources of FRs in indoor environment, all samples were analyzed for content of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) and novel flame retardants (NFRs). The most frequently detected were HBCDDs (85%), with the highest median concentration of Σ4HBCDDs of 300 mg kg-1 in polystyrenes. The highest median concentration of Σ10PBDEs was found in recycled plastic materials, reaching 4 mg kg-1. The lowest concentrations were observed for NFRs, where the median of Σ12NFRs reached 0.4 mg kg-1 in the group of electrical & electronic equipment wastes. This suggests that for consumer products and building materials that are currently in-use, legacy compounds still contribute to the overall burden of FRs. Additionally, contrasting patterns of FR composition in recycled and virgin plastics, revealed using principle component analysis (PCA), suggest that legacy flame retardants are reentering the market through recycled products, perpetuating the potential for emissions to indoor environments and thus for human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šimon Vojta
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jitka Bečanová
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
| | - Lisa Melymuk
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia.
| | - Klára Komprdová
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jiří Kohoutek
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
| | - Petr Kukučka
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jana Klánová
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czechia
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42
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Kuang J, Ma Y, Harrad S. Concentrations of "legacy" and novel brominated flame retardants in matched samples of UK kitchen and living room/bedroom dust. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 149:224-230. [PMID: 26859606 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.01.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) and 5 novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were measured in paired samples of kitchen and living room/bedroom dust sampled in 2015 from 30 UK homes. BDE-209 was most abundant (22-170,000 ng/g), followed by γ-HBCDD (1.7-21,000 ng/g), α-HBCDD (5.2-4,900 ng/g), β-HBCDD (2.3-1,600 ng/g), BDE-99 (2.6-1,440 ng/g), BDE-47 (0.4-940 ng/g), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) (nd-680 ng/g) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (BEH-TEBP) (2.7-630 ng/g). The concentrations in kitchens and living rooms/bedrooms are moderate compared with previous studies. Concentrations of BDE-209 in living room/bedroom dust were significantly lower and those of DBDPE significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to concentrations recorded in UK house dust in 2006 and 2007. This may reflect changes in UK usage of these BFRs. All target BFRs were present at higher concentrations in living rooms/bedrooms than kitchens. With the exception of BDE-28, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB) and DBDPE, these differences were significant (p < 0.05). No specific source was found that could account for the higher concentrations in living rooms/bedrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangmeng Kuang
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Yuning Ma
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Stuart Harrad
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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43
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Fromme H, Becher G, Hilger B, Völkel W. Brominated flame retardants – Exposure and risk assessment for the general population. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2016; 219:1-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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44
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Shen B, Whitehead TP, McNeel S, Brown FR, Dhaliwal J, Das R, Israel L, Park JS, Petreas M. High levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in vacuum cleaner dust from California fire stations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4988-94. [PMID: 25798547 DOI: 10.1021/es505463g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are exposed to chemicals during fire events and may also experience chemical exposure in their fire stations. Dust samples from used vacuum cleaner bags were collected from 20 fire stations in California and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Median dust concentrations were higher for PBDEs (e.g., 47 000 ng/g for BDE-209) than for PAHs (e.g., 220 ng/g for benzo[a]pyrene) or PCBs (e.g., 9.3 ng/g for PCB-180). BDE-209 concentrations in dust from California fire stations were among the highest of any previously documented homes or occupational settings in the world. We examined factors such as the frequency of emergency responses, the number of fire vehicles on site, and building age, but we could not account for the high levels of BDE-209 observed in fire station dust. Based on the findings of our pilot study, we hypothesize that possible sources of BDE-209 in fire stations include contaminated ash tracked back from fire events via boots, clothing, and other equipment as well as specialized equipment treated with BDE-209, including turnout gear and fire vehicles. We suggest possible follow-up studies to confirm these hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Shen
- †School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Todd P Whitehead
- †School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Sandra McNeel
- ‡Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Richmond, California 94804, United States
| | - F Reber Brown
- §Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
| | - Joginder Dhaliwal
- §Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
| | - Rupali Das
- ‡Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Richmond, California 94804, United States
| | - Leslie Israel
- ∥Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, 5201 California Avenue, Irvine, California 92617, United States
| | - June-Soo Park
- §Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
| | - Myrto Petreas
- §Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 700 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, California 94710, United States
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