Perinatal exposure to brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in Japan.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used to prevent combustion in consumer products. Examples of BFRs are polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and tribromophenol (TBP). These compounds are reported to have adverse effects on human health and endocrine disrupting effects. The purpose of this study was to identify the Japanese perinatal exposure to PBDEs, hydroxylated PBDE metabolites (OH-PBDEs), TBBPA, and TBP compared with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hydroxylated PCB metabolites (OH-PCBs). We investigated the concentrations of these compounds in maternal blood, maternal milk, cord blood, and umbilical cords from 16 Japanese mother-infant pairs by HRGC/HRMS. PBDEs were detected in all samples of maternal blood (mean+/-SD; median=25+/-23 pg/g; 18 pg/g wet weight), maternal milk (140+/-220 pg/g; 59 pg/g wet weight), cord blood (4.8+/-6.5 pg/g; 1.6 pg/g wet weight), and umbilical cords (3.1+/-3.1 pg/g; 2.1 pg/g wet weight). The mothers were divided into two groups, a high-concentration group and a low-concentration group. The percentage of BDE-47 showed the greatest difference between the two groups. 6-OH-BDE-47, TBBPA, and TBP were detected in all umbilical cord samples (mean+/-SD; median=8.4+/-8.1 pg/g; 8.0 pg/g, 16+/-5.5 pg/g; 15 pg/g, and 33+/-8.2 pg/g; 32 pg/g wet weight respectively), but not in all maternal blood or cord blood samples. These results indicate that OH-PBDEs, TBBPA, and TBP, in addition to PBDEs, PCBs, and OH-PCBs, pass through the blood-placenta barrier and are retained in the umbilical cord.

[1]  M. Lam,et al.  Effects of 20 PBDE metabolites on steroidogenesis in the H295R cell line. , 2008, Toxicology letters.

[2]  K. Kannan,et al.  Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in tissues of humans, dolphins, and sharks from the United States. , 2008, Chemosphere.

[3]  Lisbeth Ehlert Knudsen,et al.  The human placenta--an alternative for studying foetal exposure. , 2007, Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA.

[4]  L. Goldman,et al.  Determinants of Prenatal Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in an Urban Population , 2007, Environmental health perspectives.

[5]  L. Herrero,et al.  Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human umbilical cord serum, paternal serum, maternal serum, placentas, and breast milk from Madrid population, Spain. , 2007, Environmental science & technology.

[6]  Depuration of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Breast Milk from California First-Time Mothers (Primiparae) , 2007, Environmental health perspectives.

[7]  J. Sunyer,et al.  Influence of breastfeeding in the accumulation of polybromodiphenyl ethers during the first years of child growth. , 2007, Environmental science & technology.

[8]  Jorma Toppari,et al.  Flame Retardants in Placenta and Breast Milk and Cryptorchidism in Newborn Boys , 2007, Environmental health perspectives.

[9]  Olaf Päpke,et al.  Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk from central Taiwan and their relation to infant birth outcome and maternal menstruation effects. , 2007, Environment international.

[10]  Nerissa Wu,et al.  Human exposure to PBDEs: associations of PBDE body burdens with food consumption and house dust concentrations. , 2007, Environmental science & technology.

[11]  A. Ogata,et al.  Effects of tetrabromobisphenol A, brominated flame retardant, in ICR mice after prenatal and postnatal exposure. , 2006, Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association.

[12]  F. Yamashita,et al.  Levels and Concentration Ratios of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Serum and Breast Milk in Japanese Mothers , 2006, Environmental health perspectives.

[13]  L. Birnbaum,et al.  Disposition of BDE 47 in developing mice. , 2006, Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology.

[14]  S. Fujii,et al.  Large-scale evaluation of the current level of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk from 13 regions of Japan. , 2006, Chemosphere.

[15]  L. Burka,et al.  Metabolism and disposition of 2,2′,4,4′- tetrabromodiphenyl ether following administration of single or multiple doses to rats and mice , 2006, Xenobiotica; the fate of foreign compounds in biological systems.

[16]  G. Larsen,et al.  Tissue disposition, excretion and metabolism of 2,2′,4,4′,6-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-100) in male Sprague–Dawley rats , 2006, Xenobiotica; the fate of foreign compounds in biological systems.

[17]  Peter Höglund,et al.  Apparent Half-Lives of Hepta- to Decabrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Human Serum as Determined in Occupationally Exposed Workers , 2005, Environmental health perspectives.

[18]  O. Tsutsumi,et al.  Fetal exposure to phytoestrogens--the difference in phytoestrogen status between mother and fetus. , 2005, Environmental research.

[19]  Manuel Gutiérrez,et al.  Occupational and environmental exposure to tribromophenol used for wood surface protection in sawmills , 2005, International journal of environmental health research.

[20]  L. Kautsky,et al.  Hydroxylated and methoxylated brominated diphenyl ethers in the red algae Ceramium tenuicorne and blue mussels from the Baltic Sea. , 2005, Environmental science & technology.

[21]  H. Fukata,et al.  Necessity to Measure PCBs and Organochlorine Pesticide Concentrations in Human Umbilical Cords for Fetal Exposure Assessment , 2004, Environmental health perspectives.

[22]  J. Sacchettini,et al.  Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls selectively bind transthyretin in blood and inhibit amyloidogenesis: rationalizing rodent PCB toxicity. , 2004, Chemistry & biology.

[23]  Eiichi Kamata,et al.  Unexpected nephrotoxicity induced by tetrabromobisphenol A in newborn rats. , 2004, Toxicology letters.

[24]  Ronald A Hites,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a meta-analysis of concentrations. , 2004, Environmental science & technology.

[25]  L. Birnbaum,et al.  Brominated flame retardants: cause for concern? , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[26]  Arnold Schecter,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in U.S. mothers' milk. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[27]  Á. Jos,et al.  Tribromophenol induces the differentiation of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells in vitro. , 2003, Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA.

[28]  Shin-ichi Sakai,et al.  Environmental release and behavior of brominated flame retardants. , 2003, Environment international.

[29]  R. Letcher,et al.  Metabolism in the toxicokinetics and fate of brominated flame retardants--a review. , 2003, Environment international.

[30]  H. Hakk,et al.  Decabromodiphenyl ether in the rat: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. , 2003, Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals.

[31]  Nathan G Dodder,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in maternal and fetal blood samples. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[32]  Ǻ. Bergman,et al.  Human prenatal and postnatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorobiphenylols, and pentachlorophenol. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[33]  P. Grandjean,et al.  Hydroxylated PCB metabolites and PCBs in serum from pregnant Faroese women. , 2002, Environmental health perspectives.

[34]  Abraham Brouwer,et al.  Placental transfer of a hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl and effects on fetal and maternal thyroid hormone homeostasis in the rat. , 2002, Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology.

[35]  Cathrine Thomsen,et al.  Brominated flame retardants in archived serum samples from Norway: a study on temporal trends and the role of age. , 2002, Environmental science & technology.

[36]  P. Ayotte,et al.  Pentachlorophenol and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl metabolites in umbilical cord plasma of neonates from coastal populations in Québec. , 2002, Environmental health perspectives.

[37]  Teruyuki Nakao,et al.  Comparison of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish, vegetables, and meats and levels in human milk of nursing women in Japan. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[38]  Lars Rylander,et al.  Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and tetrabromobisphenol A among computer technicians. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[39]  Thomas A McDonald,et al.  A perspective on the potential health risks of PBDEs. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[40]  Peggy Shepard,et al.  The challenge of preventing environmentally related disease in young children: community-based research in New York City. , 2002, Environmental health perspectives.

[41]  G. Larsen,et al.  Tissue disposition, excretion and metabolism of 2,2′,4,4′,5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99) in the male Sprague-Dawley rat , 2002, Xenobiotica; the fate of foreign compounds in biological systems.

[42]  L. Hovander,et al.  Identification of Hydroxylated PCB Metabolites and Other Phenolic Halogenated Pollutants in Human Blood Plasma , 2002, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[43]  I. Meerts,et al.  In vitro estrogenicity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, hydroxylated PDBEs, and polybrominated bisphenol A compounds. , 2001, Environmental health perspectives.

[44]  G. Charnley,et al.  Children's health, susceptibility, and regulatory approaches to reducing risks from chemical carcinogens. , 2001, Environmental health perspectives.

[45]  C. Thomsen,et al.  Brominated flame retardants in plasma samples from three different occupational groups in Norway. , 2001, Journal of environmental monitoring : JEM.

[46]  I. Meerts,et al.  Potent competitive interactions of some brominated flame retardants and related compounds with human transthyretin in vitro. , 2000, Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology.

[47]  K. Hooper,et al.  The PBDEs: an emerging environmental challenge and another reason for breast-milk monitoring programs. , 1999, Environmental health perspectives.

[48]  L. Hagmar,et al.  Biological half-lives of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and tetrabromobisphenol a in exposed workers , 2000 .

[49]  A. Lyubimov,et al.  Developmental neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity of 2,4,6-tribromophenol in Wistar rats. , 1998, Neurotoxicology.

[50]  U. Orn,et al.  Metabolism of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether in rat and mouse. , 1998, Xenobiotica; the fate of foreign compounds in biological systems.

[51]  T. Sandritter,et al.  Principles of Drug Transfer into Breast Milk and Drug Disposition in the Nursing Infant , 1997, Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association.