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Liu Y, Xie Y, Tian Y, Liao J, Fang D, Wang L, Zeng R, Xiong S, Liu X, Chen Q, Zhang Y, Yuan H, Li Q, Shen X, Zhou Y. Exposure levels and determinants of placental polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Chinese pregnant women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 241:117615. [PMID: 37949289 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117615] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group of widely used chemicals and humans are exposed to them in their daily life. PBDEs exposure during pregnancy may have adverse effects on pregnant women and their fetuses. Nevertheless, limited information is available on the levels and determinants of PBDEs exposure in Chinese pregnant women. METHODS The internal exposure levels of eight PBDEs (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, and 209) in placental samples of 1280 pregnant women from Zunyi birth cohort were analyzed using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. All PBDEs concentrations were lipid adjusted (ng/g lw). Determinants of exposure were assessed by multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS Eight PBDE homologues were quantifiable in more than 70% of the samples. The highest median concentrations were found for BDE-209 (2.78 ng/g lw), followed by BDE-153 (1.00 ng/g lw) and BDE-183 (0.93 ng/g lw). The level of ΣPBDEs ranged from 0.90 to 308.78 ng/g lw, with a median concentration of 10.02 ng/g lw. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal age older than 30 years old (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.23), pre-pregnancy obesity (1.51; 1.08, 2.10), home renovation within 2 years (1.43; 1.08, 1.91), spending more time outdoors during pregnancy (0.70; 0.55, 0.89), high consumption of fish/seafood (1.46; 1.13, 1.90) and eggs (1.44; 1.04, 2.00), male infant sex (1.69; 1.18, 2.42) were associated with PBDEs exposure. CONCLUSION The study population is generally exposed to PBDEs, of which BDE-209 is the dominant congener, indicating extensive application of products containing deca-BDE mixtures. Maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, home decoration, average outdoor time during pregnancy, fish, seafood, eggs consumption, and fetal sex were exposure-determinning factors. This study contributes to the knowledge on region-specific PBDEs contamination in pregnant women and related risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Liu
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Yan Xie
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Yingkuan Tian
- People's Hospital of Xingyi City, Qianxinan, 562400, Guizhou, China
| | - Juan Liao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Derong Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Linglu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Rong Zeng
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Shimin Xiong
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Xingyan Liu
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Qing Chen
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- People's Hospital of Xishui County, Zunyi, 564600, Guizhou, China
| | - Hongyu Yuan
- People's Hospital of Xishui County, Zunyi, 564600, Guizhou, China
| | - Quan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - XuBo Shen
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China
| | - Yuanzhong Zhou
- School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Key Laboratory of Maternal & Child Health and Exposure Science of Guizhou Higher Education Institutes, China.
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Bloch S, Lévêque L, Hertz-Picciotto I, Puschner B, Fritsche E, Klose J, I Kramer N, Bouchard MF, Chandrasekera PC, Verner MA. Using in vitro data to derive acceptable exposure levels: A case study on PBDE developmental neurotoxicity. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108411. [PMID: 38217900 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108411] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current acceptable chemical exposure levels (e.g., tolerable daily intake) are mainly based on animal experiments, which are costly, time-consuming, considered non-ethical by many, and may poorly predict adverse outcomes in humans. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a method using human in vitro data and biological modeling to calculate an acceptable exposure level through a case study on 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). METHODS We reviewed the literature on in vitro assays studying BDE-47-induced DNT. Using the most sensitive endpoint, we derived a point of departure using a mass-balance in vitro disposition model and benchmark dose modeling for a 5% response (BMC05) in cells. We subsequently used a pharmacokinetic model of gestation and lactation to estimate administered equivalent doses leading to four different metrics of child brain concentration (i.e., average prenatal, average postnatal, average overall, and maximum concentration) equal to the point of departure. The administered equivalent doses were translated into tolerable daily intakes using uncertainty factors. Finally, we calculated biomonitoring equivalents for maternal serum and compared them to published epidemiological studies of DNT. RESULTS We calculated a BMC05 of 164 μg/kg of cells for BDE-47 induced alteration of differentiation in neural progenitor cells. We estimated administered equivalent doses of 0.925-3.767 μg/kg/day in mothers, and tolerable daily intakes of 0.009-0.038 μg/kg/day (composite uncertainty factor: 100). The lowest derived biomonitoring equivalent was 19.75 ng/g lipids, which was consistent with reported median (0.9-23 ng/g lipids) and geometric mean (7.02-26.9 ng/g lipids) maternal serum concentrations from epidemiological studies. CONCLUSION This case study supports using in vitro data and biological modeling as a viable alternative to animal testing to derive acceptable exposure levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri Bloch
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura Lévêque
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Birgit Puschner
- Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ellen Fritsche
- IUF-Leibniz-Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany; DNTOX GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany; Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jördis Klose
- IUF-Leibniz-Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Nynke I Kramer
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Université du Québec, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Marc-André Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Singh V, Cortes-Ramirez J, Toms LM, Sooriyagoda T, Karatela S. Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on Hormonal and Reproductive Health in E-Waste-Exposed Population: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137820. [PMID: 35805479 PMCID: PMC9265575 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Electronic waste management is a global rising concern that is primarily being handled by informal recycling practices. These release a mix of potentially hazardous chemicals, which is an important public health concern. These chemicals include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants in electronic parts, which are persistent in nature and show bioaccumulative characteristics. Although PBDEs are suspected endocrine disruptors, particularly targeting thyroid and reproductive hormone functions, the relationship of PBDEs with these health effects are not well established. We used the Navigation Guide methodology to conduct a systematic review of studies in populations exposed to e-waste to better understand the relationships of these persistent flame retardants with hormonal and reproductive health. We assessed nineteen studies that fit our pre-determined inclusion criteria for risk of bias, indirectness, inconsistency, imprecision, and other criteria that helped rate the overall evidence for its quality and strength of evidence. The studies suggest PBDEs may have an adverse effect on thyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, semen quality, and neonatal health. However, more research is required to establish a relationship of these effects in the e-waste-exposed population. We identified the limitations of the data available and made recommendations for future scientific work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Singh
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (L.-M.T.); (T.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Javier Cortes-Ramirez
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- Children’s Health and Environment Program, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Universidad de Santander, Cúcuta 540003, Colombia
| | - Leisa-Maree Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (L.-M.T.); (T.S.)
| | - Thilakshika Sooriyagoda
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (L.-M.T.); (T.S.)
| | - Shamshad Karatela
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Mackay, QLD 4740, Australia
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Lin S, Ali MU, Zheng C, Cai Z, Wong MH. Toxic chemicals from uncontrolled e-waste recycling: Exposure, body burden, health impact. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 426:127792. [PMID: 34802823 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Uncontrolled electronic-waste (e-waste) recycling processes have induced serious environmental pollution and human health impacts. This paper reviewed studies on the wide range of toxic chemicals through the use of primitive recycling techniques, their transfer to various ecological compartments, and subsequent health impacts. Results indicated that local food items were heavily polluted by the pollutants emitted, notably heavy metals in vegetables, rice, fish and seafood, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in livestock. Dietary exposure is the most important exposure pathway. The associations between exposure to e-waste and high body burdens of these pollutants were evident. It seems apparent that toxic chemicals emitted from e-waste activities are causing a number of major illnesses related to cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory systems, according to the information provided by a local hospital (Taizhou, an e-waste recycling hot spot in China). More epidemiological data should be made available to the general public. It is envisaged that there are potential dangers of toxic chemicals passing on to the next generation via placental transfer and lactation. There is a need to monitor the development and health impacts of infants and children, born and brought up in the e-waste sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi Lin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Muhammad Ubaid Ali
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chunmiao Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ming Hung Wong
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Critical review of analytical methods for the determination of flame retardants in human matrices. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1193:338828. [PMID: 35058002 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Human biomonitoring is a powerful approach in assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. Flame retardants (FRs) are of particular concern due to their wide distribution in the environment and adverse health effects. This article reviews studies published in 2009-2020 on the chemical analysis of FRs in a variety of human samples and discusses the characteristics of the analytical methods applied to different FR biomarkers of exposure, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), novel halogenated flame retardants (NHFRs), bromophenols, incl. tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and organophosphorous flame retardants (PFRs). Among the extraction techniques, liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid phase extraction (SPE) were used most frequently due to the good efficiencies in the isolation of the majority of the FR biomarkers, but with challenges for highly lipophilic FRs. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is mainly applied in the instrumental analysis of PBDEs and most NHFRs, with recent inclusions of GC-MS/MS and high resolution MS techniques. Liquid chromatography-MS/MS is mainly applied to HBCD, bromophenols, incl. TBBPA, and PFRs (including metabolites), however, GC-based analysis following derivatization has also been used for phenolic compounds and PFR metabolites. Developments are noticed towards more universal analytical methods, which enable widening method scopes in the human biomonitoring of FRs. Challenges exist with regard to sensitivity required for the low concentrations of FRs in the general population and limited sample material for some human matrices. A strong focus on quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures is required in the analysis of FR biomarkers in human samples, related to their variety of physical-chemical properties, low levels in most human samples and the risk of contamination.
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Parvez SM, Jahan F, Brune MN, Gorman JF, Rahman MJ, Carpenter D, Islam Z, Rahman M, Aich N, Knibbs LD, Sly PD. Health consequences of exposure to e-waste: an updated systematic review. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e905-e920. [PMID: 34895498 PMCID: PMC8674120 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00263-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Electronic waste (e-waste) contains numerous chemicals harmful to human and ecological health. To update a 2013 review assessing adverse human health consequences of exposure to e-waste, we systematically reviewed studies reporting effects on humans related to e-waste exposure. We searched EMBASE, PsycNET, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PubMed for articles published between Dec 18, 2012, and Jan 28, 2020, restricting our search to publications in English. Of the 5645 records identified, we included 70 studies that met the preset criteria. People living in e-waste exposed regions had significantly elevated levels of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Children and pregnant women were especially susceptible during the critical periods of exposure that detrimentally affect diverse biological systems and organs. Elevated toxic chemicals negatively impact on neonatal growth indices and hormone level alterations in e-waste exposed populations. We recorded possible connections between chronic exposure to e-waste and DNA lesions, telomere attrition, inhibited vaccine responsiveness, elevated oxidative stress, and altered immune function. The existence of various toxic chemicals in e-waste recycling areas impose plausible adverse health outcomes. Novel cost-effective methods for safe recycling operations need to be employed in e-waste sites to ensure the health and safety of vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarker M Parvez
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farjana Jahan
- Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marie-Noel Brune
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julia F Gorman
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Musarrat J Rahman
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David Carpenter
- School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Zahir Islam
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nirupam Aich
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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Marinello WP, Patisaul HB. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and placental function: Impact on fetal brain development. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:347-400. [PMID: 34452690 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.04.003] [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] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a critical time of vulnerability for the development of the fetal brain. Exposure to environmental pollutants at any point in pregnancy can negatively impact many aspects of fetal development, especially the organization and differentiation of the brain. The placenta performs a variety of functions that can help protect the fetus and sustain brain development. However, disruption of any of these functions can have negative impacts on both the pregnancy outcome and fetal neurodevelopment. This review presents current understanding of how environmental exposures, specifically to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), interfere with placental function and, in turn, neurodevelopment. Some of the key differences in placental development between animal models are presented, as well as how placental functions such as serving as a xenobiotic barrier and exchange organ, immune interface, regulator of growth and fetal oxygenation, and a neuroendocrine organ, could be vulnerable to environmental exposure. This review illustrates the importance of the placenta as a modulator of fetal brain development and suggests critical unexplored areas and possible vulnerabilities to environmental exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Marinello
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
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Yu Y, Li X, Hu J, Jiang Z, Zhang X, Li G, Ma S, Lei B, Fang X, Fan R, An T. Mechanisms of transplacental transport and barrier of polybrominated diphenyl ethers: A comprehensive human, Sprague-Dawley rat, BeWo cell and molecular docking study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 270:116091. [PMID: 33234377 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although studies have reported that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can transfer from mothers to fetuses, the underlying transplacental transport and barrier mechanisms are still unclear. Therefore, we conducted a series of comprehensive experiments in humans, Sprague-Dawley rats, and a BeWo cell monolayer model, as well as a molecular docking study. PBDEs in mothers can transfer to fetuses with a ratio of approximately 0.46, suggesting that the placenta could not efficiently acts as a barrier to PBDE transplacental transport. Similar results were observed in pregnant rats, although varying times were required for different congeners to reach a steady-state in fetuses. The transport ratios at pregnancy day 14 in rats were generally higher than those at pregnancy day 18, which demonstrated that the barrier capacity of immature placentas was lower than that of mature placentas. None concentration-dependent transplacental transport was observed in BeWo cells with efflux ratios of 1.73-2.32, which suggested passive diffusion mechanisms govern the influx of PBDEs through placenta. The accumulated ratios of PBDEs and the inhibitor assay indicated that the effluent channel of P-glycoprotein was partially inhibited by PBDEs. Using molecular docking studies, three pocket sites were identified for different congeners in P-glycoprotein, which demonstrated that the inhibition of P-glycoprotein efflux pump through the pocket sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxin Yu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Junjie Hu
- School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Zi'an Jiang
- Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Xiaolan Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Guiying Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Shengtao Ma
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Bingli Lei
- Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, PR China
| | - Xiangming Fang
- Shanghai Huangpu Maternity & Infant Health Hospital, Shanghai, 200020, PR China
| | - Ruifang Fan
- School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China
| | - Taicheng An
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
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Li J, Sun X, Xu J, Tan H, Zeng EY, Chen D. Transplacental Transfer of Environmental Chemicals: Roles of Molecular Descriptors and Placental Transporters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:519-528. [PMID: 33295769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Transplacental transfer of environmental chemicals results in direct risks to fetal development. Although numerous studies have investigated transplacental transfer efficiencies (TTEs) of environmental chemicals, the underlying mechanisms and influencing factors remain poorly understood. The present study aims to synthesize a current state of knowledge on the TTEs of major environmental chemicals and explore the roles of chemicals' molecular descriptors and placental transporters in the transplacental transfer. The results indicate great variations in TTEs (median: 0.29-2.86) across 51 chemicals. Chemical-dependent TTEs may partially be attributed to the influences of chemicals' molecular descriptors. Predictive models based on experimental TTEs and 1790 computed molecular descriptors indicate that a very limited number of molecular descriptors, such as the topological polar surface area, may substantially influence and efficiently predict chemicals' TTEs. In addition, molecular docking analyses were conducted to determine the binding affinities between 51 chemicals and six selected transporters, including BCRP, MDR1, hENT1, FRα, SERT, and MRP1. The results reveal transporter- and chemical-dependent binding affinities. Therefore, our study demonstrates that molecular descriptors and placental transporters, among a variety of other factors, can play important roles in the transplacental transfer of environmental chemicals. However, the underlying mechanisms and several important knowledge gaps identified herein require further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiangfei Sun
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jun Xu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hongli Tan
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Eddy Y Zeng
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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Ma Y, Stubbings WA, Cline-Cole R, Harrad S. Human exposure to halogenated and organophosphate flame retardants through informal e-waste handling activities - A critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115727. [PMID: 33010546 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Informal electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) handling activities constitute a potentially important source of halogenated (HFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) to the environment and humans. In this review, two electronic databases (ScienceDirect and Web of Science Core Collection) were searched for papers that addressed this topic. A total of 82 relevant studies (including 72 studies selected from the two databases and 10 studies located from the references of the first 72 selected studies) were identified that reported on human external and internal exposure to HFRs and OPFRs arising as a result of informal e-waste handling activities. Compared to the general population, higher levels of external exposure (i.e., inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption) and internal exposure (i.e., blood serum, hair, breast milk, urine, and other human matrices) to HFRs and OPFRs were identified for e-waste recyclers and residents inhabiting e-waste dismantling and recycling zones, especially for younger adults and children. Food intake and dust ingestion were the dominant exposure pathways for the majority of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and dechlorane plus (DP); while inhalation was identified as the most significant pathway of human exposure to OPFRs in informal e-waste sites. The majority of research to date has focused on China and thus future studies should be conducted in other regions such as Africa and South Asia. Other suggested foci of future research are: examination of exposure via dermal contact with e-waste, dietary exposure of local populations to OPFRs, confirmation of the existence of and cause(s) of the higher body burdens of females compared with males amongst populations impacted by informal e-waste handling, and characterisation of exposure of such populations to chlorinated paraffins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Ma
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - William A Stubbings
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Reginald Cline-Cole
- Centre of West African Studies, Department of African Studies & Anthropology, School of History and Cultures, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Stuart Harrad
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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11
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Zhang X, Cheng X, Lei B, Zhang G, Bi Y, Yu Y. A review of the transplacental transfer of persistent halogenated organic pollutants: Transfer characteristics, influential factors, and mechanisms. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106224. [PMID: 33137703 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Persistent halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs) are a class of toxic chemicals, which may have adverse effects on fetuses via transplacental transfer from their mothers. Here, we review reported internal exposure levels of various HOPs (organochlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) in placenta, and both maternal and umbilical cord sera. We also present analyses of the transplacental transfer and placental distribution characteristics of each class of compounds, and discuss effects of several factors on the transfer and accumulation efficiencies of HOPs, as well as the main mechanisms of HOPs' transfer across the placental barrier. Reported compound-specific transplacental transfer efficiencies and distribution efficiencies, expressed as umbilical cord:maternal serum and placental:maternal serum concentration ratios (RCM and RPM, respectively), are summarized. Average published RCM values of the HOPs range from 0.24 to 3.08 (lipid-adjusted) and from 0.04 to 3.1 (based on wet weights), and are highest for perfluoroalkylcarboxylates (PFCAs) and tetrabromobisphenol A. Average published RPM values range from 0.14 to 1.02 (lipid-adjusted) and from 0.30 to 1.4 (based on wet weights). The broad RCM and RPM ranges may reflect effects of various factors, inter alia physicochemical properties of HOPs, metabolic capacities of mothers and fetuses, placental maturity, and differential expression of influx/efflux transporters in the placenta. Generally, HOPs' RCM values decline linearly with molecular size, and are curvilinearly related to solubility. Plasma protein binding affinity and the difference between maternal and fetal metabolic capacities may also affect some HOPs' transfer efficiencies. HOPs' molecular size may be influential. Transplacental transport of HOPs likely occurs mostly through passive diffusion, although influx/efflux transporters expressed on maternal and/or fetal sides of the placenta may also facilitate or hinder their transport. Overall, the review highlights clear gaps in our understanding of mechanisms involved in HOPs' transplacental transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolan Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China
| | - Xiaomeng Cheng
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China
| | - Bingli Lei
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Guoxia Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China
| | - Yuhao Bi
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China
| | - Yingxin Yu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
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12
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Cai K, Song Q, Yuan W, Ruan J, Duan H, Li Y, Li J. Human exposure to PBDEs in e-waste areas: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115634. [PMID: 33254638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly added to electronic products for flame-retardation effects, and are attracting more and more attentions due to their potential toxicity, durability and bioaccumulation. This study conducts a sysmtematic review to understand the human exposure to PBDEs from e-waste recycling, especially exploring the exposure pathways and human burden of PBDEs as well as investigating the temporal trend of PBDEs exposure worldwide. The results show that the particular foods (contaminated fish, poultry, meat and breast milk) ingestion, indoor dust ingestion and indoor air inhalation may be key factors leading to human health risks of PBDEs exposure in e-waste recycling regions. Residents and some vulnerable groups (occupational workers and children) in e-waste recycling areas may face higher exposure levels and health risks. PBDE exposure is closely related to exposure level, exposure duration, e-waste recycling methods, and dietary customs. High levels of PBDEs are found in human tissues (breast milk, hair, blood (serum), placenta and other tissues) in e-waste areas, at far higher levels than in other areas. Existing data indicate that PBDE exposure levels do not present any apparent downward trend, and will possibly cause serious human diseases. More epidemiological studies are still needed to provide a solid basis for health risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihan Cai
- Macau Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, 999078, China; Macau Institute of Systems Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Qingbin Song
- Macau Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, 999078, China.
| | - Wenyi Yuan
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for WEEE Recycling, Shanghai Polytechnic University, Shanghai, 201209, China
| | - Jujun Ruan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Huabo Duan
- College of Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Ying Li
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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13
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Maddela NR, Venkateswarlu K, Kakarla D, Megharaj M. Inevitable human exposure to emissions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers: A perspective on potential health risks. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 266:115240. [PMID: 32698055 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) serve as flame retardants in many household materials such as electrical and electronic devices, furniture, textiles, plastics, and baby products. Though the use of PBDEs like penta-, octa- and deca-BDE greatly reduces the fire damage, indoor pollution by these toxic emissions is ever-growing. In fact, a boom in the global market projections of PBDEs threatens human health security. Therefore, efforts are made to minimize PBDEs pollution in USA and Europe by encouraging voluntary phasing out of the production or imposing compelled regulations through Stockholm Convention, but >500 kilotons of PBDEs still exist globally. Both 'environmental persistence' and 'bioaccumulation tendencies' are the hallmarks of PBDE toxicities; however, both these issues concerning household emissions of PBDEs have been least addressed theoretically or practically. Critical physiological functions, lipophilicity and toxicity, trophic transfer and tissue specificities are of utmost importance in the benefit/risk assessments of PBDEs. Since indoor debromination of deca-BDE often yields many products, a better understanding on their sorption propensity, environmental fate and human toxicities is critical in taking rigorous measures on the ever-growing global deca-BDE market. The data available in the literature on human toxicities of PBDEs have been validated following meta-analysis. In this direction, the intent of the present review was to provide a critical evaluation of the key aspects like compositional patterns/isomer ratios of PBDEs implicated in bioaccumulation, indoor PBDE emissions versus human exposure, secured technologies to deal with the toxic emissions, and human toxicity of PBDEs in relation to the number of bromine atoms. Finally, an emphasis has been made on the knowledge gaps and future research directions related to endurable flame retardants which could fit well into the benefit/risk strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naga Raju Maddela
- Instituto de Investigación, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, 130105, Ecuador; Facultad la Ciencias la Salud, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, 130105, Ecuador
| | - Kadiyala Venkateswarlu
- Formerly Department of Microbiology, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu, 515003, India
| | - Dhatri Kakarla
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mallavarapu Megharaj
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
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14
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Guo J, Miao W, Wu C, Zhang J, Qi X, Yu H, Chang X, Zhang Y, Zhou Z. Umbilical cord serum PBDE concentrations and child adiposity measures at 7 years. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 203:111009. [PMID: 32684521 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) exist extensively in the environment. Toxicological studies suggested PBDEs may interfere with adipogenic pathways. However, few human evidence addressed PBDE exposures in utero related to childhood adiposity. OBJECTIVE We assessed associations between PBDEs concentrations in cord serum and childhood adiposity measures at 7 years. METHODS Among 318 mother-child pairs from Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS) in China, nine PBDE congener concentrations were quantified in umbilical cord serum using gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS). Anthropometric indicators of children aged 7 years were measured, including weight, height and waist circumference. Age and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) z scores were calculated based on World Health Organization (WHO)'s child growth standards. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models adjusted for putative confounders were performed to examine associations between PBDE congeners and adiposity parameters. RESULTS BDE-209 was the most abundant congener of PBDEs with a median value of 19.5 ng/g lipid. The geometric mean values of nine PBDE congeners ranged from below limit of detection (LOD) to 18.1 ng/g lipid, and the detection rates were 46.5%~96.5%. Cord serum BDE-153 and BDE-154 concentrations were associated with lower childhood BMI z score (regression coefficient, β=-0.15, 95% confidence interval: -0.29, -0.02; p=0.02; β=-0.23, 95%CI: -0.43, -0.03; p=0.03, respectively) and lower waist circumference (β=-0.75 cm, 95%CI: -1.43, -0.06; p=0.03; β=-1.22 cm, 95%CI: -2.23, -0.21; p=0.02, respectively), after controlling for potential confounders. Moreover, prenatal BDE-154 exposure was related to a decreased obesity risk of children aged 7 years (odds ratio, OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.22, 0.94; p=0.03). These effects were only observed among boys in sex-straitified analyses. CONCLUSIONS Cord serum BDE-153 and BDE-154 concentrations were related to reduced adiposity measures at 7 years of age. Further evidence regarding the impacts of prenatal PBDE exposures on childhood development is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqiu Guo
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wenbin Miao
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chunhua Wu
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jiming Zhang
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaojuan Qi
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China; Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 3399 Binsheng Road, Hangzhou, 310051, China
| | - Haixing Yu
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiuli Chang
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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15
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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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16
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Jobst KJ, Arora A, Pollitt KG, Sled JG. Dried blood spots for the identification of bio-accumulating organic compounds: current challenges and future perspectives. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020; 15:66-73. [PMID: 33073071 PMCID: PMC7560987 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The exposome is a concept that underlines the critical relationship between health and environmental exposures, including environmental toxicants. Currently, most environmental exposures that contribute to the exposome have not been characterized. Dried-blood spots (DBS) offer a cost-effective, reliable approach to characterize the blood exposome, which consists of diverse endogenous and exogenous chemicals, including persistent and bioaccumulating organic compounds. Current challenges involve prioritizing the identification by state-of-the-art mass spectrometry of likely up to tens of thousands of compounds present in blood; characterizing substances that represent a mixture of myriad constituent compounds; and detecting trace level contaminants, especially in quantity-limited matrices like DBS. This contribution reviews recent trends in DBS analysis of chemical pollutants and highlights the need for continued research in analytical chemistry to advance the field of exposomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl J. Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 283 Prince Phillip Drive, St. John's A1B 3X7 Canada
| | - Anmol Arora
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, 06520 USA
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Krystal Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, 06520 USA
| | - John G. Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto M5G 1L7, Canada
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17
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Matovu H, Ssebugere P, Sillanpää M. Prenatal exposure levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in mother-infant pairs and their transplacental transfer characteristics in Uganda (East Africa). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 258:113723. [PMID: 31869703 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants with adverse effects on the foetus and infants. This study aimed at assessing in utero exposure levels and transplacental transfer (TPT) characteristics of BDE congeners in primiparous mothers from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Paired human samples (30 placenta and 30 cord blood samples) were collected between April and June 2018; and analysed for a suite of 24 tri-to deca-BDE congeners. Extraction was carried out using liquid-liquid extraction and sonication for cord blood and placenta samples, respectively. Clean-up was done on a solid phase (SPE) column and analysis was performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total (∑) PBDEs were 0.25-30.9 ng/g lipid weight (lw) (median; 7.11 ng/g lw) in placental tissues and 1.65-34.5 ng/g lw (median; 11.9 ng/g lw) in cord blood serum, with a mean difference of 1.26 ng/g lw between the compartments. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the levels of PBDEs in cord blood and placenta samples (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p = 0.665), possibly because foetus and neonates have poorly developed systems to metabolise the pollutants from the mothers. BDE-209 was the dominant congener in both matrices (contributed 40.5% and 51.2% to ∑PBDEs in placenta and cord blood, respectively), suggesting recent and on-going maternal exposure to deca-BDE formulation. Non-significant associations were observed between ∑PBDEs in maternal placenta and maternal age, household income, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and beef/fish consumption. This suggested on-going exposure to PBDEs through multiple sources such as dust from indoor/outdoor environments and, ingestion of other foods. Based on absolute concentrations, the extent of transplacental transport was greater for higher congeners (BDE-209, -206 and -207) than for lower ones (such as BDE-47), suggesting alternative TPT mechanisms besides passive diffusion. More studies with bigger sample sizes are required to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Matovu
- Department of Chemistry, Gulu University, P. O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda; Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50190, Mikkeli, Finland
| | - Patrick Ssebugere
- Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Department of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50190, Mikkeli, Finland
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18
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Hamers T, Kortenkamp A, Scholze M, Molenaar D, Cenijn PH, Weiss JM. Transthyretin-Binding Activity of Complex Mixtures Representing the Composition of Thyroid-Hormone Disrupting Contaminants in House Dust and Human Serum. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:17015. [PMID: 32003587 PMCID: PMC7015555 DOI: 10.1289/ehp5911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND House dust contains many organic contaminants that can compete with the thyroid hormone (TH) thyroxine (T 4 ) for binding to transthyretin (TTR). How these contaminants work together at levels found in humans and how displacement from TTR in vitro relates to in vivo T 4 -TTR binding is unknown. OBJECTIVES Our aims were to determine the TTR-binding potency for contaminant mixtures as found in house dust, maternal serum, and infant serum; to study whether the TTR-binding potency of the mixtures follows the principle of concentration addition; and to extrapolate the in vitro TTR-binding potency to in vivo inhibition levels of T 4 -TTR binding in maternal and infant serum. METHODS Twenty-five contaminants were tested for their in vitro capacity to compete for TTR-binding with a fluorescent FITC-T 4 probe. Three mixtures were reconstituted proportionally to median concentrations for these chemicals in house dust, maternal serum, or infant serum from Nordic countries. Measured concentration-response curves were compared with concentration-response curves predicted by concentration addition. For each reconstituted serum mixture, its inhibitor-TTR dissociation constant (K i ) was used to estimate inhibition levels of T 4 -TTR binding in human blood. RESULTS The TTR-binding potency of the mixtures was well predicted by concentration addition. The ∼ 20 % inhibition in FITC-T 4 binding observed for the mixtures reflecting median concentrations in maternal and infant serum was extrapolated to 1.3% inhibition of T 4 -TTR binding in maternal and 1.5% in infant blood. For nontested mixtures reflecting high-end serum concentrations, these estimates were 6.2% and 4.9%, respectively. DISCUSSION The relatively low estimated inhibition levels at median exposure levels may explain why no relationship between exposure to TTR-binding compounds and circulating T 4 levels in humans has been reported, so far. We hypothesize, however, that 1.3% inhibition of T 4 -TTR binding may ultimately be decisive for reaching a status of maternal hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia associated with impaired neurodevelopment in children. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5911.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Hamers
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andreas Kortenkamp
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University, London, UK
| | - Martin Scholze
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University, London, UK
| | - Douwe Molenaar
- Department of Systems Bioinformatics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Peter H. Cenijn
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jana M. Weiss
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Jiang Y, Yuan L, Lin Q, Ma S, Yu Y. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and human external and internal exposure in China: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 696:133902. [PMID: 31470322 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used as brominated flame retardants. Because of their toxicity and persistence, some PBDEs were restricted under the Stockholm Convention in 2009. Since then, many studies have been carried out on PBDEs in China and in many other countries. In the present review, the occurrences and contamination of PBDEs in air, water, sediment, soil, biota and daily food, human blood, hair, and other human tissues in China are comprehensively reviewed and described. The human exposure pathways and associated health risks of PBDEs are summarized. The data showed no obvious differences between North and South China, but concentrations from West China were generally lower than in East China, which can be mainly attributed to the production and widespread use of PBDEs in eastern regions. High levels of PBDEs were generally observed in the PBDE production facilities (e.g., Jiangsu Province and Shandong Province, East China) and e-waste recycling sites (Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, East China, and Guiyu City and Qingyuan City, both located in Guangdong Province, South China) and large cities, whereas low levels were detected in rural and less-developed areas, especially in remote regions such as the Tibetan Plateau. Deca-BDE is generally the major congener. Existing problems for PBDE investigations in China are revealed, and further studies are also discussed and anticipated. In particular, non-invasive matrices such as hair should be more thoroughly studied; more accurate estimations of human exposure and health risks should be performed, such as adding bioaccessibility or bioavailability to human exposure assessments; and the degradation products and metabolites of PBDEs in human bodies should receive more attention. More investigations should be carried out to evaluate the quantitative relationships between internal and external exposure so as to provide a scientific basis for ensuring human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Jiang
- School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, PR China
| | - Longmiao Yuan
- School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, PR China
| | - Qinhao Lin
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Shentao Ma
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou 515100, China
| | - Yingxin Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
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20
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Ruis MT, Rock KD, Hall SM, Horman B, Patisaul HB, Stapleton HM. PBDEs Concentrate in the Fetal Portion of the Placenta: Implications for Thyroid Hormone Dysregulation. Endocrinology 2019; 160:2748-2758. [PMID: 31555822 PMCID: PMC6821203 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy, the supply of thyroid hormone (TH) to the fetus is critically important for fetal growth, neural development, metabolism, and maintenance of pregnancy. Additionally, in cases where maternal and placental TH regulation is significantly altered, there is an increased risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. It is unclear what may be disrupting placental TH regulation; however, studies suggest that environmental contaminants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), could be playing a role. In this study, Wistar rats were gestationally exposed to a mixture of PBDEs for 10 days. THs and PBDEs were quantified in paired maternal serum, dissected placenta, and fetuses, and mRNA expression of transporters in the placenta was assessed. Significantly higher concentrations of PBDEs were observed in the fetal portion of the placenta compared with the maternal side, suggesting that PBDEs are actively transported across the interface. PBDEs were also quantified in 10 recently collected human maternal and fetal placental tissues; trends paralleled observations in the rat model. We also observed an effect of PBDEs on T3 levels in dam serum, as well as suggestive changes in the T3 levels of the placenta and fetus that varied by fetal sex. mRNA expression in the placenta also significantly varied by fetal sex and dose. These observations suggest the placenta is a significant modifier of fetal exposures, and that PBDEs are impacting TH regulation in a sex-specific manner during this critical window of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Ruis
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Kylie D Rock
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Samantha M Hall
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Brian Horman
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
- Children’s Health Discovery Initiative, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
- Correspondence: Heather M. Stapleton, PhD, 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708. E-mail:
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21
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Čulin J. Brominated flame retardants: Recommendation for different listing under the Hong Kong Convention. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 636:919-926. [PMID: 29729509 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
When the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 enters into effect, ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) on board, which identifies the hazardous materials contained in the ship's structure or equipment. In its current form, IHM covers two classes of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), namely polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Emerging evidence from recent literature suggests that members of all classes of BFRs are present in all environmental compartments and that exposure to them is associated with a wide range of harmful effects in humans and animals, effects that include endocrine disruption. Despite a growing body of research, the necessary data to perform health and environmental risk assessment are still lacking. This paper reviews environmental and human health impacts and discusses some issues of BFR environmental management. It is suggested that based on a precautionary approach, the inclusion of all classes of BFRs in IHM is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Čulin
- University of Zadar, Maritime Department, M. Pavlinovića 1, 23000 Zadar, Croatia.
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22
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Cai YM, Ren GF, Lin Z, Sheng GY, Bi XH, Sun SY. Assessment of exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers associated with consumption of market hens in Guangzhou. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 153:40-44. [PMID: 29407736 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate contamination by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in market hens and human PBDE exposure via hen consumption in Guangzhou, hens were collected and their muscle, liver, fat, blood, yolk, and ingluvies tissues were analyzed for 13 PBDE congeners. The median highest concentration of ∑PBDEs was found in the ingluvies (5.30 ng/g lw), followed by the muscle (2.53 ng/g lw), with the lowest located in the yolk (0.09 ng/g lw). The concentrations of PBDEs in the muscle tissue of market hens in Guangzhou were at medium levels compared to others reported around the world. BDE-47, -153, -99, and -183 were the predominant congeners. The daily intake concentrations of PBDEs from hen muscle were estimated to range from 0.08 to 0.31 ng/kg/day in this study, with a Hazard Quotient (HQ) below 1.0. These results suggest that the health risk of PBDEs for the general population, through the consumption of market hens in Guangzhou, was generally low. However, the intake of PBDEs via food consumption may be one major exposure pathway for the general population of Guangzhou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Mei Cai
- Guangdong Polytechnic of Environmental Protection Engineering, Foshan, Guangdong 528216, China; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Guo-Fa Ren
- Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Zheng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Guo-Ying Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xin-Hui Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Shui-Yu Sun
- Guangdong Polytechnic of Environmental Protection Engineering, Foshan, Guangdong 528216, China.
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23
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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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24
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Poston RG, Dunn CJ, Sarkar P, Saha RN. Persistent 6-OH-BDE-47 exposure impairs functional neuronal maturation and alters expression of neurodevelopmentally-relevant chromatin remodelers. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2018; 4:dvx020. [PMID: 29765770 PMCID: PMC5941167 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvx020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a pervasive class of brominated flame retardants that are present in the environment at particularly high levels, especially in the United States. Their environmental stability, propensity for bioaccumulation, and known potential for neurotoxicity has evoked interest regarding their effects on the developing nervous system. Exposure to PBDEs has been strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the details of their mechanistic roles in such disorders are incompletely understood. Here, we report the effects of one of the most prevalent congeners, BDE-47, and its hydroxylated metabolites on the maturation and function of embryonic rat cortical neurons. Prolonged exposure to 6OH-BDE-47 produces the strongest effects amongst the parent BDE-47 congener and its tested hydroxylated metabolites. These effects include: i) disruption of transcriptional responses to neuronal activity, ii) dysregulation of multiple genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and intriguingly, iii) altered expression of several subunits of the developmentally-relevant BAF (Brg1-associated factors) chromatin remodeling complex, including the key subunit BAF170. Taken together, our data indicate that persistent exposure to 6OH-BDE-47 may interfere with neurodevelopmental chromatin remodeling mechanisms and gene transcription programs, which in turn are likely to interfere with downstream processes such as synapse development and overall functional maturity of neurons. Results from this study have identified a novel aspect of 6OH-BDE-47 toxicity and open new avenues to explore the effects of a ubiquitous environmental toxin on epigenetic regulation of neuronal maturation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Poston
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Carissa J Dunn
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Pushpita Sarkar
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Ramendra N Saha
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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25
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Calsolaro V, Pasqualetti G, Niccolai F, Caraccio N, Monzani F. Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18122583. [PMID: 29194390 PMCID: PMC5751186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18122583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disruptor compounds are exogenous agents able to interfere with a gland function, exerting their action across different functional passages, from the synthesis to the metabolism and binding to receptors of the hormone produced. Several issues, such as different levels and time of exposure and different action across different ages as well as gender, make the study of endocrine disruptors still a challenge. The thyroid is very sensitive to the action of disruptors, and considering the importance of a correct thyroid function for physical and cognitive functioning, addressing this topic should be considered a priority. In this review, we examined the most recent studies, many of them concentrating on maternal and child exposure, conducted to assess the impact of industrial chemicals which showed an influence on thyroid function. So far, the number of studies conducted on that topic is not sufficient to provide solid conclusions and lead to homogeneous guidelines. The lack of uniformity is certainly due to differences in areas and populations examined, the different conditions of exposures and the remarkable inter-subject variability. Nonetheless, the European Commission for Health and Food Safety is implementing recommendations to ensure that substances identified as endocrine disruptors will be withdrawn from the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Calsolaro
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56125, Italy.
- Neurology Imaging Unit, Imperial College, London W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Giuseppe Pasqualetti
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56125, Italy.
| | - Filippo Niccolai
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56125, Italy.
| | - Nadia Caraccio
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56125, Italy.
| | - Fabio Monzani
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56125, Italy.
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