Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in U.S. computers and domestic carpet vacuuming: possible sources of human exposure.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a type of brominated flame retardant chemically and toxicologically similar to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are a class of emerging environmental and human contaminants. They have recently been detected in U.S. milk, blood, and food at the highest levels in the world. This pilot study was undertaken with the aim of determining levels of PBDE in the U.S. indoor environment, to assess the potential exposure to PBDEs from computer surfaces and carpets. Food of animal origin is the usual source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF), and PCBs in humans, but there may also be environmental sources for intake of PBDEs. It was also our aim to characterize the PBDE congener profile in these indoor environmental samples. Four computer wipe samples and 9 domestic vacuum-sweeping samples were analyzed for 13 PBDE congeners, PBDEs 17 (2,2',4), 28 (2,4,4'?), 47 (2,2',4,4'?), 66 (2,3',4,4'?), 77 (3,3',4,4'?), 85 (2,2',3,4,4'?), 99 (2,2'4,4',5), 100 (2,2',4,4',6), 138 (2,2',3,4,4',5'?), 153 (2,2',4,4',5,5'?), 154 (2,2',4,4',5,6'?), 183 (2,2',3,4,4',5',6), and 209 (2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'?). All samples tested positive for PBDEs. PBDE 209 was the dominant congener in all 4 computer wipe samples and in 7 out of the 9 vacuum dust samples. The congener profiles observed in this study varied considerably, a finding that has been observed previously. However these congener profiles differ from the pattern seen in U.S. human milk, human blood and in food, where PBDEs 47 and 99 predominate.
Schecter
Arnold
A
University of Texas, School of Public Health at Dallas, 6011 Hines Blvd., V8.112, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. arnold.schecter@utsouthwestern.edu
Päpke
Olaf
O
Joseph
Jean Elizabeth
JE
Tung
Kuang-Chi
KC
D003201:Computers; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014481:United States
D004391:Dust; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; C011048:octabromobiphenyl; C086401:pentabromodiphenyl ether; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether