title: Identification of hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ether metabolites in blood plasma from polybrominated diphenyl ether exposed rats.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants due to their use as flame retardants. Similarly to PCBs, the PBDEs are metabolized to hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs) in mammals. In the present study equimolar doses of seven environmentally relevant PBDE congeners were given intraperitoneally as a mixture to rats, and their blood plasma was analyzed for parent compounds and hydroxylated metabolites 1 and 5 days after dosing. Sixteen OH-PBDEs and two diOH-PBDEs were detected as PBDE metabolites in the rat plasma, a novel finding. Four OH-tetraBDEs were structurally identified by comparison (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) with authentic reference standards. The position of the hydroxyl groups was suggested according to the mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns of the corresponding PBDE methyl ether derivatives. The OH-PBDE metabolites were dominated by hydroxyl groups in the meta- and parapositions. The results show that OH-PBDE congeners have an ability to be retained in rat blood, most likely by a mechanism similar to that of OH-PCBs. The results will be useful for determination of the origin of OH-PBDEs present in wildlife and in humans, since OH-PBDEs are also common natural products in marine environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. anita.hjelm@mk.su.se
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malmberg
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Athanasiadou
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: Ingvar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Ake
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004987:Ethers; D005260:Female; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004987:Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls