title: Elevated body burdens of PBDEs, dioxins, and PCBs on thyroid hormone homeostasis at an electronic waste recycling site in China.
abstract: A cross-sectional study of 25 sample sets (each set consisted of maternal serum and cord whole blood) from 50 pregnant women in zone A (n = 25 from exposed group) and zone B (n = 25 from reference group) was conducted to examine the association between thyroid hormone (TH) levels and PBDE, PCDD/F, and PCB exposures. Thyroid hormones TT3, TT4, and TSH levels were measured in maternal serum at 16 weeks of gestation. The concentrations of PBDEs, PCDD/Fs, and PCBs were determined by isotope dilution HRGC/HRMS in cord blood samples. Body burdens of the three contaminants in cord blood in zone A (median: summation sigma TEQ-PCDD/Fs 0.041, summation operator TEQ-PCBs 0.022 pg WHO-TEQ/g, summation operator PBDEs 23.4 pg/g whole weight, respectively) were significantly higher than those from the reference area (median: summation sigma TEQ-PCDD/Fs 0.014, summation sigma TEQ-PCBs 0.0041 pg WHO-TEQ/g, summation sigma PBDEs 16.15 pg/g, respectively) (p < 0.05). Levels of TT4 and TSH in serum in zone A were significantly lower than those in zone B (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between TT4 levels and body burdens of PCDD/Fs and PCBs. However, there was no significant association of concentration of PBDEs and levels of the three thyroid hormones. Our results suggest that electronic waste (e-waste) recycling contributes to high body burdens of PBDEs, PCDD/Fs, and PCBs and affects thyroid hormone homeostasis in humans. The potential health risk for neonates still needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Luohu district, Shenzhen, Guangdong, PR China 518020. zhjianqing95@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jianqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yousheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhaoqiong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Daokui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004147:Dioxins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004581:Electronics; D005260:Female; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; C086401:pentabromodiphenyl ether; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls