title: Comparisons of polybrominated diphenyl ethers levels in paired South Korean cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk samples.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), commonly used flame retardants, have been reported as potential endocrine disruptor and neurodevelopmental toxicants, thus giving rise to the public health concern. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk concentrations of PBDEs in South Korean. We assessed PBDE levels in paired samples of umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk. The levels of seven PBDE congeners were measured in 21 paired samples collected from the Cheil Woman's Hospital (Seoul, Korea) in 2008. We also measured thyroid hormones levels in maternal and cord blood to assess the association between PBDEs exposure and thyroid hormone levels. However, there was no correlation between serum thyroxin (T4) and total PBDEs concentrations. The total PBDEs concentrations in the umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk were 10.7±5.1 ng g(-1) lipid, 7.7±4.2 ng g(-1) lipid, and 3.0±1.8 ng g(-1) lipid, respectively. The ranges of total PBDE concentrations observed were 2.28-30.94 ng g(-1) lipid in umbilical cord blood, 1.8-17.66 ng g(-1) lipid in maternal blood, and 1.08-8.66 ng g(-1) lipid in breast milk. BDE-47 (45-73% of total PBDEs) was observed to be present dominantly in all samples, followed by BDE-153. A strong correlation was found for major BDE-congeners between breast milk and cord blood or maternal blood and cord blood samples. The measurement of PBDEs concentrations in maternal blood or breast milk may help to determine the concentration of PBDEs in infant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, MRC Center and College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, San 30, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeung-gu, Busan 609-735, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hyung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Du Yeon
authors.initials: du Y
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Hyun Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: A Jin
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Mee Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Nabanita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patra
authors.forename: Ki Kyung
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Seung Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kwack
authors.forename: Kui Lea
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wahn Soo
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung Yeol
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Byung Mu
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jeong-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jaewon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyung Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers