title: Hydroxylated and methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers in blood plasma of humans in Hong Kong.
abstract: Hydroxylated (OH-) and methoxylated (MeO-) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are suspected endocrine disruptors. Little is known about the accumulation or sources of these chemicals in tissues of humans, particularly those residing in Hong Kong, which is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Seven MeO-BDEs, fifteen OH-BDEs and three bromophenols (BRPs) were analyzed in blood plasma of 116 humans that had been collected by the Hong Kong Red Cross. Total concentrations of MeO-BDEs, OH-BDEs and BRPs ranged from 3.8×10² to 52×10³ pg g⁻¹ lipid (median 4.5×10³ pg g⁻¹), 5.3 to 4.9×10² pg g⁻¹ lipid (81 pg g⁻¹) and ND to 1.1×10² pg g⁻¹ lipid (3.7 pg g⁻¹), respectively. 3-MeO-BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47 and 2, 4, 5-TBP were the predominant MeO-BDEs, OH-BDEs and BRPs, respectively. These results are consistent with accumulation of MeO-BDEs, OH-BDEs and BRPs in human plasma being primarily from natural products and inter-conversion of natural products. Coefficients of determination for some pairs of congeners such as 3-OH-BDE-100 and 6-OH-BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-85 and 5'-OH-BDE-99, and 2, 4-DBP and 6-OH-BDE-85, were near 1.0, which is consistent with them having common sources. Patterns of relative concentrations of the target analytes were similar in the diet, particularly fish, as in blood plasma of humans, which suggests that the diet and particularly seafood might be a source of these compounds and PBDEs. Furthermore, biotransformation of natural chemicals such as OH-BDEs to BRPs might be the primary route of their elimination from humans.
authors: Department of Microbial and Biochemical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China. whongsh@mail.sysu.edu.cn
authors: Hong-Sheng
authors: HS
authors: Wang
authors: Zhuo-Jia
authors: ZJ
authors: Chen
authors: Ka-Lok
authors: KL
authors: Ho
authors: Li-Chen
authors: LC
authors: Ge
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Du
authors: Michael Hon-Wah
authors: MH
authors: Lam
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Giesy
authors: Ming-Hung
authors: MH
authors: Wong
authors: Chris Kong-Chu
authors: CK
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls