Temporal comparison of PBDEs, OH-PBDEs, PCBs, and OH-PCBs in the serum of second trimester pregnant women recruited from San Francisco General Hospital, California.
Prenatal exposures to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can harm neurodevelopment in humans and animals. In 2003-2004, PentaBDE and OctaBDE were banned in California and phased-out of US production; resulting impacts on human exposures are unknown. We previously reported that median serum concentrations of PBDEs and their metabolites (OH-PBDEs) among second trimester pregnant women recruited from San Francisco General Hospital (2008-2009; n = 25) were the highest among pregnant women worldwide. We recruited another cohort from the same clinic in 2011-2012 (n = 36) and now compare serum concentrations of PBDEs, OH-PBDEs, polychlorinated biphenyl ethers (PCBs) (structurally similar compounds banned in 1979), and OH-PCBs between two demographically similar cohorts. Between 2008-2009 and 2011-2012, adjusted least-squares geometric mean (LSGM) concentrations of ∑PBDEs decreased 65% (95% CI: 18, 130) from 90.0 ng/g lipid (95% CI: 64.7, 125.2) to 54.6 ng/g lipid (95% CI: 39.2, 76.2) (p = 0.004); ∑OH-PBDEs decreased 6-fold (p < 0.0001); and BDE-47, -99, and -100 declined more than BDE-153. There was a modest, nonsignificant (p = 0.13) decline in LSGM concentrations of ∑PCBs and minimal differences in ∑OH-PCBs between 2008-2009 and 2011-2012. PBDE exposures are likely declining due to regulatory action, but the relative stability in PCB exposures suggests PBDE exposures may eventually plateau and persist for decades.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University , Washington, D.C. 20037, United States.
Ami R
AR
Zota
Linda
L
Linderholm
June-Soo
JS
Park
Myrto
M
Petreas
Tan
T
Guo
Martin L
ML
Privalsky
R Thomas
RT
Zoeller
Tracey J
TJ
Woodruff
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008423:Maternal Age; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D012495:San Francisco; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls