title: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and perfluoroalkyl substances in serum of pregnant women: levels, correlations, and potential health implications.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a group of flame retardants, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were analysed in serum samples of pregnant women from Denmark to provide information about their exposure and to study indications of common exposure pathways. The main BDE congener was the fully brominated BDE-209 with a median value of 7.5 ng/g lipid (46 pg/mL; 9.8 pmol/g lipid). Other BDE congeners decreased in the order BDE-47 > BDE-99 > BDE-153. The summed concentration of tri- to hepta-BDEs was 7.7 ng/g lipid, i.e. in the higher end of previously reported concentrations from Europe, including plasma samples of pregnant Danish women. Total lipid contents were relatively low, on average 5.9 g/L (9.0 mmol/L). The main PFAS compound was perfluorooctane sulfonate with a median concentration of 8.4 ng/mL. Other PFASs decreased in the order perfluorooctanoic acid > perfluorononanoic acid > perfluorodecanoic acid > perfluorohexane sulfonate and resulted in a ΣPFAS of 12 ng/mL. Within each group, compounds were highly intercorrelated with the exception of BDE-209, which was not correlated with any of the other compounds. No correlations were found either between PFASs and PBDEs suggesting different sources of exposure and/or pharmacokinetic and metabolisation processes. PBDE and PFAS concentrations were in the range associated with adverse effects in some epidemiological studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark, kvo@dmu.dk.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vorkamp
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Henriette Boye
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kyhl
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Husby
authors.forename: Lars Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barington
authors.forename: Anna-Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Tina Kold
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers