title: Infant exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) via consumption of homemade baby food in Korea.
abstract: Limited data are available on the residue levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in baby food. In this study, 24 PBDE congeners were determined in 147 homemade baby food samples collected from 97 households for 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and from 24 to 27-month-old infant groups during the period of 2012-2013. The concentrations of total PBDEs (ΣPBDE) ranged from 24.5 to 6000 (mean: 263) pg/g fresh weight, higher than those found in commercial formulae from the United States. The predominant congeners were BDEs 209 and 47, accounting for 92% of the ΣPBDE concentrations, reflected by high deca-BDE consumption in Korea. The residue levels and detection rates of BDE 47 in the baby food samples showed a gradual increasing trend with an increase in infant ages, due to changes in the food ingredients from hypoallergenic to greasy. The daily intakes of BDEs 47 and 209 via baby food consumption ranged from 0.04 to 0.58, 0.80 to 20.3, and 1.06 to 22.3 ng/kg body weight/day for 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and 24-27-month-old infant groups, respectively; these intakes were lower than the oral reference doses proposed by the US EPA. Together with three exposure sources, baby food, breast milk and dust ingestion for 6-month-old infants, the daily intake of ΣPBDE was 25.5 ng/kg body weight/day, which was similar to the intake via baby food consumption only for over 24-month-old infants in our study. This indicates that baby food is an important exposure pathway of PBDEs for over 24-month-old infants. This is the first study regarding the occurrence and exposure assessment of PBDEs via homemade baby food.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yunsun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunggyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Deuk
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeongim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hai-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Jae
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gyuyeon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sooran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungjoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Don
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Geumjoon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eunsook
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Koo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: So-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seunghyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gun-Ha
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won Chan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungkyoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hbmoon@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyo-Bang
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
keywords: BDE 209; BDE 47; Baby food; Breast milk; Daily intake; Infant