title: Elevated serum polybrominated diphenyl ethers and alteration of thyroid hormones in children from Guiyu, China.
abstract: Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling results in serious environmental pollution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals. This study explored whether there is an association between PBDEs, heavy metal and key growth- and development-related hormones in children from Guiyu, an e-waste area in southern China. We quantified eight PBDE congeners using gas chromatographic mass spectrometry, lead and cadmium utilizing graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, three thyroids with radioimmunoassay and two types of growth hormones by an enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) in 162 children, 4 to 6 years old, from Guiyu. In blood, median total PBDE was 189.99 ng/g lipid. Lead and cadmium concentrations in blood averaged 14.53±4.85 µg dL-1 and 0.77±0.35 µg L-1, respectively. Spearman partial correlation analysis illustrated that lead was positively correlated with BDE153 and BDE183. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was positively correlated with almost all PBDE congeners and negatively correlated with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), whereas free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) were negatively correlated with BDE154. However, no correlation between the hormones and blood lead or cadmium levels was found in this study. Adjusted multiple linear regression analysis showed that total PBDEs was negatively associated with FT3 and positively associated with TSH. Notably, FT4 was positively correlated with FT3, house functions as a workshop, and father's work involved in e-waste recycling and negatively correlated with vitamin consumptions. TSH was negatively related with FT4, paternal residence time in Guiyu, working hours of mother, and child bean products intake. IGFBP-3 was positively correlated with IGF-1 and house close to an e-waste dump. These results suggest that elevated PBDEs and heavy metals related to e-waste in Guiyu may be important risk factors for hormone alterations in children.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Xijin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Junxiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States of America.
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huo
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D013963:Thyroid Hormones