title: Feasibility study of feces for noninvasive biomonitoring of brominated flame retardants in toddlers.
abstract: This study investigated the feasibility of using feces as a noninvasive matrix to estimate serum concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in toddlers for biomonitoring purposes. Tri- to decabrominated diphenyl ethers (tri-decaBDEs), isomer-specific hexabromocyclododecanes, and 16 emerging BFRs were determined in feces from 22 toddlers (11-15 months of age), and results were compared to previously analyzed matched serum samples. BDE-47, -153, -196, -197, -203, -206, -207, -208, and -209 were detected in the feces creating a matched data set (feces-serum, n = 21). Tetra-octaBDE concentrations were significantly higher (Student's paired comparisons t test, α = 0.05) in serum versus feces with BDE-153 having the highest mean difference between the sample matrices. BDE-209 was found in significantly higher concentrations in feces compared to serum. Significant correlations (Pearson's, α = 0.05) between congener-specific concentrations in feces and serum were found for all BDEs except BDE-197 and -203. The feces-serum associations found can be used to estimate serum concentrations of tetra-decaBDEs from feces concentrations and enable a noninvasive sampling method for biomonitoring BDEs in toddlers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), Stockholm University , SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leena M O
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sahlström
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sellström
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lignell
authors.forename: Per Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Darnerud
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated