title: Polybrominated diphenyl ether serum concentrations in a Californian population of children, their parents, and older adults: an exposure assessment study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in many household items. Given concerns over their potential adverse health effects, we identified predictors and evaluated temporal changes of PBDE serum concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBDE serum concentrations were measured in young children (2-8 years old; N = 67), parents of young children (<55 years old; N = 90), and older adults (≥55 years old; N = 59) in California, with concurrent floor wipe samples collected in participants' homes in 2008-2009. We also measured serum concentrations one year later in a subset of children (N = 19) and parents (N = 42).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PBDE serum concentrations in children were significantly higher than in adults. Floor wipe concentration is a significant predictor of serum BDE-47, 99, 100 and 154. Positive associations were observed between the intake frequency of canned meat and serum concentrations of BDE-47, 99 and 154, between canned meat entrees and BDE-154 and 209, as well as between tuna and white fish and BDE-153. The model with the floor wipe concentration and food intake frequencies explained up to 40% of the mean square prediction error of some congeners. Lower home values and renting (vs. owning) a home were associated with higher serum concentrations of BDE-47, 99 and 100. Serum concentrations measured one year apart were strongly correlated as expected (r = 0.70-0.97) with a slight decreasing trend.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Floor wipe concentration, food intake frequency, and housing characteristics can explain 12-40% of the prediction error of PBDE serum concentrations. Decreasing temporal trends should be considered when characterizing long-term exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, One Shields Avenue, MS1C, 95616, Davis, CA, USA. maywu@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Xiangmei May
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, One Shields Avenue, MS1C, 95616, Davis, CA, USA. dhbennett@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Deborah H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, One Shields Avenue, MS1C, 95616, Davis, CA, USA. rmoran@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environment Health, Atlanta, GA, USA. asjodin@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjödin
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environment Health, Atlanta, GA, USA. rlj9@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. djtancredi@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tancredi
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. Tulve.Nicolle@epa.gov.
authors.forename: Nicolle S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tulve
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. clifton.matthew@epa.gov.
authors.forename: Matthew Scott
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Clifton
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. colon.maribel@epa.gov.
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colón
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. weathers.Walter@epa.gov.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weathers
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, One Shields Avenue, MS1C, 95616, Davis, CA, USA. ihp@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Irva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hertz-Picciotto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001822:Body Burden; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers