title: Hair and Nails as Noninvasive Biomarkers of Human Exposure to Brominated and Organophosphate Flame Retardants.
abstract: After the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the use of alternative flame retardants (AFRs), such as FireMaster 550, and of organophosphate esters (OPEs) has increased. However, little is known about human exposure to these chemicals. This lack of biomonitoring studies is partially due to the absence of reliable noninvasive biomarkers of exposure. Human hair and nails can provide integrated exposure measurements, and as such, these matrices can potentially be used as noninvasive biomarkers of exposure to these flame retardants. Paired human hair, fingernail, toenail, and serum samples obtained from 50 adult participants recruited at Indiana University Bloomington campus were analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry for 36 PBDEs, 9 AFRs, and 12 OPEs. BDE-47, BDE-99, 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), di(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCIPP), and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were the most abundant compounds detected in almost all hair, fingernail, and toenail samples. The concentrations followed the order OPEs > TBB+TBPH > Σpenta-BDE. PBDE levels in the hair and nail samples were significantly correlated with their levels in serum (P < 0.05), suggesting that human hair and nails can be used as biomarkers to assess human exposure to PBDEs.
authors.affiliation: School of Public and Environmental Affairs and ‡School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States.
authors.forename: Liang-Ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Public and Environmental Affairs and ‡School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States.
authors.forename: Ka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Public and Environmental Affairs and ‡School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States.
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hites
authors.affiliation: School of Public and Environmental Affairs and ‡School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salamova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D054879:Halogenation; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D008297:Male; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010755:Organophosphates; C005445:triphenyl phosphate