title: Organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers in human placenta in Eastern China.
abstract: Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been widely used in various products as alternatives to brominated flame retardants. Although widespread OPE exposure is expected in humans, the accumulation of OPEs has seldom been studied in the human body. In this study, 12 OPE analogs were analyzed in 50 human placentas collected in Eastern China. The concentrations of the 9 most frequently detected OPEs (Σ9OPEs) ranged from 34.4 to 862ng/g lipid weight (lw), with a median of 301ng/g lw. Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) was identified as the most abundant analog, with a median concentration of 142ng/g lw, followed by tributoxyethyl phosphate (TBEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP). Statistical analysis showed no analog of OPEs or Σ9OPEs was positively correlated with the lipid content of the placentas. There were no correlations observed between the OPE concentrations and maternal characteristics. Food consumption habits exhibited weak effects on OPE levels in the placentas. Further investigation is required to determine the effects of OPEs on fetuses due to the expected increase in maternal exposure to these esters.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
authors.forename: Jinjian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
authors.forename: Zemin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. Electronic address: fxyang@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fangxing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D010755:Organophosphates; D010968:Plasticizers
keywords: Accumulation; Food consumption habits; Maternal characteristics; Organophosphate esters (OPEs); Placenta