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PBDEs in 2-5 year-old children from California and associations with diet and indoor environment
Melissa Rose1, Deborah H Bennett, Ake Bergman
1Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Insights
California children have significantly higher polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) body burdens compared to other populations. Exposure pathways are linked to dietary habits and household factors like new furniture.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants with increasing environmental presence.
- California has shown higher PBDE concentrations in dust, breast milk, and serum compared to national and international levels.
- Children's exposure pathways for PBDEs may differ based on age and specific environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the body burden of PBDEs in California children.
- To investigate associations between PBDE levels and sociodemographic, household, and dietary factors.
- To compare PBDE levels in California children with other populations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plasma samples from 100 California children for PBDEs using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).
- Evaluation of correlations between PBDE congener levels and various exposure factors.
- Comparative analysis with existing data from other geographic regions and age groups.
Main Results:
- PBDE levels in California children were substantially higher than in European, Mexican, and U.S. adult populations, and U.S. children.
- Higher-brominated PBDE congeners were associated with purchasing new furniture/mattresses and pork consumption.
- Lower-brominated PBDE congeners correlated with poultry consumption frequency.
- Lower maternal education was significantly linked to higher PBDE levels in children.
Conclusions:
- California children exhibit elevated PBDE body burdens, indicating significant exposure.
- Dietary factors (pork, poultry) and household exposures (new furniture) are key contributors to PBDE levels.
- Sociodemographic factors, specifically lower maternal education, play a role in children's PBDE exposure levels.
Abstract:
This study determined the body burden of PBDEs in 100 California children, and evaluated associations with sociodemographic, household, and dietary factors. In national and international comparisons, California dust, breast milk, and human serum samples contain higher concentrations of PBDEs. Higher levels in children suggest exposure pathways depend upon age. Plasma samples were analyzed for PBDEs using GC/MS. Circulating levels of PBDEs were 10-to 1000-fold higher than similar aged populations in Mexico and Europe, 5-times higher than similar aged children across the U.S., and 2- to 10-fold higher than U.S. adults. Increased levels of higher-brominated congeners were associated with the recent purchase of new upholstered furniture or mattresses and consumption of pork. Concentrations of lower-brominated congeners increased with frequency of poultry consumption. Lower maternal education was independently and significantly associated with higher levels of most congeners in the children.
