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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153), and

Andreas Sjödin1, Arnold Schecter, Richard Jones

  • 1National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States.

Environmental Science & Technology
|June 10, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Serum levels of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) increase with age in children, unlike PCBs and p,p-DDE. Toddlers and young children may ingest PBDEs through household dust, warranting further exposure studies.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Pediatric Health

Background:

  • Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) are environmental contaminants.
  • Children's exposure to POPs is a significant public health concern due to potential developmental impacts.
  • Understanding age-related trends in POPs serum concentrations is crucial for assessing pediatric exposure risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify and compare serum concentrations of PBDEs, PCBs, and p,p'-DDE in children across different age groups.
  • To investigate the relationship between age and serum concentrations of these specific POPs.
  • To explore potential exposure pathways, such as hand-to-mouth behavior and dust ingestion, contributing to observed concentration patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples were collected from 300 children aged 0-13 years in Texas in 2009.
  • Concentrations of specific PBDE congeners (tetra-, penta-, hexa-BDEs, PBDE-153), PCB-153, and p,p'-DDE were measured.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to determine trends in POPs concentrations relative to age.

Main Results:

  • Serum concentrations of traditional POPs (PCB-153, p,p'-DDE) showed no consistent age-related trends.
  • PBDEs (tetra-, penta-, hexa-BDEs) concentrations were lowest in the youngest children and increased significantly with age up to 6 years.
  • PBDE-153 showed a prolonged peak concentration, potentially due to its longer biological half-life compared to other PBDEs.

Conclusions:

  • Age-dependent PBDEs concentration patterns in children suggest distinct exposure dynamics compared to PCBs and p,p'-DDE.
  • Ingestion of residential dust via hand-to-mouth behavior is a likely contributor to PBDE exposure in young children.
  • Further research is needed to fully characterize children's PBDE exposure and identify contributing lifestyle factors.

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