Patterns and concentration levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in placental tissue of women in Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - Patterns and concentration levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in placental tissue of women in Denmark

AU - Frederiksen, Marie

AU - Thomsen, Marianne

AU - Vorkamp, Katrin

AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E

N1 - Keywords: Denmark; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Flame Retardants; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Humans; Placenta

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The levels and congener patterns of PBDEs were investigated in human placental samples in Denmark. The median concentrations of sigmaPBDE(tri-hepta) and BDE-209 in the 50 samples were 1.22 and 1.14 ng g(-1) lw, respectively, with the total sum ranging from 0.51 to 17.1 ng g(-1) lw, which is similar to previous placental studies. The PBDE content in placental tissue was dominated by BDE-209, which accounted for approximately 50% of the total amount of PBDEs. BDE-47, -99, and -153 were detected in all samples. Approximately equal amounts of BDE-47 and BDE-153 were observed in the placental tissue, which is in agreement with previous European studies of human serum. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze congener patterns within and between mothers. The loading plot showed groupings of the measured PBDE variables in three groups, representative of Penta-, Octa- and Deca-BDE technical mixtures. Congeners representing the individual technical mixtures were close to orthogonal or inversely correlated, indicating variation in the congener patterns of internal exposure corresponding to the patterns of technical mixtures used in products. Visualisation of the participant objects according to body mass index (BMI), revealed inherent congener patterns (19% X-variance) showing increased frequency for participants within the highest BMI group to have elevated concentrations of BDE-209 in the placental tissue.

AB - The levels and congener patterns of PBDEs were investigated in human placental samples in Denmark. The median concentrations of sigmaPBDE(tri-hepta) and BDE-209 in the 50 samples were 1.22 and 1.14 ng g(-1) lw, respectively, with the total sum ranging from 0.51 to 17.1 ng g(-1) lw, which is similar to previous placental studies. The PBDE content in placental tissue was dominated by BDE-209, which accounted for approximately 50% of the total amount of PBDEs. BDE-47, -99, and -153 were detected in all samples. Approximately equal amounts of BDE-47 and BDE-153 were observed in the placental tissue, which is in agreement with previous European studies of human serum. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze congener patterns within and between mothers. The loading plot showed groupings of the measured PBDE variables in three groups, representative of Penta-, Octa- and Deca-BDE technical mixtures. Congeners representing the individual technical mixtures were close to orthogonal or inversely correlated, indicating variation in the congener patterns of internal exposure corresponding to the patterns of technical mixtures used in products. Visualisation of the participant objects according to body mass index (BMI), revealed inherent congener patterns (19% X-variance) showing increased frequency for participants within the highest BMI group to have elevated concentrations of BDE-209 in the placental tissue.

U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.07.017

DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.07.017

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19682725

SN - 0045-6535

VL - 76

SP - 1464

EP - 1469

JO - Chemosphere

JF - Chemosphere

IS - 11

ER -