Polybrominated biphenyls endocrine disruption

Brominated flame retardants are widely used as polymer additives in plastics, electric appliances, and textile and polyurethane foams. Some of the technical flame retardant products contain brominated organic compounds, including polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. These compounds are structurally similar to PCBs and, therefore, their chemical properties, persistence, bioaccumulation, and distribution in the environment follow similar patterns. Moreover, they have potential endocrine disrupting properties and there are concerns over their exposure health effects. 

Endocrine disrupting compounds = Exogenous agents that interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction, development, and/or behavior (e.g., alkylphenols, alkylphenol polyethoxylates, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, bisphenol-A, polybrominated flame retardants, dioxins, furans, herbicides, pesticides, and steroid hormones). 

For the sake of brevity, we will limit ourselves to listing a few of the endocrine disrupters of industrial origin and identified as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, perfluorooctanoic acid, and... 

---