Polybrominated diphenylether PBDE

Takasuga T, Senthilkumar K, Takemori H, Ohi E, Tsuji H, Nagayama J (2004) Impact of fermented brown rice with Aspergillus oryzae (FEBRA) intake and concentrations of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in blood of humans from Japan. Chemosphere 57 795-811... 

Industrial organic pollutants Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), new pesticides, and nanomaterials. 

Dumler-Gradl R, Tartler D, Thoma H, et al. 1995. Detection of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE), dibenzofurans (PBDF) and dibenzodioxins (PBDD) in scrap of electronics and recycled products. Organohalogen Compounds 24 101-104. 

Meerts I, Lujiks E. Marsh G, et al. 1988. Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) as Ah-receptor agonists and antagonists. Organohalogen Compounds 37 147-150. 

Tysklind M, Sellstom U, Soderstrom G, et al. 2001. Abiotic transformation of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) Photolytic debromination of decambro diphenyl ether. BFR 51-54. 

Polychlorinated Dibenzo-(p)-Dioxins and Dibenzo-Furans. Another group of compounds that we need to specifically address are the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzo-furans (PCDFs) (Fig. 2.15). The PCDDs and PCDFs are not intentionally produced but are released into the environment from various combustion processes and as a result of their occurrence as unwanted byproducts in various chlorinated chemical formulations (e.g., chlorinated phenols, chlorinated phenoxy herbicides see Alcock and Jones, 1996). Because some of the PCDD and PCDF congeners are very toxic (e.g., 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin, see margin), there have been and still are considerable efforts to assess their sources, distribution, and fate in the environment. Similarly to the PCBs or DDT (see above), the PCDDs and PCDFs are highly hydrophobic and very persistent in the environment. It is therefore not surprising that they have also been detected everywhere on earth (Brzuzy and Hites, 1996 Lohmann and Jones, 1998 Vallack et al., 1998). Finally, we should note that polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs, see margin) that, like the PBBs (see above), are used as flame retardants, are of increasing environmental concern (de Boer et al., 2000). 

A very simple HF-MMLLE configuration has been employed by flame-sealing the two ends of the HFs. The HFs were then soaked in n-undecane for a period of time so as to allow them to fill with solvent this makes simple HF-MMLLE devices. In this way, a single HF was utilized for the MMLLE of eight polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in 100 mL samples of tap, river, and leachate water. The analysis was done by manual injection of 2 pL of the HF lumen content into a splitless GC injector followed by GC-MS analysis in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Under optimal HF-MMLLE conditions, the extraction was exhaustive (E = 57-104%), giving very good enrichment (Ee = 2800-5200-fold), very low LOD (<1.1 ng I. ), and relative recoveries of 85-110%. Two PBDEs were detected and quantified in leachate water at concentrations of 3.5 ng I. for BDE 153 and 23 ng L 1 for BDE 183.96... 

The toxicity, bioaccumulative potential, and ecological impact of organohalogenated substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated d iben zo -pa ra - diox i n s (PCDDs), or polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) have been extensively reviewed.95 98 All are referred to as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), that is, chemical substances that remain in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food chain, and pose a risk to human health and the environment. The international community is calling for action to reduce and then eliminate the production or formation of these substances and to monitor their emission. In this case, the detectability obtainable by analytical methods should be very low, since the limits established for these residues are in the ng per liter range. 

U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). Available at http //www.epa.gov/oppt/pbde/. 

The most frequently used BFRs are polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). The use of FRs has been growing rapidly in recent years. BFRs are the most often used FRs, and their market is still growing. However, the estimated annual use of OPFRs in Western Europe was almost twice that of all BFRs combined. Many FRs have been banned for use because of their potential toxicity, environmental occurrence, and accumulation in human tissue. FRs taken off the market are likely to be replaced by others. Although the REACH (registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals) regulatory system has been introduced in Europe to improve protection of human health and the environment, it is still necessary to monitor FRs in environmental samples [84, 88]. 

Table 15. Chemical name, trade name, CAS No., chemical structure, molecular formula, molecular weight, n-octanol/water partition coefficient (Kqw), bioconcentration factors on a lipid basis (BCFl) in fish, and residues found in environmental samples (sediments, mussels, fish) and human fat of Polybrominated Benzenes (PBBzs), Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs), and Polybrominated Diphenylethers (PBDEs)... 

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are aromatic hydrocarbons, which are used as flame retardants. Flame retardants are chemicals that are added to polymers which are used in different... 

Allchin, CR, Law, RJ and Morris, S (1999) Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in sediments and biota downstream of potential sources in the UK. Environ Pollut, in press... 

Fig. 4 Molecular structures of 1 - Polybrominated naphthalenes, PBNs, 2 -Tetrachlorobenzyltoluenes, TCBTs, 3 - Polybrominated diphenylethers, PBDEs, 4 - Polychlorinated terphenyls, PCTs, 5 - Polychlorinated triphenylmethanes, PCTPM, 6 - Polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes, PCDBT.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are often the most effective when both performance and cost are considered. While these FRs are of positive benefit, used to protect the polymers that make up television sets, personal computers, soft furnishings, etc., they are now an issue related to environmental pollution and, in some quarters, deemed toxic. Some studies indicating the presence of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in marine life and breast milk have added fuel to the environmental lobby s calls to have these products banned or their use severely restricted. 

Fish with high fat contents is an important source of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the human diet, in particular for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (EFSA, 2005). On the other side, a wide range of environmental contaminants have been reported to be accumulated in fish that can pose a potential human health hazard (Leonard, 2011). Major contaminations include the different OCPs, PAHs or the widely distributed persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the flame retardants compound class of the polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). Also farmed fish can significantly contribute to dietary exposure to various contaminants due to the use of land sourced fish feed. A multi method for efficient control of fish and fish feed for various groups of contaminants from PCBs, OCPs, BFRs (brominated flame retardants) and PAHs is outlined in the following analytical procedure published by Kamila Kalachova et al. (Kalachova et al., 2013). 

Apart from chlorinated pesticides, polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are largely used as flame retardants in a wide array of products and were identified and quantified in marine mammals from Australia (Vetter et al., 2008). 

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