Polychlorinated biphenyls brominated flame retardants

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Pentachlorophenol m(PCP, mercury and organic mercury compounds, cadmium, lead and organic lead compounds, brominated flame retardants), nonylphenol/ethoxylates (NP, NPEs) amongst others in the OSPAR Strategy with regard to Hazardous Substances... 

Kawashiro Y, Fukata H, Omori-Inoue M, Kubunoya K, Jotaki T, Takigami H, Sakai S, Mori C (2008) Perinatal exposure to brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in Japan. Endocr J 55 1071-1084... 

The POCs include, but are certainly not limited to the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the organochlorine pesticides, including those in current use, restricted use and historic use brominated flame retardants including polybrominated diphenyl ethers PAHs and the sometimes more toxic transformation products of these chemicals. Table 1 summarizes information on some of the POCs more commonly detected in alpine environments. 

Ramu, K., Kajiwara, N., Isobe, T., Takahashi, S., Kim, E., Min, B., We, S., Tanabe, S., 2007. Spatial distribution and accumulation of brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) from coastal waters of Korea. Environ. Pollut. (in press) (doi 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.11.034). 

In response to the continuing discovery of the persistence, bioaccumulative properties, and toxicity of POPs, regional, national and international policies ban the intentional production of compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), several organochlo-rine pesticides, such as mirex and dieldrin, and the brominated flame retardants poly-brominated diphenyl ethers (penta-BDE and octa-BDE, and most recently, deca-BDE). Policies and programs have also targeted the unintentional production and release of POPs such as polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). Evidence of the success of these policies has been seen in immediate reductions of air concentrations, followed by declining concentrations in water bodies, soils, biota and our food supplies... 

The saga of brominated flame retardants offers a cautionary tale for the chemical industry.65 These chemicals, developed in the early 1970s, are used in a wide range of consumer products, such as furniture, foam, and plastic casings of electronic devices. In 1998, Swedish scientists reviewing archived human breast milk samples discovered that certain flame retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs) had doubled in concentration in Swedish breast milk about every five years over the preceding twenty. This was a source of concern, as studies of laboratory animals had shown that PBDEs dismpt thyroid hormones. Such dismption yields neurobehavioral effects similar to those of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), whose manufacture the United States banned in 1976. 

CPs are aliphatic compounds that differ in physical-chemical characteristics from other widely studied aromatic hydrocarbons such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants and dioxins. Unlike the aromatic hydrocarbons for which important receptor-based mechanisms of toxicity have been elucidated, CP toxicity studies have been carried out mainly with complex technical mixtures and little is known of their toxic mechanisms. In addition, these technical... 

Roosens L, Dirtu AC, Goemans G, Belpaire C, Gheorgh A, Neels H, et al. Brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in fish from the river Scheldt, Belgium. Environ Int 2008 34(7) 976—83. 

One of the main concerns with plastic resin pellets is that they carry persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs are human-made chemicals used in a variety of anthropogenic activities, including industry, agriculture and daily life. POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), different sorts of organochloiine pesticides (e.g. DDTs and HCHs) and brominated flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs). Because of their very slow rate of degradation, POPs are persistent in the environment. POPs are... 

Eriksson, P, Fischer, C. and Fredriksson, A. (2006) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, a Group of Brominated Flame Retardants, Can Interact with Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Enhancing Developmental Nemobehavioral Defects , Toxicological Sciences 94 302-9. 

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). 

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) analysis covering dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the brominated flame retardants (BFRs), also featuring Fast GC for increased sample throughput... 

Babich MA, Thomas TA, Hatlelid KM (2006) CPSC staff preliminaiy risk assessment of flame retardant (FR) chemicals in upholstered fumituie foam. Consumer Product Safety Commission. https //www.cpsc.gov/libiary/foia/foia06/brieftiihffl.pdf. Accessed 08 May 2013 Batterman SA, Chernyak S, Jia C et al (2009) Concentrations and emissions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers from U.S. houses and garages. Environ Sci Technol 43 2693-2700 Bi X, Thomas G, Jones KC et al (2007) Exposure of electronics dismantling workers to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides in South China. Environ Sci Technol 41 5647-5653 Birnbaum LS, Staskal DE (2004) Brominated flame retardants cause for concern Environ Health Perspect 112 9-17... 

Ema M, Fujii S, Hirata-Koizumi M et al (2007) Two-generation reproductive toxicity study of the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane in rats. Reprod Toxicol 25 335-351 Eriksson P, Fischer C, Fredriksson A (2006) Poly-brominated diphenyl ethers, a group of brominated flame retardants, can interact with polychlorinated biphenyls in enhancing developmental neurobehavioral defects. Toxicol Sci 94 302-309 Eskenazi B, Chevrier J, Rauch SA et al (2013) In utero and childhood polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposures and neurodevelopment in the CHAMACOS study. Environ Health Perspect 121 257-261... 

Malarvannan G, Isobe T, Covad A et al (2013) Accumulation of brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in human breast milk and scalp hair from the Philippines Levels, distribution and profiles. Sci Total Environ 442 366-379... 

Tue NM, Takahashi S, Suzuki G et al (2013) Contamination of indoor dust and air by polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants and relevance of non-dietary exposure in Vietnamese informal e-waste recycling sites. Environ Int 51 160-167 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2013) Recommendation by the persistent organic pollutants review committee to list hexabromocyclododecane in annex A to the Stockholm convention and draft text of the proposed amendment. Conference of the parties to the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants sixth meeting, Geneva, Switzerland (28 April-10 May 2013)... 

The structural range of industrially important representatives of these groups is enormous, and includes chlorobenzenes (solvents), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (hydraulic and insulating fluids), and polybrominated biphenyls and diphenyl ethers (flame retardants). There is widespread concern over both the persistence and the potential toxicity of all these compounds, and sites that have become contaminated during their production represent a threat both to the environment and to human health. Pathways for the aerobic bacterial degradation of chlorobenzenes and chlorobiphe-nyls, and their brominated analogs have been discussed in Chapter 9, Part 1. 

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