decabromodiphenyl-ethane and triphenyl-phosphate

The alternative flame retardants, novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are ubiquitous in the environment and biota and may induce endocrine disruption effects. Associations between traditional endocrine-disrupting chemicals and type 2 diabetes have been extensively reported in epidemiological studies. However, the effects of NBFRs and OPFRs in humans have not been reported to date. This paper reports a case-control study of 344 participants aged 25-80 years from Shandong Province, East China, where potential associations between serum NBFR and OPFR concentrations and type 2 diabetes are assessed for the first time. After adjusting for covariates (i.e., age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, triglycerides, and total cholesterol), serum concentrations of pentabromotoluene, 2,3-dibromopropyl 2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether, tri-n-propyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, and tris (2-ethylhexyl) phosphate were significantly positively associated with type 2 diabetes. In the control group, decabromodiphenyl ethane and triphenyl phosphate were significantly positively associated with fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the quantile g-computation model, significant positive mixture effect was found between the flame retardants mixtures and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and decabromodiphenyl ethane contributed the largest positive weights to the mixture effect. Overall, these findings suggest that exposure to NBFRs and OPFRs may promote type 2 diabetes.

Topics: Case-Control Studies; China; Cholesterol; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Humans; Lipoproteins, HDL; Organophosphates; Phosphates

Indoor dust has been widely used to monitor flame retardants (FRs) in indoor environment, but most studies only focused on floor dust. In the present study, FRs were examined in indoor dust from different locations. Dust from air conditioner (AC) filters, beddings, floor, and windows in bedrooms, and dust from AC filters, printer table surface, computer table surface, floor, and windows in offices were collected, respectively. Polybrominated diphenyl ether congener 209 (BDE 209) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were the most abundant brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and tris(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were the most abundant phosphate flame retardants (PFRs). In bedrooms, the AC filter dust had the highest median levels of BDE 209 (536 ng/g) and DBDPE (2720 ng/g), while bed dust had the highest median levels of ΣPFRs (2750 ng/g) among dust samples. In offices, printer table dust had higher median levels of BDE 209 (1330 ng/g), DBDPE (8470 ng/g), and ΣPFRs (11,000 ng/g) than those in other dust samples. The high dust ingestion values of BDE 209, DBDPE, and individual PFR were 0.28, 1.20, and <0.01-0.32 ng/kg bw/day and 7.37, 31.2, and <0.01-4.54 ng/kg bw/day for BDE 209, DBDPE, and individual PFR for adults and toddlers, respectively. The high dermal exposure values of individual PFR during sleeping were <0.01-0.23 and <0.01-0.36 ng/kg bw/day for adults and toddlers, respectively. More human exposure pathways other than dust ingestion should be considered, such as the dermal contact with beddings and furniture.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollution, Indoor; Bromobenzenes; Child, Preschool; Dust; Eating; Environmental Exposure; Flame Retardants; Floors and Floorcoverings; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; Halogenation; Humans; Infant; Organophosphates; Phosphates