Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Human Adipose Tissue from New York

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 39; no. 14; pp. 5177 - 5182
• Main Authors: Johnson-Restrepo, Boris, Kannan, Kurunthachalam, Rapaport, David P, Rodan, Bruce D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.07.2005
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - chemistry; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Body fat; Contamination; Emissions; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Ethers - analysis; Ethers - pharmacokinetics; Female; General aspects; Humans; Lipids; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; New York; PCB; Polybrominated Biphenyls - analysis; Polybrominated Biphenyls - pharmacokinetics; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - pharmacokinetics; Polyurethane; Principal Component Analysis; Principal components analysis; Sex Factors; Toxicology; New York; United States; North America; America; United States > US; New York City New York; USA, New York, New York City; USA, New York; Human; Pollutant; Adipose tissue; Rate; Environment; Polychlorobiphenyl; Epidemiology; Public health
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es050399x

Human adipose tissue samples (n = 52) collected in New York City during 2003−2004 were analyzed for the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Concentrations of PBDEs in adipose tissues ranged from 17 to 9630 ng/g, lipid wt (median:  77; mean:  399 ng/g, lipid wt; sum all di- through hexa-BDE congeners). Average PBDE concentrations in human adipose tissues from New York City were 10- to 100-times greater than those reported for European countries. A concentration of 9630 ng/g, lipid wt, found in a sample of adipose tissue, is one of the highest concentrations reported to date. PBDE 47 (2,2‘,4,4‘-tetraBDE) was the major congener detected in human tissues, followed by PBDE congeners #99 (2,2‘,4,4‘,5-pentaBDE), 100 (2,2‘,4,4‘,6-pentaBDE), and 153 (2,2‘,4,4‘,5,5‘-hexaBDE). A few individuals contained PBDE 153 as the predominant congener in total PBDE concentrations, suggesting alternative exposure sources, possibly occupational. Principal component analysis of PBDE congener composition in human adipose tissues revealed the presence of five clusters, each characterized by varying composition. No significant difference was found in the concentrations of PBDEs between gender. Concentrations of PBDEs were, on average, similar to those for PCBs in human adipose tissues, and substantially higher when PBDE outliers were retained. PBDE and PCB concentrations were not correlated. PBDE concentrations did not increase with increasing age of the subjects, whereas concentrations of PCBs increased with increasing age in males but not in females in this study. These results suggest differences between PBDEs and PCBs in their sources or time course of exposure and disposition. The presence of comparable or greater concentrations of PBDEs, relative to PCBs, highlights the importance of recent voluntary and regulatory efforts to cease production of commercial penta- and octa-BDE in North America, although these efforts do not address continuing emissions from existing sources, such as polyurethane foams.