Organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) in human breast milk from several Asian countries

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 116; pp. 91 - 97
• Main Authors: Kim, Joon-Woo, Isobe, Tomohiko, Muto, Mamoru, Tue, Nguyen Minh, Katsura, Kana, Malarvannan, Govindan, Sudaryanto, Agus, Chang, Kwang-Hyeon, Prudente, Maricar, Viet, Pham Hung, Takahashi, Shin, Tanabe, Shinsuke
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Asia; Biological and medical sciences; breast milk; Environmental Monitoring; Female; flame retardants; Flame Retardants - analysis; General aspects; Human breast milk; Human exposure; Humans; Infant; infants; Japan; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Milk, Human - chemistry; Organophosphorus Compounds - analysis; PFRs; Philippines; phosphates; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Assessment; surveys; Sweden; Vietnam; Young Adult; Vietnam; Asia; Japan; Philippines; Sweden; PFRs; Human breast milk; Asia; Human exposure; Flame retardant; Phosphorus Organic compounds; Biological monitoring; Health and environment; Chlorine Organic compounds; Human milk; Organic phosphate; Daily dose; Public health
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.02.033

[Display omitted] In this study, the concentrations of 10 organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) were determined in 89 human breast milk samples collected from Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. Among the targeted PFRs, tris(2-chloroexyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were the predominant compounds and were detected in more than 60% of samples in all three countries. The concentrations of PFRs in human breast milk were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the Philippines (median 70ngg−1lipidwt.) than those in Japan (median 22ngg−1lipidwt.) and Vietnam (median 10ngg−1lipidwt.). The present results suggest that the usage of products containing PFRs in the Philippines is higher than those of Japan and Vietnam. Comparing with a previous literature survey in Sweden, the levels of PFRs in human breast milk from the Philippines were 1.5–2 times higher, whereas levels in Japan and Vietnam were 4–20 times lower, suggesting that these differences might be due to their variation in the usage of flame-retarded products utilized in each country. When daily intake of PFRs to infants via human breast milk was estimated, some individuals accumulated tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) and TCEP were close to reference dose (RfD). This is the first report to identify PFRs in human breast milk samples from Asian countries.