Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
Unit Environmental Risk and Health, VITO, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
Environ Int. 2010 May;36(4):368-376. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2010.02.005. Epub 2010 Mar 12.
Human exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) varies widely throughout the world as it depends on country-related usage, production and legislation of these chemicals. US and UK exposure assessments show very diverse levels and patterns which in turn, are likely to differ from those in background exposed countries such as Belgium, where levels tend to be about an order of magnitude lower. The current study assessed human exposure to BFRs through the indoor and outdoor environment (e.g. dust, soil, and air) and food for all age groups in Flanders, Belgium. Most relevant food groups were identified based on a national food consumption survey and food items with Flemish origin were collected. Dust samples were collected using a standardized protocol in 43 homes and 10 offices throughout Flanders. Food, human milk and dust samples were analysed for their polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE) and hexabromocyclodecane (HBCD) content using GC/MS and LC/MS-MS. An exposure model was developed including all analysed data, complemented with literature data. The model covered human exposure of infants, children and adults through human milk, food, dust/soil ingestion and air inhalation. Total human exposure was compared to the existing toxicological criteria and previous exposure estimates. In general, the exposure levels through human milk are consistent with those of a background exposed European population, whereas dust and food intake are at the low end of what has been reported in previous European intake assessments. Total average intake of SigmaHBCD and SigmaBDE(5) at 50th percentile (P50) levels by newborns equals 3.1 and 12.0ng/kg body weight (bw) day, respectively. This intake increases to 15.2 and 20.9ng/kgbwday for SigmaHBCD and SigmaBDE(5), for higher exposed newborns (95th percentile=P95 levels). Due to the limited database on health-based limit values for PBDEs and HBCD, it is difficult to assess the immediate health concern for any of the age groups, although the higher intake of newborns indicates the need for ongoing monitoring. For median exposed individuals, the average SigmaHBCD intake peaked at the age 3 to 6years with an intake of 6.59ng/kgbwday and declines to approximately 1ng/kgbwday at later age. SigmaBDE(5) intake exhibited a different profile compared to SigmaHBCD with maximal levels for newborns and a decline to approximately 0.7ng/kgbwday at adulthood.
人类接触溴化阻燃剂（BFRs）的水平在全球范围内差异很大，因为这取决于各国对这些化学物质的使用、生产和立法情况。美国和英国的暴露评估显示，暴露水平和模式差异很大，这可能与比利时等背景暴露国家不同，比利时的暴露水平要低一个数量级左右。本研究通过室内和室外环境（如灰尘、土壤和空气）以及食物评估了所有年龄组在比利时弗兰德斯的 BFR 接触情况。根据全国食品消费调查确定了最相关的食品组，并收集了具有佛兰芒特色的食品。在弗兰德斯的 43 个家庭和 10 个办公室中，按照标准化方案采集了灰尘样本。使用 GC/MS 和 LC/MS-MS 分析了食物、人乳和灰尘样本中多溴二苯醚（PBDE）和六溴环十二烷（HBCD）的含量。开发了一个包含所有分析数据的暴露模型，并辅以文献数据。该模型涵盖了婴儿、儿童和成人通过人乳、食物、灰尘/土壤摄入和空气吸入的暴露情况。将总暴露量与现有的毒理学标准和以前的暴露估计值进行了比较。总体而言，人乳中的暴露水平与背景暴露的欧洲人群一致，而灰尘和食物摄入量处于以前欧洲摄入量评估报告的低端。50 百分位（P50）水平下，新生儿的总平均摄入量 SigmaHBCD 和 SigmaBDE(5)分别为 3.1 和 12.0ng/kg 体重（bw）/天。对于更高暴露的新生儿（95 百分位=P95 水平），SigmaHBCD 和 SigmaBDE(5)的摄入量分别增加到 15.2 和 20.9ng/kgbwday。由于关于 PBDE 和 HBCD 的基于健康的限量值的数据库有限，因此难以评估任何年龄组的即时健康问题，尽管新生儿的摄入量较高表明需要持续监测。对于中位数暴露的个体，SigmaHBCD 的平均摄入量在 3 至 6 岁时达到峰值，为 6.59ng/kgbwday，并在以后的年龄下降至约 1ng/kgbwday。SigmaBDE(5)的摄入量与 SigmaHBCD 不同，其最大摄入量在新生儿中，在成年时下降至约 0.7ng/kgbwday。
