Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Jul;120(7):1049-54. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1104802. Epub 2012 May 23.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent, bioaccumulative, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
We used handwipes to estimate exposure to PBDEs in house dust among toddlers and examined sex, age, breast-feeding, race, and parents' education as predictors of serum PBDEs.
Eighty-three children from 12 to 36 months of age were enrolled in North Carolina between May 2009 and November 2010. Blood, handwipe, and house dust samples were collected and analyzed for PBDEs. A questionnaire was administered to collect demographic data.
PBDEs were detected in all serum samples (geometric mean for ΣpentaBDE in serum was 43.3 ng/g lipid), 98% of the handwipe samples, and 100% of the dust samples. Serum ΣpentaBDEs were significantly correlated with both handwipe and house dust ΣpentaBDE levels, but were more strongly associated with handwipe levels (r = 0.57; p < 0.001 vs. r = 0.35; p < 0.01). Multivariate model estimates revealed that handwipe levels, child's sex, child's age, and father's education accounted for 39% of the variation in serum ΣBDE3 levels (sum of BDEs 47, 99, and 100). In contrast, age, handwipe levels, and breast-feeding duration explained 39% of the variation in serum BDE 153.
Our study suggests that hand-to-mouth activity may be a significant source of exposure to PBDEs. Furthermore, age, socioeconomic status, and breast-feeding were significant predictors of exposure, but associations varied by congener. Specifically, serum ΣBDE3 was inversely associated with socioeconomic status, whereas serum BDE-153 was positively associated with duration of breast-feeding and mother's education.
多溴联苯醚（PBDEs）是持久性、生物累积性和内分泌干扰性化学物质。
我们使用擦拭物来估计幼儿家庭灰尘中多溴联苯醚的暴露情况，并研究性别、年龄、母乳喂养、种族和父母教育程度对血清多溴联苯醚的预测作用。
2009 年 5 月至 2010 年 11 月，我们在北卡罗来纳州招募了 83 名 12 至 36 个月大的儿童。采集血液、擦拭物和家庭灰尘样本并对多溴联苯醚进行分析。还进行了问卷调查以收集人口统计学数据。
所有血清样本（血清中五溴联苯醚的几何平均值为 43.3ng/g 脂质）、98%的擦拭物样本和 100%的灰尘样本均检测到多溴联苯醚。血清中五溴联苯醚与擦拭物和家庭灰尘中五溴联苯醚水平均显著相关，但与擦拭物水平的相关性更强（r=0.57；p<0.001 与 r=0.35；p<0.01）。多元模型估计显示，擦拭物水平、儿童性别、儿童年龄和父亲教育程度共同解释了血清ΣBDE3 水平变化的 39%（BDE47、99 和 100 的总和）。相比之下，年龄、擦拭物水平和母乳喂养持续时间解释了血清 BDE153 变化的 39%。
我们的研究表明，手口接触活动可能是多溴联苯醚暴露的一个重要来源。此外，年龄、社会经济地位和母乳喂养是暴露的重要预测因素，但相关性因同系物而异。具体而言，血清ΣBDE3 与社会经济地位呈负相关，而血清 BDE-153 与母乳喂养持续时间和母亲教育呈正相关。
