Has Regulatory Action Reduced Human Exposure to Flame Retardants?

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Authors

VAN DER SCHYFF Veronica KALINA Jiří ABBALLE Annalisa IAMICELI Anna Laura GOVARTS Eva MELYMUK Lisa Emily

Year of publication 2023
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
web https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c02896
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c02896
Keywords flame retardant; polybrominated diphenyl ether; hexabromocyclododecane; breast milk; biomonitoring; temporal trends; effectiveness evaluation
Attached files
Description Flame retardant (FR) exposure has been linked to several environmental and human health effects. Because of this, the production and use of several FRs are regulated globally. We reviewed the available records of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) in human breast milk from literature to evaluate the efficacy of regulation to reduce the exposure of FRs to humans. Two-hundred and seven studies were used for analyses to determine the spatial and temporal trends of FR exposure. North America consistently had the highest concentrations of PBDEs, while Asia and Oceania dominated HBCDD exposure. BDE-49 and -99 indicated decreasing temporal trends in most regions. BDE-153, with a longer half-life than the aforementioned isomers, typically exhibited a plateau in breast milk levels. No conclusive trend could be established for HBCDD, and insufficient information was available to determine a temporal trend for BDE-209. Breakpoint analyses indicated a significant decrease in BDE-47 and -99 in Europe around the time that regulation has been implemented, suggesting a positive effect of regulation on FR exposure. However, very few studies have been conducted globally (specifically in North America) after 2013, during the time when the most recent regulations have been implemented. This meta-analysis provides insight into global trends in human exposure to PBDEs and HBCDD, but the remaining uncertainty highlights the need for ongoing evaluation and monitoring, even after a compound group is regulated.
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