Insights into PBDE Uptake, Body Burden, and Elimination Gained from Australian Age-Concentration Trends Observed Shortly after Peak Exposure

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Tenzing Gyalpo
  • Leisa-Maree Toms
  • Jochen F Mueller
  • Fiona A Harden
  • Martin Scheringer
  • Konrad Hungerbühler

Background: Population pharmacokinetic models combined with multiple sets of age– concentration biomonitoring data facilitate back-calculation of chemical uptake rates from biomonitoring data. Objectives: We back-calculated uptake rates of PBDEs for the Australian population from multiple biomonitoring surveys (top-down) and compared them with uptake rates calculated from dietary intake estimates of PBDEs and PBDE concentrations in dust (bottom-up). Methods: Using three sets of PBDE elimination half-lives, we applied a population pharmacokinetic model to the PBDE biomonitoring data measured between 2002–2003 and 2010–2011 to derive the top-down uptake rates of four key PBDE congeners and six age groups. For the bottom-up approach, we used PBDE concentrations measured around 2005. Results: Top-down uptake rates of Σ 4BDE (the sum of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153) varied from 7.9 to 19 ng/kg/day for toddlers and from 1.2 to 3.0 ng/kg/day for adults; in most cases, they were—for all age groups—higher than the bottom-up uptake rates. The discrepancy was largest for toddlers with factors up to 7–15 depending on the congener. Despite different elimination half-lives of the four congeners, the age–concentration trends showed no increase in concentration with age and were similar for all congeners. Conclusions: In the bottom-up approach, PBDE uptake is underestimated; currently known pathways are not sufficient to explain measured PBDE concentrations, especially in young children. Although PBDE exposure of toddlers has declined in the past years, pre- and postnatal exposure to PBDEs has remained almost constant because the mothers’ PBDE body burden has not yet decreased substantially.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives
Volume123
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)978 - 984
Number of pages7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10.2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services. All rights reserved.

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