Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners are constituents of flame retardants, and there is growing concern regarding their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. We collected breast milk samples between late 2001 and early 2003 from 54 U.K.-resident mothers. Of these, 27 originated from southeast England (London), and the other 27 originated from northwest England (Lancaster). Analy...

BACKGROUND Recent studies have raised concerns about polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant exposures to pregnant women and women of child-bearing age in the United States. Few studies have measured PBDEs in immigrant populations. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to characterize levels of seven PBDE congeners, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-153, and polybrominated biphenyl (PBB)-153 in p...

Based on a literature review of avian data for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), ecologically relevant doses, low (10 ng/egg), medium (100 ng/egg), and high (1,000 ng/egg) of the 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99) congener along with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) control were injected into the yolk sac of un-incubated eggs of zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata. Offspring development a...

Increasing concentrations of polybrominated flame retardants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in breast milk cause concern about possible developmental effects in nursed babies. Because previous studies in rats have indicated effects on sex steroids and sexually dimorphic behavior after maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), our goal in the present study was to...

Exposure to the brominated flame retardant 2,2 ,4,4 ,5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-99) during the brain growth spurt disrupts normal brain development in mice and results in disturbed spontaneous behavior in adulthood. The neurodevelopmental toxicity of PBDE-99 has been reported to affect the cholinergic and catecholaminergic systems. In this study we use a proteomics approach to study the e...

The growth, cellular total lipids, bioaccumulation amount, and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of 2,4,4'-tribromodiphenyl ether (BDE28), 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47), and 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE99) in a semi-continuous culture of Prorocentrum donghaiense were studied in relation to nitrate (0, 128, and 512 micromol/L) and phosphate (0, 8, and 32 micromol/L) concen...

BACKGROUND Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants is widespread, with 97% of Americans having detectable levels. Although PBDEs have been associated with reproductive and hormonal effects in animals, no human studies have examined their association with fertility. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to determine whether maternal concentrations of PBDEs in serum colle...

Marine mussels (Modiolus modiolus) and sediment from 14 stations near a municipal outfall and three reference locations were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to evaluate and compare patterns of bioaccumulation of individual congeners between these two groups of chemicals. Of the 47 PBDEs and 209 PCBs analyzed, 34 PBDE and 153 PCB congeners...

BACKGROUND Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants and are becoming a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Adverse effects in the developing brain are of great health concern. OBJECTIVE We investigated the effect of PBDEs/hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) on thyroid hormone (TH) receptor (TR)-mediated transcription and on TH-induced dendrite arborization of cere...

197 words): Animal experiments and some human studies indicate that PBDEs may adversely affect male reproductive function. We collected three serum samples from 27 healthy adult men at 6-month intervals in the FlaRE study and assessed associations between PBDE exposure and reproductive function tests using mixed effects regression models, adjusting for confounders. Geometric mean concentrations...