Australia is an island continent in which both the levels of industrialization and the population density are relatively low. For the most part, the population base and industry is concentrated along the south eastern coastline. Information regarding the levels of PBDEs in the Australian environment and population is limited and this study represents the first investigation in pooled human milk...

Introduction Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants that were added to thousands of consumer products, such as thermoplastics, electronic equipment, and textiles (Hale et al., 2001).Research has revealed that municipal sewage could be a significant source of PBDEs contamination that is ubiquitous throughout the environment (North, 2004; Song et al., 2006). The Pe...

No previous reports exist on polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in human milk from individual U.S. mothers. This article on PBDEs is an extension of our previous studies on concentrations of dioxins, dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other chlorinated organic compounds in human milk in a number of countries. PBDE commercial products are used as flame retardants in flexib...

Introduction. Monitoring of organohalogens in the glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) has been given high priority in Svalbard (Norwegian Arctic). Glaucous gulls are distributed widely in the Arctic and are an important avian scavenger-predator in the marine food web. Thus far among circumpolar arctic seabirds, glaucous gulls from Svalbard are reported to accumulate some of the highest concentrat...

To explore the geographical distribution and temporal trends of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the Great Lakes, lake trout from Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Ontario and walleye from Lake Erie, collected during the period of 1980-2000, were analyzed. The concentrations of fifteen PBDE congeners and one polybrominated biphenyl (PBB-153) were determined in each fish sample. Lake...

Uptake, translocation and debromination of three polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), BDE-28, -47 and -99, in maize were studied in a hydroponic experiment. Roots took up most of the PBDEs in the culture solutions and more highly brominated PBDEs had a stronger uptake capability. PBDEs were detected in the stems and leaves of maize after exposure but rarely detected in the blank control plan...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants that have been used in consumer products and furniture for three decades. Currently, very little is known about their fate in the environment and specifically about their susceptibility to aerobic biotransformation. Here, we investigated the ability of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) degrading bacteria Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and Bu...

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to determine the depositional characteristics of several tree barks, including Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Pine (Pinus densiflora), Platanus (Platanus), and Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). These were used as passive air sampler (PAS) of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). METHODS Tree barks were sampled from the same site. PBDEs were...

Introduction Brominated flame retardants are widely used and increasingly detected in abiotic and biotic compartments globally. Tetrabromobisphenol, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) are most ubiquitous. HBCD is the principle fire retardant in polystyrene foams that are used as insulation in the building industry and for upholstering furniture. Bioaccumula...

Bans and regulation in many countries have reduced the environmental levels of many persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Despite these declines, there is still evidence of exposures in a range associated with adverse health effects. This seeming paradox is a result of the realisation that levels once presumed safe can cause subtle but important health effects. For example, levels of PCBs now s...