Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) concentrations in sera collected in 2009 from Texas children.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) have been measured in surplus serum collected in 2009 from a convenience sample of 300 Texas children (boys and girls) in the birth to 13 years of age range. Serum concentrations of traditional persistent organic pollutants such as 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and p,p'-DDE did not change consistently with age. By contrast, serum concentrations of tetra-, penta-, and hexa-BDEs were lowest in the youngest children (birth to two year old) and increased 3.0 to 7.9 times, depending on the analyte, for children in the >4 to 6 years of age group. From the apex concentration to the 10 to 13 years of age group, concentrations decreased significantly except for 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-153), which also had a longer apex concentration of >4 to 8 years of age. This concentration trend for PBDE-153 is most likely due to a longer half-life of PBDE-153 than of other PBDE congeners. The observed PBDEs concentration patterns by age may be related, at least in part, to ingestion of residential dust containing PBDEs through hand-to-mouth behavior among toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Further studies to characterize young children's exposure to PBDEs are warranted and, in particular, to determine the lifestyle factors that may contribute to such exposures.

Serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) in the United States population: 2003-2004.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (BB-153) are chemicals known as brominated flame retardants. We have assessed the exposure status of the United States population to PBDEs and BB-153 and explored associations with demographic information, including participants' age, sex, and race/ethnicity. A total of 2,062 serum samples, from participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004 aged 12 years and older, were analyzed for PBDEs and BB-153; stratified and regression analyses were used to examine levels among demographic groups. The congener with the highest serum concentration was 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) [geometric mean 20.5 ng/g lipid]; followed by 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaBDE (BDE-153) [5.7 ng/g lipid]; 2,2',4,4',5-pentaBDE (BDE-99) [5.0 ng/g lipid; a value equal to the highest limit of detection for an individual sample]; 2,2',4,4',6-pentaBDE (BDE-100) [3.9 ng/g lipid]; BB-153 [2.3 ng/g lipid]; and 2,4,4'-triBDE (BDE-28) [1.2 ng/g lipid]. For BDE-47, we observed no significant difference in the least-squares geometric mean (LSGM) by sex, but with age we found both a linear decrease (p = 0.01) and a positive quadratic trend (p = 0.01). Its LSGM, 27.9 ng/lipid, in the 12-19 year olds decreased to 17.2 ng/g lipid in the 40-49 year group, and then curved upward to 20.4 ng/g lipid in the > or =60 years olds. Mexican Americans had the highest LSGM of BDE-47 (24.5 ng/g lipid), which was significantly higher than that of non-Hispanic whites (19.7 ng/g lipid, p = 0.01). Adults 60 years and older were twice as likely as adults 20-59 years old to have a serum BDE-47 concentration above the 95th percentile (p = 0.02). These data provide needed exposure assessment data for public health decisions.