Dietary exposure to phenolic and methoxylated organohalogen contaminants in relation to their concentrations in breast milk and serum in Japan

Environ Int. 2014 Feb:63:19-25. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.10.016. Epub 2013 Nov 19.

Abstract

This study investigated human exposure to neutral, phenolic, and methoxylated organohalogen contaminants (OHCs) in a duplicate diet study to evaluate their concentrations in breast milk and serum of Okinawan people from Japan during 2004-2009. Dietary intakes of phenolic OHCs were predominantly 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TriBP), followed by tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and 6-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH-BDE47). After exposure, TriBP and TBBPA were transferred to breast milk, whereas 6-OH-BDE47 was selectively retained in serum. Despite a lower dietary exposure to pentachlorophenol and 4-hydroxy-CB187, both were retained in serum. For the methoxylated OHCs, 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TriBA) and 6-methoxy-BDE47 were the predominant dietary contaminants, of which TriBA was present in both breast milk and serum, whereas 6-methoxy-BDE47 was selectively transferred to breast milk. These findings suggest that dietary exposure to phenolic and methoxylated OHCs may result in differential partitioning between breast milk and serum with different pharmacokinetic or exposure routes.

Keywords: 6-Hydroxy-BDE47; 6-Methoxy-BDE47; Breast milk; Dietary exposure; Serum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diet*
  • Female
  • Food Contamination*
  • Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / analysis*
  • Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / blood
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Milk, Human / chemistry*
  • Phenols / analysis*
  • Phenols / blood
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls / analysis*
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls / blood

Substances

  • Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
  • Phenols
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls
  • 3,5-dibromo-2-(2,4-dibromophenoxy)phenol
  • tetrabromobisphenol A
  • 2,4,6-tribromophenol