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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180783
Title: BIOACCUMULATION OF DECABROMODIPHENYL ETHER (BDE-209) FROM THE DIET INTO SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS.

Author
item Huwe, Janice

Submitted to: Organohalogen Compounds
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2005
Publication Date: 8/1/2005
Citation: Huwe, J.K. 2005. Bioaccumulation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) from the diet into Sprague-Dawley rats. Organohalogen Compounds 67:633-635.

Interpretive Summary: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are common flame retardants used in polyurethane foam, high impact polystyrene, and textiles. The most commonly used PBDE is the decabrominated compound (decaBDE) with a worldwide demand of 56,000 metric tons in 2001. The extent to which decaBDE can be absorbed by animals and fish from their environment has been debated. In this study, we used rats and a commercial decaBDE mixture to determine the potential uptake of decaBDE from food. We found that decaBDE was only minimally absorbed by rats from their food (4% of the dose after 21 days of feeding). Compared to other PBDEs, decaBDE’s tendancy to be absorbed was only one-tenth that of the lower brominated congeners. This low tendancy to be absorbed from the diet is one reason that decaBDE is thought to be much less likely to bioaccumulate and persist in wildlife and humans than other PBDEs.

Technical Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are common flame retardants used in polyurethane foam, high impact polystyrene, and textiles. The most commonly used PBDE is the decabrominated compound (decaBDE) with a worldwide demand of 56,000 metric tons in 2001. Although decaBDE is absorbed by rats and fish from the diet, the extent of absorption has been debated. In order to determine the bioconcentrating potential of decaBDE, we have dosed rats with low amounts of a commercial decaBDE mixture for 21 days in the feed to mimic an environmental exposure. The carcasses and livers from control and dosed rats were quantitated for PBDEs by a high resolution GC-MS isotope dilution method. The decaBDE was minimally retained in the rats (4% of the dose). In the dosed rats, the livers had three-times higher concentrations of decaBDE than the carcasses but were still a minor depot (0.4% of the dose). Bioconcentration factors calculated after 21 days of dosing showed that decaBDE concentrated to a similar extent as other lower brominated PBDEs in the liver but an order of magnitude less in the remainder of the carcass There was weak evidence for debromination of decaBDE to an octaBDE in rats.