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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 #245078
Title: Fate and Metabolism of PBDEs in Mammalian Systems

Author
item Huwe, Janice
item Hakk, Heldur

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2009
Publication Date: 11/1/2009
Citation: Huwe, J.K., Hakk, H. 2009. Fate and Metabolism of PBDEs in Mammalian Systems [Abstract]. International Society of Exposure Science 2009 Abstract Book, November 1-5, 2009, Minneapolis, MN. 2009-P-124-ISES, page 97.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) belong to an emerging class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Although the toxicology of PBDEs is not well developed, they are persistent and bioaccumulative, and therefore, of growing environmental concern. The metabolism of PBDEs in mammalian systems has been investigated, and although despite differences among the individual congeners exist, demonstrates that PBDEs are well absorbed, deposit in lipophilic tissues, are poorly metabolized, and undergo similar pathways of metabolism. The exception is the fully brominated decaBDE, which demonstrated a high degree of metabolism, and the results provided a mechanism to explain the production of lower brominated congeners via debromination. PBDEs administered to rats in either dust or oil vehicle showed that PBDEs in dust were equally as bioavailable as those dissolved in an oil vehicle in both matrices, and that higher brominated congeners were less bioavailable than lower brominated congeners. The results support the hypothesis that, in addition to foods, ingested dust can be a major source of PBDEs exposure in humans.