What does polybrominated diphenyl ethers do to you?
What are the routes of exposure and the potential health effects of PBDEs? ❖ Studies in rats and mice show that PBDEs cause neurotoxicity, developmental neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, thyroid toxicity, immunotoxicity, liver toxicity, pancreas effects (diabetes) and cancer (penta and decabromodiphenyl ether).
Where is polybrominated diphenyl ethers used?
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group of man-made organobromine compounds. They have been used as flame retardants in polyurethane foams in upholstery and in polymer resins and plastics used as components in electrical equipment.
When were PBDEs first used?
PBDEs are a class of flame retardants that were introduced in the 1970s, with levels increasing exponentially in the environment, wildlife, and humans. They are structurally similar to PCBs.
What are PBDEs found in?
PBDEs are found in a variety of consumer products, from TVs and toasters to mattresses and drapes. These chemicals are intended to slow the rate of ignition and fire growth, allowing people more time to escape from a fire or extinguish it.
Are PBDEs banned in the US?
Brominated flame retardant chemicals, banned in the U.S. since 2004, still pollute the bodies of newborn American babies, according to a new study from Indiana University scientists. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, were once widely used in products including furniture foam and electronics.
Are PBDEs still in use?
Flame retardant manufacturers in the U.S. voluntarily stopped producing the PentaBDE (used in furniture foam) and OctaBDE (used in electronic products) varieties of PBDEs in 2004 and have begun producing alternative flame retardants; however, DecaBDE continues to be produced and used in the U.S., primarily in …
Where can PBDEs be found?
Is PBDE banned in Canada?
PBDEs have been widely used since the 1970s; however, due to their persistence in the environment, the manufacturing of PBDEs has been banned and the import, use and sale of PBDEs found in commercial mixtures of greatest concern (penta- and octaBDE) have been restricted in Canada since 2008 and in the US since the end …
Is flame retardant harmful to humans?
Flame Retardants have been shown to cause neurological damage, hormone disruption, and cancer. One of the biggest dangers of some flame retardants is that they bioaccumulate in humans, causing long-term chronic health problems as bodies contain higher and higher levels of these toxic chemicals.
What are polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)?
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) include the commercial versions of pentabromodiphenyl ether (c-pentaBDE), octabromodiphenyl ether (c-octaBDE), and decabromodiphenyl ether (c-decaBDE). Each of these commercial products is a mixture composed of several PBDE congeners.
Is pentabromo and PBDE the same?
PBDEs are sold as mixtures, under names such as “pentabromodiphenyl ether” and “octabromodiphenyl ether.” The pentabromo product is a mixture of tetra-BDEs and penta-BDEs in approximately equal amounts. Pentabromo consists of PBDEs that are believed to be the most toxic.
Are PBDEs toxic to children?
The toxicology of PBDEs is not well understood, but PBDEs have been associated with tumors, neurodevelopmental toxicity and thyroid hormone imbalance. The neurotoxic effects of PBDEs are similar to those observed for PCBs. Children exposed to PBDEs are prone to subtle but measurable developmental problems.
What is the study of brominated flame retardants?
The study of brominated flame retardants is one of CREDO’s four core projects. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used in paints, plastics, foam furniture padding, textiles, rugs, curtains, televisions, building materials, airplanes and automobiles.