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Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)

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Health Impacts of Developmental Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

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Abstract

Evidence for adverse effects of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in humans is reviewed, with a focus on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). BFRs may easily leach out during manufacture or the use of consumer products, and enter the environment. Food consumption or ingestion of contaminated dust is among the major pathways of human exposure to BFRs. Epidemiological and experimental reports suggest that exposure to BFRs may induce adverse neurodevelopmental, metabolic, and reproductive effects.

The sex hormone-related effects of BRFs include those related to birth outcomes, growth, and reproductive system. Moreover, several other health consequences such as neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders, thyroid hormone system, and obesity were identified as endocrine effects of BRFs. Some studies reported conflicting observations; however, their thyroid hormone disruption and neurodevelopmental toxicities have been demonstrated frequently. The use of certain BFRs is banned worldwide, however, BFRs are persistent in the ecosystem and are accumulating in human because of their lipophilicity. Thus, active epidemiological and mechanistic studies, especially on the susceptible populations, are warranted.

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  1. Seoul National University, School of Public Health, Seoul, South Korea

    Kyungho Choi & Sunmi Kim

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  1. Kyungho Choi
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  2. Sunmi Kim
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Correspondence to Kyungho Choi .

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  1. Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

    Reiko Kishi

  2. Department of Environmental Health Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Philippe Grandjean

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Choi, K., Kim, S. (2020). Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs). In: Kishi, R., Grandjean, P. (eds) Health Impacts of Developmental Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Current Topics in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0520-1_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0520-1_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-0519-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-0520-1

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