# Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) Serum Concentrations in Italian Women of Reproductive Age

## TL;DR

This study measures PBDE levels in Italian women of reproductive age, finding relatively low exposure compared to other industrialized countries.

## Contribution

The study provides new data on PBDE exposure in Italian women, a sensitive group for assessing potential risks to newborns.

## Key findings

- BDE-153 was the most abundant PBDE congener in serum samples of Italian women.
- PBDE concentrations in the study population were relatively low compared to other industrialized countries.
- The decline in PBDE levels may be linked to EU bans on commercial mixtures since 2001.

## Abstract

The evaluation of human exposure to environmental contaminants is a highly relevant topic for carrying out appropriate risk assessments and management. For this reason, although exposure assessment studies are continuously increasing, it is important to increase knowledge on the subject, especially when data gaps exist. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of substances for which the available data in the literature are not abundant compared to other more studied contaminants. In particular, the data available for the Italian population are even more limited. This study aimed to characterize the exposure of women of reproductive age to PBDEs in different Italian regions. We focused on the study on women of reproductive age because they are a sensitive category, and, furthermore, the exposure of mothers allows us to estimate that of newborns. Study results showed that the most abundant congeners in terms of relative concentration were BDE-153 > BDE-47 > BDE-100 > BDE-99, with median estimates, respectively, of 0.670, 0.245, 0.110, and 0.100 ng/g lipid in serum samples. Overall, the average exposure of the study population to the selected flame retardants appears to be relatively low compared to other industrialized countries. The observed levels could be related to the decline of PBDE concentrations in Europe due to a ban in the European Union on most PBDE commercial technical mixtures from 2001 onwards.