Biological metabolic transformation of polybrominateddiphenyl ethers

Abstract

As widely used flame retardants polybrominateddiphenyl ethers(PBDEs)and their hydroxyl and methoxyl derivatives(OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs)have been detected from various kinds of environmental media, different organisms and human bodies. The sources of low brominated PBDEs, OH-PBDEs, and MeO-PBDEs detected in organisms are not clearly elucidated, which may either be uptaken from the surrounding environment or formed via biotransformation in vivo . Since the biotransformation mechanism and transformation products of PBDEs in organism are closely related with their toxicities, it has been the focus of many literatures. Based on the analysis of distributions and sources of PBDEs and their metabolic derivatives in organism, the research progresses of reductive debromination and oxidation metabolism of PBDEs in organisms have been reviewed. The metabolism, pathways, and key enzymes involved in the biotransformation of PBDEs both in vivo and in vitro are explored. Directions for further studies on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of PBDEs are proposed.