Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in plasma from E-waste recyclers, outdoor and indoor workers in the Puget Sound, WA region

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were widely used as flame retardants in consumer products including electronic devices. Important routes of human exposure are contaminated food and contact with dust. In this study, we measured twelve PBDEs in household/workplace dust and blood plasma samples provided by 113 volunteers living in the Puget Sound region, WA and working at electronic waste (E-waste) recycling sites (n = 29) or non-specific indoor (n = 57) or outdoor occupations (n = 27). The volunteers in the outdoor group were also selected because of a history of high seafood consumption habits. Results indicated the sum PBDE levels varied between <2.5 and up to 310 ng g−1 lipid. E-waste recyclers were predominantly men, generally consumed low amounts of seafood, and had PBDE blood levels (geometric mean, GM = 26.56 ng g−1 lipid) that were similar to indoor workers (GM = 27.17 ng g−1 lipid). The sum PBDE levels were highest in the outdoor group (GM = 50.63 ng g−1 lipid). Dust samples from E-waste sites were highly enriched with BDE-209 and BDE-153 relative to non-E-waste businesses and homes. The concentrations of these BDE congeners in dust at E-waste sites were ∼32–39 times higher than in dust from other sites. However, the detection rate of BDE-209 in plasma was low across all groups (13%) and no statistical comparisons were made. Our results suggest that E-waste recyclers in this study population did not have elevated PBDE levels in comparison to volunteers working in other types of occupations.