Abstract
Firemaster® 550 (FM 550) is a commercial flame retardant mixture of brominated and organophosphate compounds applied to polyurethane foam used in furniture and baby products. Due to widespread human exposure, and structural similarities with known endocrine disruptors, concerns have been raised regarding possible toxicity. We previously reported evidence of sex specific behavioral effects in rats resulting from developmental exposure. The present study expands upon this prior finding by testing for a greater range of behavioral effects, and measuring the accumulation of FM 550 compounds in placental tissue. Wistar rat dams were orally exposed to FM 550 during gestation (0, 300 or 1000 µg/day; GD 9 – 18) for placental measurements or perinatally (0, 100, 300 or 1000 µg/day; GD 9 – PND 21) to assess activity and anxiety-like behaviors. Placental accumulation was dose dependent, and in some cases sex specific, with the brominated components reaching the highest levels. Behavioral changes were predominantly associated with a loss or reversal of sex differences in activity and anxiety-like behaviors. These findings demonstrate that environmental chemicals may sex-dependently accumulate in the placenta. That sex-biased exposure might translate to sex-specific adverse outcomes such as behavioral deficits is a possibility that merits further investigation.
Highlights
Of indoor dust[10,11,12,13,14]
Dose dependent placental accumulation was observed for TBB and TBPH but sex-specific effects varied
Mean TBB concentrations in the unexposed controls were below the method detection limit (MDL) of 0.6 ng/g ww
Summary
Of indoor dust[10,11,12,13,14]. In the United States (US), house dust levels of FM 550 components are equivalent to the phased out PBDEs9. TPHP is present in nail polish and urinary levels of its primary metabolite rise following application[23], suggesting that exposure may be occurring through personal care products. Given these exposure data and accruing evidence of endocrine disruption, both of reproductive hormones[24, 25] and thyroid hormones[26], there is an urgent need to investigate the toxicity and potential health effects of replacement FRs, including FM 550. It has subsequently been shown that PBDEs sex- bioaccumulate in human placenta[30] suggesting the potential for sexually dimorphic placental FR exposures. The present studies tested the hypothesis that placental accumulation of FM 550 components may be significant and sex specific
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