Dietary Intake and Health Risk Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Netherlands Based on Data Collected in 2004 and 2008

Brominated flame retardants, like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are environmental contaminants which have entered the human food chain. In this context the concentrations of several PBDEs were measured in food items commonly available in the Netherlands in 2004 and 2008. In food BDE-47, -99 and -100 were analysed and detected in 2004 and 2008, whereas BDE-209 was only analysed and detected in 2008. The highest BDE concentrations were found in seafood (fatty fish and crustaceans). The life-long dietary intake of these compounds in humans was calculated using the concentration data. For BDE-47, -99 and -100 the intake in 2008 was higher than in 2004.
A risk assessment based on the most sensitive toxic effects of PBDEs in experimental animals was possible for BDE-47, -99 and 209 (but not for BDE-100, [3]). These effects consist of neurodevelopmental toxicity resulting from the disturbance of growth of the central nervous system (BDE-47, -99 and -209) and reproductive toxicity resulting from the disturbance of spermatogenesis after intrauterine exposure (BDE-99).
A risk assessment based on the dietary exposure of individual PBDE congeners revealed that in The Netherlands the dietary exposure to PBDE-47 and -209 does not pose a health concern with respect to neurodevelopmental toxicity. However, with regard to reproductive toxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity the dietary exposure in The Netherlands to BDE-99 is of potential health concern.