Prenatal contribution of 2, 2′, 4, 4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) to total body burden in young children

Many scientists made estimates of the body burden of PBDEs from breastmilk and house dust. Interestingly, they have not included the prenatal contribution to the body burden in young children after birth. In order to address how the prenatal contribution is important in the risk assessment of PBDEs in infants up to five years old, we used the median measurements of BDE-47 as a model chemical in 108 neonates in Korea, and made simulations of its disposition out of body from birth to five years. During the simulation periods, the environmental exposure was considered for house dust, babyfood, breastmilk consumption, etc., with assumption of typical exposure scenario applicable to general infants in Korea. About 22% of the total amounts of BDE-47 in newborn remained up to 5 years after birth. The relative amounts of BDE-47 from the prenatal source were 20%, 14%, 10%, 8%, 6%, and 4% of the total body burden for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year after birth, respectively. The contribution from breastfeeding was 95.2% and 92.2% of the total postnatal exposure amounts at 6-month and 1-year after birth, respectively. After cease of breastfeeding at 1-yr, house dust and food were the important sources of exposure up to 5-yr; however, their contributions to the bodyburden were negligible with consideration of the remaining amounts of the analytes from the breastmilk and prenatal exposure. Suggestively, the innate amounts and pharmacokinetics should be counted in estimating bodyburden of BDE-47.