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Toxics
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Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure
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Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Contaminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 10260

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elisa Cairrao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
2 FCS—UBI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: endocrine disruptors; human exposome; pregnancy exposome; phthalates; flame retardants; UVB-filters; bisphenols; cardiovascular endocrinology; fetoplacental vasculature; vascular smooth muscle cells; neurovascular unit; hypertensive disorders in pregnancy; hypothyroidism; calcium and potassium channels; sex hormones; patch clamp
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luis R. Vieira

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
1. Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2. Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: risk assessment; science communication and policy; climate change; contaminants of emerging concern; personal care products; flame retardants; microplastics; caffeine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flame retardants (FRs) are applied in a wide range of commercial materials with the purpose of reducing their flammability. One of the main concerns of their use is the action as an endocrine disruptor, once they can interfere with the endocrine system, by an integrative and very complex series of hormonal processes. Moreover, these compounds are highly persistent in the environment and can bioaccumulate in organisms, raising high concerns about the potential adverse impacts on the ecological safety and human health. Furthermore, recent studies have associated human exposure to these compounds with the onset or development of several pathologies, namely, thyroid disorders, neurobehavioral and development disorders, reproductive health, immunological, oncological, and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this Special Issue is to explore the latest research on FRs, from environmental to human exposure studies. 

Dr. Elisa Cairrao
Dr. Luis R. Vieira
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • endocrine-disrupting chemicals
  • bioaccumulation
  • adverse health outcomes
  • tetrabromobisphenol A
  • environmental pollution
  • human exposure
  • hexabromocyclododecane

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 526 KiB  
Article
Cognitive Performance and Exposure to Organophosphate Flame Retardants in Children: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Analysis of Two European Mother–Child Cohorts
by Valentina Rosolen, Elisa Giordani, Marika Mariuz, Maria Parpinel, Vicente Mustieles, Liese Gilles, Eva Govarts, Laura Rodriguez Martin, Kirsten Baken, Greet Schoeters, Ovnair Sepai, Eva Sovcikova, Lucia Fabelova, Jiři Kohoutek, Tina Kold Jensen, Adrian Covaci, Maarten Roggeman, Lisa Melymuk, Jana Klánová, Argelia Castano, Marta Esteban López and Fabio Barboneadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Toxics 2023, 11(11), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11110878 - 24 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1552
Abstract
The knowledge of the effects of organophosphate flame retardants on children’s neurodevelopment is limited. The purpose of the present research is to evaluate the association between exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and children’s neurodevelopment in two European cohorts involved in the Human Biomonitoring [...] Read more.
The knowledge of the effects of organophosphate flame retardants on children’s neurodevelopment is limited. The purpose of the present research is to evaluate the association between exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and children’s neurodevelopment in two European cohorts involved in the Human Biomonitoring Initiative Aligned Studies. The participants were school-aged children belonging to the Odense Child Cohort (Denmark) and the PCB cohort (Slovakia). In each cohort, the children’s neurodevelopment was assessed through the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient score of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, using two different editions. The children’s urine samples, collected at one point in time, were analyzed for several metabolites of organophosphate flame retardants. The association between neurodevelopment and each organophosphate flame retardant metabolite was explored by applying separate multiple linear regressions based on the approach of MM-estimation in each cohort. In the Danish cohort, the mean ± standard deviation for the neurodevelopment score was 98 ± 12; the geometric mean (95% confidence interval (95% CI)) of bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) standardized by creatinine (crt) was 0.52 µg/g crt (95% CI = 0.49; 0.60), while that of diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) standardized by crt was 1.44 µg/g crt (95% CI = 1.31; 1.58). The neurodevelopment score showed a small, negative, statistically imprecise trend with BDCIPP standardized by crt (β = −1.30; 95%CI = −2.72; 0.11; p-value = 0.07) and no clear association with DPHP standardized by crt (β = −0.98; 95%CI = −2.96; 0.99; p-value = 0.33). The neurodevelopment score showed a negative trend with BDCIPP (β = −1.42; 95% CI = −2.70; −0.06; p-value = 0.04) and no clear association with DPHP (β = −1.09; 95% CI = −2.87; 0.68; p-value = 0.23). In the Slovakian cohort, the mean ± standard deviation for the neurodevelopment score was 81 ± 15; the geometric mean of BDCIPP standardized by crt was 0.18 µg/g crt (95% CI = 0.16; 0.20), while that of DPHP standardized by crt was 2.24 µg/g crt (95% CI = 2.00; 3.52). The association of the neurodevelopment score with BDCIPP standardized by crt was −0.49 (95%CI = −1.85; 0.87; p-value = 0.48), and with DPHP standardized by crt it was −0.35 (95%CI = −1.90; 1.20; p-value = 0.66). No clear associations were observed between the neurodevelopment score and BDCIPP/DPHP concentrations that were not standardized by crt. No clear associations were observed with bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP) in either cohort, due to the low detection frequency of this compound. In conclusion, this study provides only limited evidence of an inverse association between neurodevelopment and exposure to BDCIPP and DPHP. The timing of exposure and effect modification of other organophosphate flame retardant metabolites and other substances should be the subject of further investigations that address this scientific hypothesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure)
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14 pages, 2513 KiB  
Article
Hepatocellular Metabolic Abnormalities Induced by Long-Term Exposure to Novel Brominated Flame Retardant, Hexabromobenzene
by Bohyun Shin, Se Hee Hong, Sumin Seo, Cho Hee Jeong, Jiyu Kim, Eunbin Bae, Donghee Lee, Jung Hoon Shin, Minki Shim, Sang Beom Han and Dong-Kyu Lee
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020101 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2313
Abstract
Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) are widely used to avoid environmental accumulation concerns and because of the regulations imposed on classical BFRs. However, recent studies have not revealed the negative effects of NBFR accumulation and exposure on humans. We conducted a metabolomics study [...] Read more.
Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) are widely used to avoid environmental accumulation concerns and because of the regulations imposed on classical BFRs. However, recent studies have not revealed the negative effects of NBFR accumulation and exposure on humans. We conducted a metabolomics study on hexabromobenzene (HBB), one of the NBFRs, to investigate its effect on hepatocytes. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling was performed to observe metabolic perturbations by treating human livertissue-derived HepG2 cell lines with HBB for maximum 21 days. Metabolic pathway enrichment using 17 metabolite biomarkers determined via univariate and multivariate statistical analysis verified that long-term accumulation of HBB resulted in distinct diminution of eight amino acids and five other metabolites. Molecular docking of the biomarker-related enzymes revealed the potential molecular mechanism of hepatocellular response to HBB exposure, which disrupts the energy metabolism of hepatic cells. Collectively, this study may provide insights into the hidden toxicity of bioaccumulating HBB and unveil the risks associated with non-regulated NBFRs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure)
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15 pages, 2346 KiB  
Article
Vascular Response of Tetrabromobisphenol a in Rat Aorta: Calcium Channels Inhibition and Potassium Channels Activation
by Joana Feiteiro, Sandra M. Rocha, Melissa Mariana, Cláudio J. Maia and Elisa Cairrao
Toxics 2022, 10(9), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10090529 - 9 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2273
Abstract
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a flame retardant widely used to reduce flammability. It is an endocrine disruptor, and due to constant human exposure, some concerns have been raised regarding its impact on human health. Studies showed that TBBPA affects oxidative stress, cell proliferation [...] Read more.
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a flame retardant widely used to reduce flammability. It is an endocrine disruptor, and due to constant human exposure, some concerns have been raised regarding its impact on human health. Studies showed that TBBPA affects oxidative stress, cell proliferation and intracellular calcium levels. However, the vascular consequences of TBBPA exposure are still relatively unexplored. Hence, this work aimed to analyse TBBPA effects on rat aortic smooth muscle and its action mechanisms. Through an ex vivo approach, Wistar rat aortas were used in an organ bath to evaluate the vascular effect of TBBPA (0.01–100 μM). Additionally, TBBPA’s mode of action was studied through calcium and potassium channel inhibitors. Resorting to in vitro studies, A7r5 cells were used to analyse L-Type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activity through the whole-cell configuration of the patch clamp technique, and the mRNA expression of proteins and ion channels involved in vascular contractility. The results showed vasorelaxation of rat aorta induced by TBBPA exposure, involving the inactivation of L-Type VGCC and activation of potassium channels, and the modulation of mRNA expression of L-type calcium and large-conductance calcium 1.1 and the BKCa 1.1 α- and β1 -subunit channels, soluble guanylyl cyclase and protein Kinase G. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure)
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Review

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25 pages, 853 KiB  
Review
Occurrence and Health Effects of Hexabromocyclododecane: An Updated Review
by Maria Lopes Marques and Elisa Cairrao
Toxics 2023, 11(5), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11050409 - 26 Apr 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3177
Abstract
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is a non-aromatic compound belonging to the bromine flame retardant family and is a known persistent organic pollutant (POP). This compound accumulates easily in the environment and has a high half-life in water. With a variety of uses, the HBCD is [...] Read more.
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is a non-aromatic compound belonging to the bromine flame retardant family and is a known persistent organic pollutant (POP). This compound accumulates easily in the environment and has a high half-life in water. With a variety of uses, the HBCD is found in house dust, electronics, insulation, and construction. There are several isomers and the most studied are α-, β-, and γ-HBCD. Initially used as a substitute for other flame retardants, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the discovery of its role as a POP made HBCD use and manufacturing restricted in Europe and other countries. The adverse effects on the environment and human health have been piling, either as a result from its accumulation or considering its power as an endocrine disruptor (ED). Furthermore, it has also been proven that it has detrimental effects on the neuronal system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, liver, and the reproductive system. HBCD has also been linked to cytokine production, DNA damage, increased cell apoptosis, increased oxidative stress, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Therefore, this review aims to compile the most recent studies regarding the negative effects of this compound on the environment and human health, describing the possible mechanisms by which this compound acts and its possible toxic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Effects of Flame Retardants: From Environmental to Human Exposure)
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