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Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the Korean metropolitan population are declining: A trend from 2001 to 2013
Author(s) -
Kim Jongchul,
Kang JungHo,
Choi SungDeuk,
Zhu Jiping,
Chang YoonSeok
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.4222
Subject(s) - polybrominated diphenyl ethers , population , environmental chemistry , korean population , metropolitan area , chemistry , toxicology , environmental health , geography , biology , medicine , pollutant , organic chemistry , archaeology
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been banned or voluntarily withdrawn from commerce worldwide. Declining levels of PBDEs in humans have been reported elsewhere, but not in Korea. We monitored 7 individual PBDE congeners (BDE‐28, BDE‐47, BDE‐99, BDE‐100, BDE‐153, BDE‐154, and BDE‐183) in 103 human serum samples collected in 2006. The arithmetic mean and median values for the sum of the 7 PBDEs (∑PBDEs) were 7.13 and 6.70 ng/g lipid, respectively. In addition, 6 pooled human serum samples collected in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013 were analyzed. A decrease in PBDE levels was observed, as reflected by the median value of ∑PBDEs from 5.98 in 2006 to 2.98 ng/g lipid in 2013 as well as in the pooled samples. The levels of individual congeners also decreased but at different declining rates. Based on these results and previously reported data, a definite decline in PBDE levels in the Korean metropolitan population could be observed from 2001 to 2013, providing the first evidence in Korea of the same decline observed elsewhere in the world. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2323–2330. © 2018 SETAC