Flame Retardant Exposure in Vehicles Is Influenced by Use in Seat Foam and Temperature.

Flame retardants (FRs) are added to vehicles to meet flammability standards, such as US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 302. However, an understanding of which FRs are being used, sources in the vehicle, and implications for human exposure is lacking. US participants ( = 101) owning a vehicle of model year 2015 or newer hung a silicone passive sampler on their rearview mirror for 7 days.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Canadian Fast Food Packaging.

A suite of analytical techniques was used to obtain a comprehensive picture of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in selected Canadian food packaging used for fast foods ( = 42). Particle-induced gamma ray emission spectroscopy revealed that 55% of the samples contained <3580, 19% contained 3580-10 800, and 26% > 10 800 μg F/m. The highest total F (1 010 000-1 300 000 μg F/m) was measured in molded "compostable" bowls.

Effective communications strategies to increase the impact of environmental health research.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are the subject of a growing body of research with the potential to positively impact public and ecological health. However, to effect positive change, findings must be communicated beyond the scientific community.

Objective: We sought to (a) evaluate the relationships between communications strategy, media attention, and scholarly citations of PFAS research and (b) offer guidance for researchers and communications professionals who would like to publicize future work and increase its impact.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A Chemical Class of Emerging Concern.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), a large class of chemicals that includes high production volume substances, have been used for decades as antimicrobials, preservatives, and antistatic agents and for other functions in cleaning, disinfecting, personal care products, and durable consumer goods. QAC use has accelerated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the banning of 19 antimicrobials from several personal care products by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016. Studies conducted before and after the onset of the pandemic indicate increased human exposure to QACs.

Widespread presence of chlorinated paraffins in consumer products.

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) were listed for elimination under the Stockholm Convention in 2017 due to their persistence and toxicity. Although Canada and other Stockholm signatories have prohibited the manufacture, usage and import of SCCPs since 2013, they can still be detected at high concentrations in indoor dust. To identify the sources of the SCCPs in the Canadian indoor environment, short-, medium- and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, MCCPs, LCCPs, respectively) were measured using a sensitive LC-ESI-orbitrap method.

Optimizing Chemicals Management in the United States and Canada through the Essential-Use Approach.

Chemicals have improved the functionality and convenience of industrial and consumer products, but sometimes at the expense of human or ecological health. Existing regulatory systems have proven to be inadequate for assessing and managing the tens of thousands of chemicals in commerce. A different approach is urgently needed to minimize ongoing production, use, and exposures to hazardous chemicals.

Use and release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in consumer food packaging in U.S. and Canada.

Numerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) occur in consumer food packaging due to intentional and unintentional addition, despite increasing concern about their health and environmental hazards. We present a substance flow analysis framework to assess the flows of PFASs contained in plant fiber-based and plastic food packaging to the waste stream and environment. Each year between 2018 and 2020, an estimated 9000 (range 1100-25 000) and 940 (range 120-2600) tonnes per year of polymeric PFASs were used in 2% of food packaging in the U.

The Air that we Breathe: Neutral and volatile PFAS in Indoor Air.

Sources of exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) include food, water, and given that humans spend typically 90% of our time indoors, air and dust. Quantifying PFAS prevalent indoors, such as neutral, volatile PFAS, and estimating their exposure risk to humans is thus important. To accurately measure these compounds indoors, polyethylene (PE) sheets were employed and validated as passive detection tools, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Beyond Cholinesterase Inhibition: Developmental Neurotoxicity of Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Plasticizers.

Background: To date, the toxicity of organophosphate esters has primarily been studied regarding their use as pesticides and their effects on the neurotransmitter acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Currently, flame retardants and plasticizers are the two largest market segments for organophosphate esters and they are found in a wide variety of products, including electronics, building materials, vehicles, furniture, car seats, plastics, and textiles. As a result, organophosphate esters and their metabolites are routinely found in human urine, blood, placental tissue, and breast milk across the globe.

Scientific Basis for Managing PFAS as a Chemical Class.

This commentary presents a scientific basis for managing as one chemical class the thousands of chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The class includes perfluoroalkyl acids, perfluoroalkylether acids, and their precursors; fluoropolymers and perfluoropolyethers; and other PFAS. The basis for the class approach is presented in relation to their physicochemical, environmental, and toxicological properties.

Do flame retardant concentrations change in dust after older upholstered furniture is replaced?

Upholstered furniture has been a major source of chemical flame retardant (FR) exposures in US homes since the 1970s. FRs are a large group of chemicals, many of which are associated with adverse health effects, including cancer, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity. California homes have some of the highest dust concentrations of FRs, due to Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117), California's outdated flammability standard for furniture foam that was generally followed across the US and Canada.

Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants: Are They a Regrettable Substitution for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers?

As the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and the entire class of organohalogen flame retardants, is declining, the use of organophosphate esters flame retardants (OPFRs) is increasing. In this paper, we ask whether OPFRs are a better choice than PBDEs. To address this question, we compared OPFRs with PBDEs for a wide range of properties.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in paired dust and carpets from childcare centers.

Carpets can be a significant source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the indoor environment and may be an especially important source of exposure for children and toddlers. Most previous studies focused on measuring indoor dust only. In this study, we measured PFAS concentrations in paired carpet and dust samples from 18 California childcare centers in 2018 to investigate carpet as a contributor to PFASs in dust.

Methods of Responsibly Managing End-of-Life Foams and Plastics Containing Flame Retardants: Part II.

This is Part II of a review covering the wide range of issues associated with all aspects of the use and responsible disposal of foam and plastic wastes containing toxic or potentially toxic flame retardants. We identify basic and applied research needs in the areas of responsible collection, pretreatment, processing, and management of these wastes. In Part II, we explore alternative technologies for the management of halogenated flame retardant (HFR) containing wastes, including chemical, mechanical, and thermal processes for recycling, treatment, and disposal.

Methods of Responsibly Managing End-of-Life Foams and Plastics Containing Flame Retardants: Part I.

Flame retardants (FRs) are added to foams and plastics to comply with flammability standards and test requirements in products for household and industrial uses. When these regulations were implemented, potential health and environmental impacts of FR use were not fully recognized or understood. Extensive research in the past decades reveal that exposure to halogenated FRs, such as those used widely in furniture foam, is associated with and/or causally related to numerous health effects in animals and humans.

Proposal for coordinated health research in PFAS-contaminated communities in the United States.

The drinking water of more than six million Americans in numerous communities has been found to contain highly fluorinated chemicals at concentrations of concern. Certain of these chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, are known to be persistent, bioaccumulative, and associated with adverse health outcomes in humans and animal models. The possible health impacts of exposure to highly fluorinated chemicals are of great concern to communities whose water has been impacted.

Regulation of chemicals in children's products: How U.S. and EU regulation impacts small markets.

Toys and children's products may contain trace metals and organic compounds that are potentially harmful to the health and development of infants and young children. Intergovernmental organizations and individual countries regulate chemicals in consumer products, but a coordinated international approach is lacking. This paper examines the implications of chemical regulation in children's products in large markets for a smaller market, namely Israel.

The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban.

documents a consensus of more than 200 scientists and medical professionals on the hazards of and lack of demonstrated benefit from common uses of triclosan and triclocarban. These chemicals may be used in thousands of personal care and consumer products as well as in building materials. Based on extensive peer-reviewed research, this statement concludes that triclosan and triclocarban are environmentally persistent endocrine disruptors that bioaccumulate in and are toxic to aquatic and other organisms.

Fluorinated Compounds in U.S. Fast Food Packaging.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are highly persistent synthetic chemicals, some of which have been associated with cancer, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and other health effects. PFASs in grease-resistant food packaging can leach into food and increase dietary exposure. We collected ~400 samples of food contact papers, paperboard containers, and beverage containers from fast food restaurants throughout the United States and measured total fluorine using particle-induced γ-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy.

Detection of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in U.S. Drinking Water Linked to Industrial Sites, Military Fire Training Areas, and Wastewater Treatment Plants.

Drinking water contamination with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) poses risks to the developmental, immune, metabolic, and endocrine health of consumers. We present a spatial analysis of 2013-2015 national drinking water PFAS concentrations from the U.S.