Our previous study found that exposure to higher organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) was associated with increased prevalence of wheeze and type 2 inflammation among school-aged children. It remains unclear whether PFR exposure elevates oxidative stress in these general pediatric population, thereby potentially contributing to the development of allergic diseases. This study examined the associations between individual and mixture exposure to PFRs and oxidative stress in children aged 9-12 years (n = 423).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) is one of the major organophosphate flame retardants present in the indoor and outdoor environment. Knowledge of biotransformation pathways is important to elucidate potential bioavailability and toxicity of TCIPP and to identify relevant biomarkers. This study aimed to identify TCIPP metabolites through human metabolism assays and finally to confirm these findings in urine samples from an occupationally exposed population to propose new biomarkers to accurately monitor exposure to TCIPP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIndoor dust can contribute substantially to human exposure to known and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Novel compounds with high structural variability and different homologues are frequently discovered through screening of the indoor environment, implying that constant monitoring is required. The present study aimed at the identification and semi-quantification of CECs in 46 indoor dust samples collected in Belgium by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExposure to organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) increases the risk of asthma and allergies. However, little is known about its association with type 2 inflammation (T2) biomarkers used in the management of allergies. The study investigated associations among urinary PFR metabolite concentrations, allergic symptoms, and T2 biomarkers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVarious biomonitoring studies have been carried out to investigate the exposure of populations by measuring non-persistent organic chemicals in urine. To accurately assess the exposure, study designs should be carefully developed to maximise reproducibility and achieve good characterization of the temporal variability. To test these parameters, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) are calculated from repeated measurements and range from poor (<0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPersistent and mobile chemicals (PMs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are groups of chemicals that have received recent global attention due to their potential health effects on the environment and humans. In this study, exposure to a broad range of PMs and PFAS was investigated in Flemish adolescents' urine samples (n = 83) using a suspect screening approach. For this purpose, three sample preparation methods were evaluated, and a basic liquid-liquid extraction was optimized for urine analysis based on the extraction efficiency of PMs (53-80%) and PFAS (>70%).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe increasing human exposure to contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) cannot be fully assessed by targeted biomonitoring methods alone as these are limited to a subset of known analytes. On the contrary, suspect screening approaches based on liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) allow the simultaneous detection of a high number of CECs and/or their (predicted) metabolites leading to a more comprehensive assessment of possible human exposure to these compounds. Within this study, 83 urine samples of Flemish adolescents (47 males, 36 females) collected in the frame of the 4th cycle of the Flemish Environment and Health Study (FLEHS IV) were selected with the aim of including a high and a low exposure group based on the overall exposure of 45 known contaminants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF