Publications by authors named "Walter Weathers"
Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in many household items. Given concerns over their potential adverse health effects, we identified predictors and evaluated temporal changes of PBDE serum concentrations.
Methods: PBDE serum concentrations were measured in young children (2-8 years old; N = 67), parents of young children (<55 years old; N = 90), and older adults (≥55 years old; N = 59) in California, with concurrent floor wipe samples collected in participants' homes in 2008-2009.
A simple, cost-effective method is described for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust using pressurized fluid extraction, cleanup with modified silica solid phase extraction tubes, and fluorinated internal standards. There are 14 PBDE congeners included in the method, some typically contained in the commercial mixtures used as flame retardants, and some which are not routinely reported in the peer-reviewed literature. A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry instrumental method provides baseline separation in <20 min, detection limits <20 ng/g, and quantitation limits <60 ng/g for most congeners.
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- Infants and young children in the U.S. spend a significant amount of time (up to 50 hours per week) in early childhood education (ECE) facilities, but there is limited information on their exposure to harmful environmental chemicals.
- Measurements taken from 40 California ECE facilities revealed the presence of various flame retardants, with 100% of dust samples containing compounds like Firemaster 550 and tris phosphates, indicating a widespread issue.
- Notably, estimated doses of certain flame retardants exceeded safety levels for young children in several facilities, highlighting the need for further research to mitigate harmful exposure in these environments.
Surface wipe sampling is a frequently used technique for measuring persistent pollutants in residential environments. One characteristic of this form of sampling is the need to extract the entire wipe sample to achieve adequate sensitivity and to ensure representativeness. Most surface wipe methods require collection of multiple samples for related chemicals or chemical classes having similar physiochemical properties.
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