Flame retardants (FRs) are widely used in consumer products including furniture foam and electronic equipment such as computers, monitors and TVs. Over time, FRs can easily migrate into the surrounding environments. Since brominated FRs (BFRs) has been determined of high concern due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and potential toxicity, novel FRs have emerged. The present study was aimed at identifying and quantifying the indoor levels of 41 legacy and novel FRs, which include 20 OPFRs and 21 HFRs (8 PBDEs, 3 HBCDDs, 5 NBFRs and 5 DECs) in Tarragona Province (Catalonia, Spain). The results have confirmed the presence of both legacy and novel FRs in air and dust of homes, schools and offices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first European study measuring OPFRs at office environments and also confirming the presence of the following OPFRs: TEP, TCIPP, T2IPPP, TPPO, DCP, TMCP and B4IPPPP in indoor air, even some of them at high levels. OPFRs in general and TCIPP in particular showed high concentrations in air (94,599 pg/m and 72,281 pg/m, respectively) and dust (32,084 ng/g and 13,496 ng/g, respectively) samples collected in indoor environments. HBCDDs were found at high levels in dust (32,185 ng/g), whereas the presence of PBDEs and DECs were low in both matrices (<160 pg/m in air and <832 ng/g in dust). NBFRs showed higher levels than the two legacy FRs groups, which is supported by the current restrictions of these FRs (640 pg/m in air and 1291 ng/g in dust). Samples of schools had significantly lower levels of NBFRs, but significantly higher concentrations of HFRs in air than in home samples, while dust levels of HFRs were significantly lower than those in samples of offices. Regarding human health risks, the current assessment suggests that those derived from exposure to FRs were lower -although close- to assumable risks, evidencing the potential of FRs for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, mainly due to the exposure to TCIPP, which was the main contributor together with ΣHBCDDs and also EHDPP.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150494 | DOI Listing |
Toxicology
December 2024
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department Ecotoxicology, Leipzig, Germany; Entity of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels-Belgium.
Novel flame retardants (NFRs) have emerged as chemicals of environmental health concern due to their widespread use as an alternative to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electrical and electronic devices. Humans and ecosystems are under threat because of e-waste recycling procedures that may emit NFRs and other anthropogenic chemicals into the e-waste workplace and the surrounding environment. The individual toxicity of NFRs including novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), their combined effects and the underlying mechanisms of toxicity have remained poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAutism Res
December 2024
Department of Brain and Cognition, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC) are suggested to experience difficulties with categorization and generalization. However, empirical studies have mainly focused on one process at a time, and neglected underlying neural mechanisms. Here, we investigated categorization and generalization at a behavioral and neural level in 38 autistic and 38 neurotypical (NT) adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Pollut
December 2024
Plant Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Agricultural Application and New Technique, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China. Electronic address:
Soil chromium (Cr) stress has a well-recognized negative impact on plant growth, and intercropping is a commonly used method to mitigate heavy metal toxicity to main plants. However, the responses of root exudates-microbial and their interactions among soil zones to soil Cr stress are always in need of clarification in intercropping system. In this study, three intercropping patterns (CT, Malus only; TM, Malus × Mentha and TA, Malus × Ageratum) with different soil Cr addition levels (NCR, LCR, HCR) were applied, and the rhizosphere ecological traits in the main plant (FRS) and intercrop (ARS) were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
November 2024
Spice and Beverage Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, National Center of Important Tropical Crops Engineering and Technology Research, Key Laboratory of Processing Suitability and Quality Control of the Special Tropical Crops of Hainan Province, Wanning 571533, Hainan, China. Electronic address:
To mitigate adverse reactions induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), Cnidium officinale fraction 2 (F2) polysaccharides served as the macromolecular carrier, facilitating its reaction with carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil (C-5-FU) for producing F2-C-5-FU. Subsequently, this compound could react with folic acid (FA) through the ester bond, forming F2-C-5-FU-FA, as verified through NMR analysis. The in vitro anticancer efficacy of F2-C-5-FU-FA was evaluated using SKOV-3 cells that expressed folate receptor (FR) and FR-deficient A549 cells, showing greater cytotoxicity in the SKOV-3 cell line due to the FRs on the cell membrane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
December 2024
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of Fast-growing Trees and Agri-fiber Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China. Electronic address:
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) tend to agglomerate and primarily exhibit a single condensed phase flame-retardant mechanism, limiting their application as flame retardants (FRs) for wood. In this paper, we prepared a composite FR by intercalating phytic acid (PA) into the LDH layers through anion exchange. Additionally, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were incorporated to interact with the hydroxyl groups on the LDH surface, improving the dispersion and stability of LDH.
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