Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Aborted
Human Fetuses and Placental Transfer during the First Trimester of
Pregnancy
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Abstract
Data
on early human fetal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers
(PBDEs) is limited. However, early pregnancy, in particular the first
trimester, is critical for fetal development. We investigated exposure
to PBDEs and placental transfer during early pregnancy by analyzing
PBDEs in paired aborted fetuses (<i>n</i> = 65), placentas
(<i>n</i> = 65), and maternal blood samples (<i>n</i> = 31) at 10–13 weeks gestation, which were collected in a
hospital near electronic wastes (e-wastes) recycling sites in Taizhou,
China. Mean total PBDE (∑PBDE) concentrations were 4.46, 7.90,
and 15.7 ng/g of lipid weight (lw) in the fetuses, placentas, and
blood, respectively. The three matrices had roughly similar PBDE congener
profiles, dominated by BDE-209, BDE-197, BDE-153, BDE-47, and BDE-28.
Significant correlations were found between ∑PBDE concentrations
in the paired matrices. Comparing the concentration ratios between
the paired samples, we observed significantly higher fetus/blood and
fetus/placenta ratios for BDE-28, BDE-99, and BDE-47 than for BDE-197,
BDE-209, and BDE-153, while opposite results were found in placenta/blood
ratios. Our results indicate that PBDEs can enter the fetus during
the first trimester and low-brominated congeners cross the placenta
more easily than high-brominated congeners, which tend to remain in
the placenta. This phenomenon is consistent with findings at the end
of pregnancy