Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and "novel" brominated flame retardants in house dust in Germany.

Abstract Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used in a wide variety of products such as electronic devices, upholstery and carpets and in insulation boards. The study presented here aimed to quantify the amounts of BFRs in house dust in Germany. For this purpose 20 residences' dust samples were collected from vacuum cleaner bags and analysed with LC–MS/MS and simultaneously with GC/MS. Using GC/MS, the median (95th percentile) concentrations of PBDEs (sum of tetra- to hepta-congeners), BDE 209, Σ-HBCD (sum of three congeners), and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) were 42 ng/g (230 ng/g), 950 ng/g (3426 ng/g), 335 ng/g (1545 ng/g), and 146 ng/g (1059 ng/g), respectively. Using LC–MS/MS some “novel” flame retardants were found in median concentrations of 343 ng/g (bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)tetrabromophthalate, TBPH), and 28 ng/g (tetrabromobisphenol A, TBBPA). Whilst 1,2-bis-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) and 2-ethyl-1-hexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB) could not be detected. Based on these measurements an exposure assessment for the sum of tetra- to heptabrominated congeners, BDE 209, and Σ-HBCD resulted in a “high” daily intake for toddlers (based on 95th percentiles) of 1.2 ng/kg b.w., 0.69 ng/kg b.w., and 8.9 ng/kg b.w., respectively. For TBPH the “high” intake was calculated at 4.1 ng/kg b.w. and for DBDPE at 5.3 ng/kg b.w. A clear tendency was observed to apply “novel” BFRs in Germany. Moreover, the results suggest that the recent exposure to PBDEs and HBCD via house dust in Germany is well below the levels that are associated with health effects. For the “novel” brominated flame retardants such an assessment is not possible due to limited toxicological information.