Comparisons of polybrominated diphenyl ethers levels in paired South Korean cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk samples

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), commonly used flame retardants, have been reported as potential endocrine disruptor and neurodevelopmental toxicants, thus giving rise to the public health concern. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk concentrations of PBDEs in South Korean. We assessed PBDE levels in paired samples of umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk. The levels of seven PBDE congeners were measured in 21 paired samples collected from the Cheil Woman’s Hospital (Seoul, Korea) in 2008. We also measured thyroid hormones levels in maternal and cord blood to assess the association between PBDEs exposure and thyroid hormone levels. However, there was no correlation between serum thyroxin (T4) and total PBDEs concentrations. The total PBDEs concentrations in the umbilical cord blood, maternal blood, and breast milk were 10.7 ± 5.1 ng g−1 lipid, 7.7 ± 4.2 ng g−1 lipid, and 3.0 ± 1.8 ng g−1 lipid, respectively. The ranges of total PBDE concentrations observed were 2.28–30.94 ng g−1 lipid in umbilical cord blood, 1.8–17.66 ng g−1 lipid in maternal blood, and 1.08–8.66 ng g−1 lipid in breast milk. BDE-47 (45–73% of total PBDEs) was observed to be present dominantly in all samples, followed by BDE-153. A strong correlation was found for major BDE-congeners between breast milk and cord blood or maternal blood and cord blood samples. The measurement of PBDEs concentrations in maternal blood or breast milk may help to determine the concentration of PBDEs in infant.

► We examined seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congener’s levels in Korean.
► The total PBDEs concentrations in the umbilical cord blood were 10.7 ± 5.13 ng g−1 lipid.
► We found that BDE-47 accounted for the majority of total PBDEs in all samples.
► PBDE was shown to easily pass through the blood-placenta barrier or breast milk.