Excretion characteristics of tetrabromobisphenol-A in Wistar rats following mouth and nose inhalation exposure

- We established an inhalation exposure model of inhaled TBBPA dry-powder using rats.
- TBBPA in feces, urine, and serum was determined during 14 days' inhalation exposure.
- The primary elimination route of inhaled TBBPA was in the feces.

Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), a brominated flame retardant with the largest production volume worldwide, is employed as a reactive and additive flame retardant, and also as an intermediate in the production of other retardants. The constant release of TBBPA into the environment has attracted increasing attention to its potent health effects. To date, the vast majority of health-related research on TBBPA has focused on oral exposure. This study aims to explore the excretion characteristics of TBBPA in living organisms following inhalation exposure. An inhalation exposure system was established in which the experimental animal model was exposed to inhalable particles (diameter < 10 μm) of TBBPA. The TBBPA aerosol doses used were 12.9, 54.6, 121.6, and 455.0 mg/m3 according to tuning system parameters. Following 14 d (2 h/d) of repeated inhalational exposure, the primary route of elimination was in feces for all exposed groups, and the values showed a significant positive linear relationship with exposure dose. In contrast, the elimination amount in urine was less than 0.4% of the inhaled dose. Trace levels of TBBPA (less than 0.1% of the inhaled dose) were also detected in serum, with amounts varying from 0 to 844 ng (per rat) among all groups.