Absorption and excretion of Tetrabromobisphenol A in male Wistar rats following subchronic dermal exposure

•TBBPA in serum, urine and feces after subchronic dermal exposure were determined.•About 3.31–11.21% TBBPA was absorbed dermally under different dosing regimens.•The majority of TBBPA was excreted in feces, but the minority in urine.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is widely used as a flame retardant and frequently detected in environmental and biological samples. In this study, male Wistar rats were repeatedly exposed by dermal application to 20, 60, 200 and 600 mg TBBPA/kg body weight during 90 days. Concentrations of TBBPA in serum, urine and feces after dermal exposure were determined. TBBPA concentrations in serum ranged from 19.04 to 427.20 g/g lipids. The percentage of TBBPA dose recovered in serum on the 90th day varied from 0.002 ± 0.002% to 0.013 ± 0.008%, and the percentage of dose excreted in urine varied from 0.004 ± 0.002% to 0.072 ± 0.027%, while the percentage of dose recovered in feces were 3.30 ± 0.61% to 11.13 ± 3.16%. The results showed that about 3.31–11.21% TBBPA was absorbed dermally under different dosing regimens. TBBPA was excreted mainly in feces and small only amounts were recovered in urine.