Thyroid function and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) exposure in Chinese adults from a DBDPE manufacturing area

Tian Chen; Dong Yu; Luping Yang; Shaofeng Sui; Shibo Lv; Yi Bai; Wen Sun; Yuwei Wang; Li Chen; Zhiwei Sun; Lin Tian; Dejun Wang; Piye Niu; Zhixiong Shi

Environment International (Dec 2019)

Thyroid function and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) exposure in Chinese adults from a DBDPE manufacturing area

Tian Chen,
Dong Yu,
Luping Yang,
Shaofeng Sui,
Shibo Lv,
Yi Bai,
Wen Sun,
Yuwei Wang,
Li Chen,
Zhiwei Sun,
Lin Tian,
Dejun Wang,
Piye Niu,
Zhixiong Shi

Affiliations

Tian Chen: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Dong Yu: Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Jinan 250062, Shandong, China
Luping Yang: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
Shaofeng Sui: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
Shibo Lv: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
Yi Bai: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Wen Sun: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China
Yuwei Wang: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Li Chen: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Zhiwei Sun: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Lin Tian: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
Dejun Wang: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China; Corresponding authors at: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China (D. Wang). School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China (P. Niu and Z. Shi).
Piye Niu: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Corresponding authors at: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China (D. Wang). School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China (P. Niu and Z. Shi).
Zhixiong Shi: School of Public Health and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Corresponding authors at: Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, China (D. Wang). School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China (P. Niu and Z. Shi).

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 133

Abstract

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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are persistent organic pollutants, affect thyroid function. Human exposure to decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), which has a similar structure to PBDEs, has recently increased, and the health effects of DBDPE have not been well studied. The objective of this study was to determine whether human exposure to DBDPE was associated with thyroid hormone levels in adults from a DBDPE manufacturing area. Three hundred-two blood samples were collected from two populations in the largest DBDPE manufacturing area located in North China: 133 DBDPE occupationally exposed workers from a DBDPE manufacturing plant and 169 non-DBDPE occupationally exposed residents from a nearby food processing plant. The levels of DBDPE, and thyroid function parameters [total thyroxine (TT4), free T4 (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free T3 (FT3), thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin antibody (TG-Ab), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab)] were measured in serum samples. Serum concentrations of DBDPE ranged from 3.148 to 54,360 ng g−1 lipid weight (lw), with a geometric mean of 332.6 ng g−1 lw. A 10-fold increase in the DBDPE concentration was associated with increase of 4.73 nmol L−1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.75, 6.71] TT4 and 0.046 nmol L−1 TT3 [95% CI: 0.012, 0.081], corresponding to increases of approximately of 4.73% (95% CI: 2.75%–6.71%) and 2.38% (95% CI: 0.62%–4.20%), respectively. DBDPE in serum was also significantly and positively associated with the concentrations of TG-Ab and TPO-Ab. Our study found that exposure to DBDPE was associated with changes in thyroid activity in adults exposed to a high concentration of DBDPE, mainly increases of TT4, TT3, TPO-Ab, and TG-Ab. The association between DBDPE exposure and thyroid homeostasis requires further investigation because increasing DBDPE exposure has emerged in recent years. Keywords: Brominated flame retardants, Decabromodiphenyl ethane, Thyroid hormones, Occupational workers, Serum, Chinese adults

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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