Brominated Flame Retardants in the Environment—The Price for our Convenience?

Abstract

Environmental Context. Flame retardants have been employed for centuries to reduce the flammability of materials; in our age, furniture, textiles, and electronic equipment are heavy users of effective and inexpensive brominated flame retardants. Evidence links these materials to endocrine disruption and bioaccumulation, but better detection and quantification of this large (75 member) molecular family, in order to explore the fine details of this toxic link, is both lacking and of pressing need. Abstract. This paper reviews information on the occurrence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in various environmental compartments. The lack of information on BFRs other than pentabrominated diphenylethers (pentaBDEs) is emphasized, as well as the need for better analytical methods and the need for more toxicological information on BFRs. Concern is expressed on the bioaccumulating properties of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). It is shown that decaBDE can accumulate in birds of prey, although the levels found are not particularly high. A parallel is drawn with the occurrence of other contaminants that are being found in our environment and foodstuffs, such as polyfluorinated sulphones, phthalates, alkylphenols, and others. These substances play a key role in our modern society, often for our convenience. However, a price may have to be paid by later generations if the consequences of their presence in the environment would be neglected.