Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Serum of Pregnant Women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorkamp, Katrin; Nielsen, Flemming; Kyhl, Henriette Boye

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a group of flame retardants, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were analysed in serum samples of pregnant women from Denmark to provide information about their exposure and to study indications of common exposure pathways. The main BDE congener was the ...... of exposure and/or pharmacokinetic and metabolisation processes. PBDE and PFAS concentrations were in the range associated with adverse effects in some epidemiological studies....

[Comparative study of the level and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and new brominated flame retardants in the atmosphere of typical urban].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hui; Jin, Jun; Wang, Ying; Li, Ming-Yuan; He, Song-Jie; Xu, Meng; Sun, Yi-Ming

2014-04-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are widely used in industrial and commercial products and are frequently detected in various environmental media. It might be potential harm to the environment and the human body. This study reported the levels of 8 kinds of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs: BDE-28, -47, -100, -99, -154, -153, -183, -209) and 3 kinds of new brominated flame retardants (NBFRs: PBT, PBEB, HBB) in the atmosphere of Binhai Development Zone, Weifang City, Shandong Province, which was taken as a BFR production source area and of Nanning City, Guangxi Province, which was taken as a contrast area. The results showed that the average concentrations of sigma8 PBDEs in the atmosphere of Weifang and Nanning were 1.4 x 10(5) pg x m(-3) and 323.0 pg x m(-3), respectively, and the average concentrations of sigma3 NBFRs were 4.2 x 10(3) pg x m(-3) and 11.9 pg x m(-3), respectively. Compared with other cities, the concentrations of BFRs in the atmosphere of the production area were at a high level in the globe, and the concentrations of BFRs in Nanning were similar with other cities in China. The distribution characteristics of PBDEs and NBFRs in the atmosphere of the production area were different from those of Nanning, and the correlations between PBEB, PBT, HBB and BDE-209 were different between Weifang and Nanning.

Temporal trends of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and detection of two novel flame retardants in marine mammals from Hong Kong, South China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, James C W; Lau, Ridge K F; Murphy, Margaret B; Lam, Paul K S

2009-09-15

Concentrations of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and three novel flame retardants, namely2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), and hexachlorocyclopentadienyldibromocyclooctane (HCDBCO), were determined in blubber samples of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides). The levels of HBCDs and PBDEs in cetacean samples ranged from 4.1 to 519 and 103 to 51,100 ng/g lw, respectively. A significant increasing trend of SigmaHBCDs was observed in dolphin samples from 1997 to 2007 with an estimated annual rate of 5%, whereas no significant temporal trends of SigmaPBDEs appeared over the sampling period. This pattern may be attributed to the increasing usage of HBCDs following the restriction/voluntary withdrawal of the production and use of PBDE commercial mixtures in several countries. HCDBCO was not found in the blubber samples. This is the first report of the presence of TBB and TBPH, two new flame retardants that have previously been identified in house dust from the U.S., in marine mammals; concentrations of these compounds in dolphins and porpoises ranged from the instrumental detection limit (IDL) (<0.04) to 70 and IDL (<0.04) to 3859 ng/g lw, respectively. Levels of TBPH were comparable to SigmaHBCDs in porpoise samples. The presence of these novel flame retardants in top-trophic-level marine organisms raises concern about their release into the environment and indicates the need for further monitoring of these compounds in other environmental matrices.

Regulated and Unregulated Halogenated Flame Retardants in Peregrine Falcon Eggs from Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorkamp, Katrin; Falk, Knud; Møller, Søren

2018-01-01

Median levels of regulated flame retardants, i.e. polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), brominated biphenyl (BB) 153 and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in 33-48 eggs of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) from Greenland were 1900, 359 and 5.98 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and generally intermediate...

Preparation of candidate reference materials for the determination of phosphorus containing flame retardants in styrene-based polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Thomas; Urpi Bertran, Raquel; Latza, Andreas; Andörfer-Lang, Katrin; Hügelschäffer, Claudia; Pöhlein, Manfred; Puchta, Ralph; Placht, Christian; Maid, Harald; Bauer, Walter; van Eldik, Rudi

2015-04-01

Candidate reference materials (RM) for the analysis of phosphorus-based flame retardants in styrene-based polymers were prepared using a self-made mini-extruder. Due to legal requirements of the current restriction for the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, focus now is placed on phosphorus-based flame retardants instead of the brominated kind. Newly developed analytical methods for the first-mentioned substances also require RMs similar to industrial samples for validation and verification purposes. Hence, the prepared candidate RMs contained resorcinol-bis-(diphenyl phosphate), bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate), triphenyl phosphate and triphenyl phosphine oxide as phosphorus-based flame retardants. Blends of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-co-butadiene-co-styrene as well as blends of high-impact polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide were chosen as carrier polymers. Homogeneity and thermal stability of the candidate RMs were investigated. Results showed that the candidate RMs were comparable to the available industrial materials. Measurements by ICP/OES, FTIR and NMR confirmed the expected concentrations of the flame retardants and proved that analyte loss and degradation, respectively, was below the uncertainty of measurement during the extrusion process. Thus, the candidate RMs were found to be suitable for laboratory use.

母乳中溴代/氯代阻燃剂及其代谢产物的分析检测方法%Determination of Chlorinated/Brominated Flame Retardants and their Metabolites in Breast Milk

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

贲玉婕; 李龙; 王文月; 李兴红; 田媛; 徐晓白

2013-01-01

A method was developed for the determination of trace-amount chlorinated/brominated flame, retardants and their metabolites in breast milk by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrum in negative chemical ionization mode (GC/NCI-LRMS ). Chlorinated/brominated flame retardants and their metabolites were classified into netural and phenolic fractions. Neutral targets included eight brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners (including BDE-209) , five MeO-BDE congeners and other new flame retardants or the metabolites. Phenolic targets referred to nine OH-BDEs congeners. The efficient separation of various neutral targets was obtained on a 30-m column (RTX-1614) and that of phenolic targets was achieved on a 30-m column ( DB-5 ) in the optimized GC condition. In the extraction and clean-up procedures, before supersonic extracting, surrogate/internal standards were required spiking into breast milk, then the samples were separated into neutral and phenolic fractions by a liquid-liquid extraction methods. The extracts were cleaned-up further to remove other co-extracts by sulfuric acid silica prior to injection. It was noticeable that phenolic fractions required to be further derived by diazomethane before clean-up. The recoveries of decabrominated diphenyl ethers, other polybrominated diphenyl ethers, methoxyl-polybrominated diphenyl ethers, dechlorane plus and dechlorinated products, other flame retardants, hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers were 66.5% -75.4% , 84.2% -126.4% , 60.9% -115.1% , 86.7% -104.9% , 42.9% -113. 8% and 64.7% -129. 5% , respectively. The RSD of neutral targets were all below 22% , and those of the phenolic targets were all below 30%. The method was used for the determination of targets in breast milk collected from an e-waste dismantling area. The results of quality control showed the method was reliable investigation

Immunotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants TPHP and TDCIPP on murine dendritic cells in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Canbaz, Derya; Logiantara, Adrian; van Ree, Ronald; van Rijt, Leonie S.

2017-01-01

Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are commonly used as alternatives for the banned polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and are ubiquitously detected in indoor dust. PFRs can be potentially hazardous to respiratory health via the inhalation of house dust. Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial in

Critical review of soil contamination by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs); concentrations, sources and congener profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

McGrath, Thomas J; Ball, Andrew S; Clarke, Bradley O

2017-11-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used in a broad array of polymeric materials such as plastics, foams, resins and adhesives to inhibit the spread of fires since the 1970s. The widespread environmental contamination and well documented toxic effects of PBDEs have led to bans and voluntary withdrawals in many jurisdictions. Replacement novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) have, however, exhibited many of the same toxic characteristics as PBDEs and appear to share similar environmental fate. This paper presents a critical review of the scientific literature regarding PBDE and NBFR contamination of surface soils internationally, with the secondary objective of identifying probable pollution sources. An evaluation of NBFR distribution in soil was also conducted to assess the suitability of the newer compounds as replacements for PBDEs, with respect to their land contamination potential. Principle production of PBDEs and NBFRs and their consequent use in secondary polymer manufacture appear to be processes with strong potential to contaminate surrounding soils. Evidence suggests that PBDEs and NBFRs are also released from flame retarded products during disposal via landfill, dumping, incineration and recycling. While the land application of sewage sludge represents another major pathway of soil contamination it is not considered in this review as it is extensively covered elsewhere. Both PBDEs and NBFRs were commonly detected at background locations including Antarctica and northern polar regions. PBDE congener profiles in soil were broadly representative of the major constituents in Penta-, Octa- and Deca-BDE commercial mixtures and related to predicted market place demand. BDE-209 dominated soil profiles, followed by BDE-99 and BDE-47. Although further research is required to gain baseline data on NBFRs in soil, the current state of scientific literature suggests that NBFRs pose a similar risk to land contamination as PBDEs. Copyright © 2017

Historical trends and ecological risks of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs) in a mangrove in South China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qihang; Liu, Xucheng; Liang, Chaozong; Leung, Jonathan Y S; Li, Huosheng; Chen, Shejun; Mai, Bixian; Miao, Shenyu; Chen, Yongheng; Wu, Zhifeng; Chen, Zhanghe

2017-12-01

While the production of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was gradually phased out in the last decade, they may still pose hidden danger to the environment due to their toxicity and persistence. On the other hand, alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs) have been increasingly used as substitutes for PBDEs and may further worsen environmental health. To determine the environmental impact of PBDEs and AHFRs, we examined the historical trends and ecological risks of PBDEs and AHFRs in a typical industrialized city in South China by measuring their concentrations in mangrove sediment. Results showed that the concentrations of PBDEs increased abruptly from 1997 to 2009 due to the use of commercial deca-BDE mixture, but were stabilized in recent years. The concentrations of AHFRs, mainly contributed by decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), kept increasing from 1997 onwards. Based on the temporal trends, DBDPE is predicted to be predominant over BDE 209 in future. Despite the observed similar concentration between BDE 209 and DBDPE, the former posed a high ecological risk, while the ecological risk of the latter was negligible. Therefore, more attention is required to manage the contamination of BDE 209 in the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish and sediment from river polluted by electronic waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo Qian [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China); Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China); Cai Zongwei [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China)]. E-mail: zwcai@hkbu.edu.hk; Wong Minghung [Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China)]. E-mail: mhwong@hkbu.edu.hk

2007-09-20

The present study investigated contamination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment and fish samples collected from rivers in Guiyu, China where electronic waste (e-waste) is recycled and disposed. PBDE congeners with mono-to hepta-brominated and deca-brominated substitutions were detected using {sup 13}C{sub 12} isotope dilution GC/MS/MS and GC/MS methods, respectively. The total PBDE concentrations ranged from 4434 to 16088 ng/g (dry weight) in Nanyang River bank sediment, from 55 to 445 ng/g in Nanyang River bottom sediment and 51.3 to 365 ng/g in Lianjiang River bottom sediment in Guiyu compared with those from 16.1 to 21.4 ng/g in wastewater discharged from a vehicle repairing workshop in Lo Uk Tsuen in Hong Kong. No PBDE congeners were detected in bottom sediment and fish from Mai Po Marshes in Hong Kong. The mean concentrations of total PBDEs in mixed muscles of tilapia (Oreochromis spp) from Lianjiang River were 115 ng/g wet weight (ww) and from wastewater in Hong Kong were 4.1 ng/g ww. Highest mean PBDE concentration was obtained in liver (2687 ng/g ww), followed by abdomen muscle (1088 ng/g ww) of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) collected from Nanyang River. A significant correlation of concentration of each PBDE congener between sediment and muscle from Guiyu was observed. The present results of total PBDEs in sediment and fish were 10 and 1000 times higher than other studies. Open burning and dumping of e-waste are the major causes of PBDE contamination.

Biodegradation of tert-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heitkamp, M.A.; Freeman, J.P.; Cerniglia, C.E.

1986-01-01

The biodegradation of tert-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDP) was examined in microcosms containing sediment and water from five different ecosystems as part of studies to elucidate the environmental fate of phosphate ester flame retardants. Biodegradation of [ 14 C]BPDP was monitored in the environmental microcosms by measuring the evolution of 14 CO 2 . Over 37% of BPDP was mineralized after 8 weeks in microcosms from an ecosystem which had chronic exposure to agricultural chemicals. In contrast, only 1.7% of BPDP was degraded to 14 CO 2 in samples collected from a noncontaminated site. The exposure concentration of BPDP affected the percentage which was degraded to 14 CO 2 in microcosms from the two most active ecosystems. Mineralization was highest at a concentration of 0.1 mg of BPDP and was inhibited with 10- and 100-fold higher concentrations of BPDP. The authors observed adaptive increases in both microbial populations and phosphoesterase enzymes in some sediments acclimated to BPDP. Chemical analyses of the residues in the microcosms indicated undegraded BPDP and minor amounts of phenol, tert-butylphenol, diphenyl phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate as biodegradation products. These data suggest that the microbial degradation of BPDP results from at least three catabolic processes and is highest when low concentrations of BPDP are exposed to sediment microorganisms of eutrophic ecosystems which have high phosphotri- and diesterase activities and previous exposure to anthropogenic chemicals

Transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms underlying enhanced in vitro adipocyte differentiation by the brominated flame retardant BDE-47

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamstra, Jorke H; Hruba, Eva; Blumberg, Bruce

2014-01-01

Recent studies suggest that exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) may play a role in the development of obesity. EDCs such as the flame retardant 2,2',4,4'-tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47) have been shown to enhance adipocyte differentiation in the murine 3T3-L1 model. The mech......Recent studies suggest that exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) may play a role in the development of obesity. EDCs such as the flame retardant 2,2',4,4'-tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47) have been shown to enhance adipocyte differentiation in the murine 3T3-L1 model....... The mechanisms by which EDCs direct preadipocytes to form adipocytes are poorly understood. Here, we examined transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the induction of in vitro adipocyte differentiation by BDE-47. Quantitative high content microscopy revealed concentration-dependent enhanced...

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Orally Administration to Mice Were Tansferred to Offspring during Gestation and Lactation with Disruptions on the Immune System.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Soon Keun; Sohn, Kyung Hee; Kim, In Young; Lee, Jong Kwon; Ju, Jung Hun; Kim, Jin Ho; Lim, Chae Hyung; Han, Beom Seok; Jung, Hwa Chul; Lee, Jin Yong; Park, Kui Lea

2010-04-01

The present study was undertaken to examine the immunological effects of pentabrominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE) and decabrominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE) on the immune system of the dams and the developmental immune system of the offsprings. In this study, mated female C57BL/6J mice were orally administered penta-BDE, deca-BDE or corn oil for 5 weeks, from gestational day 6 to lactational day 21. The body weight of PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was significantly decreased relative to control mice, but that of post-natal day 63 (PND63) were recovered. Orally dosed dams with penta-BDE had significantly smaller absolute and relative spleen masses than control mice. Absolute and relative spleen and thymus masses of PND21 exposed to penta-BDE were significantly decreased over control. The exposure of dams and PND21 with penta-BDE reduced the number of splenocytes and thymocytes. As results of hematologic analysis, percentage WBC and percentage neutrophils increased in dams with deca-BDE. Splenic T cell proliferation in dams and PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was increased, and there were no significant difference in splenic B cell proliferation in all treatment groups. As results of flow cytometric analysis of splenocyte, percentage total T cell, Th cell and Tc cell in PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was slightly increased, and percentage macrophage in dams and PND21 exposed to deca-BDE was decreased. The ELISA results of antibody production show no significant difference in all treatment groups relative to controls. These results imply that PBDEs given to the dam were transferred to the offspring during gestation and lactation, and PBDEs transferred from the dam affect immune system of offspring.

Advances in the study of current-use non-PBDE brominated flame retardants and dechlorane plus in the environment and humans

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2010-01-01

The fate of the high production volume,currently in use,and not regulated non-polybrominated diphenyl ether(PBDE) flame retardants,such as tetrabromobisphenol A(TBBPA) ,hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) and dechlorane plus(DP),and the alternative flame retardants of PBDE,such as BTBPE and DBDPE,in the environment has attracted increasing attention and aroused concern due to the increasing regulation and phasing-out of PBDEs.This paper reviews the distribution,bioaccumulation,human exposure and environmental behavior of those non-PBDE flame retardants in various environmental compartments.The data gaps and needs for future research are discussed.

Temporal Development of Brominated Flame Retardants in Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Eggs from South Greenland (1986-2003)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorkamp, K.; Thomsen, M.; Falk, K.

2005-01-01

A time trend between 1986 and 2003 was found for brominated flame retardants in peregrine falcon eggs from South Greenland, with significantly increasing concentrations of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) 99, 100, 153, 154, and 209. For BDE-99 and -100, the concentration increased appro...

Environmentally Friendly Flame-Retardant and Its Application in Rigid Polyurethane Foam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongjun Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A novel Flame-Retardant N-(P,P′-diphenyl phosphorus-based-(3-triethoxysilicon propylamine (DPTP was synthesized in this study. The impact of DPTP on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and flame retardancy of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF was studied. The addition of DPTP to RPUF can significantly reduce the undesirable thermal effects and smoke density during combustion, as well as increasing the limiting oxygen index. Compared with pure RPUF, the peak heat release rate of RPUF containing 10 phr of DPTP decreased by 39.4%, while its peak smoke production rate decreased by 49.9%. However, it was also found that the addition of DPTP reduced the compressive strength of RPUF.

Biomagnification of polybrominated diphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane flame retardants in the polar bear food chain in Svalbard, Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørmo, Eugen Gravningen; Salmer, Maria Pettersvik; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro; Hop, Haakon; Baek, Kine; Kovacs, Kit Maureen; Lydersen, Christian; Falk-Petersen, Stig; Gabrielsen, Geir Wing; Lie, Elisabeth; Skaare, Janneche Utne

2006-09-01

Concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), were investigated in an arctic marine food chain consisting of four invertebrate species: polar cod (Boreogadus saida), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The most abundant BFR, brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-47, was found in detectable concentrations even in zooplankton, the lowest trophic level examined in this study. Most of the investigated BFRs biomagnified as function of tropic level in the food chain. A noticeable exception occurred at the highest trophic level, the polar bear, in which only BDE-153 was found to increase from its main prey, the ringed seal, indicating that polar bears appear to be able to metabolize and biodegrade most BFRs. In contrast, lower-brominated PBDEs, particularly BDE-47, showed clear signs of bioaccumulation in zooplankton, polar cod, and ringed seals. We suggest that this discrepancy in the fate of BFRs among the different species may be related to greater induction of oxidative detoxification activities in the polar bear. Absorption and debromination rates may be more important for bioaccumulation rates of BFRs in zooplankton, polar cod, and ringed seals. Lipid weight-based concentrations (LWCs) and whole body-based concentrations (WBCs) of BFRs were used to assess biomagnification factors (BMFs). Whole-body concentrations gave the most realistic BMFs, as BMFs derived from LWCs seem to be confounded by the large variability in lipid content of tissues from the investigated species. This study demonstrates that PBDEs and HBCD have reached measurable concentrations even in the lower trophic levels (invertebrates and fish) in the Arctic and biomagnifies in the polar bear food chain.

Concentrations and speciation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human amniotic fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Mark F.; Chernyak, Sergei M.; Domino, Steven E.; Batterman, Stuart A.; Loch-Caruso, Rita

2012-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent organic chemicals used as flame retardants in textiles, plastics, and consumer products. Although PBDE accumulation in humans has been noted since the 1970s, few studies have investigated PBDEs within the gestational compartment, and none to date has identified levels in amniotic fluid. The present study reports congener-specific brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) concentrations in second-trimester clinical amniotic fluid samples collected in 2009 from fifteen women in southeast Michigan, USA. Twenty-one BDE congeners were measured by GC/MS/NCI. The average total PBDE concentration was 3795 pg/ml amniotic fluid (range: 337 – 21842 pg/ml). BDE-47 and BDE-99 were identified in all samples. Based on median concentrations, the dominant congeners were BDE-208, 209, 203, 206, 207, and 47 representing 23, 16, 12, 10, 9 and 6%, respectively, of the total detected PBDEs. PBDE concentrations were identified in all amniotic fluid samples from southeast Michigan, supporting a need for further investigations of fetal exposure pathways and potential impacts on perinatal health. PMID:22236635

Novel flame retardants (N-FRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in fish, penguin, and skua from King George Island, Antarctica.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolschke, Hendrik; Meng, Xiang-Zhou; Xie, Zhiyong; Ebinghaus, Ralf; Cai, Minghong

2015-07-15

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are frequently detected in biota from Antarctica, whereas no data are available for their replacements, such as novel flame retardants (N-FRs). This study presented the occurrence of several N-FRs, PBDEs, and PCBs in tissue samples of an Antarctic rock cod (Trematomus bernacchii), a young gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), and a brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) collected from King George Island. The total concentrations of N-FRs (ΣN-FRs; mean: 931 pg/g dry weight (dw)) were comparable to PBDEs (Σ8PBDEs; 681 pg/gdw), which were much lower than PCBs (ΣDL-PCBs; 12,800 pg/gdw). Overall, skua contained two to three orders of magnitude higher contamination than penguin and fish. In the future, more attention should be focused on the fate of N-FRs in Antarctica, where usages have increased since PBDEs were banned. To our knowledge, this is the first report of N-FRs in biota from Antarctica. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Potential human exposure to halogenated flame-retardants in elevated surface dust and floor dust in an academic environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allgood, Jaime M.; Jimah, Tamara; McClaskey, Carolyn M.; La Guardia, Mark J.; Hammel, Stephanie C.; Zeineddine, Maryam M.; Tang, Ian W.; Runnerstrom, Miryha G.; Ogunseitan, Oladele A.

2017-01-01

Most households and workplaces all over the world possess furnishings and electronics, all of which contain potentially toxic flame retardant chemicals to prevent fire hazards. Indoor dust is a recognized repository of these types of chemicals including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and non-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (non-PBDEs). However, no previous U.S. studies have differentiated concentrations from elevated surface dust (ESD) and floor dust (FD) within and across microenvironments. We address this information gap by measuring twenty-two flame-retardant chemicals in dust on elevated surfaces (ESD; n=10) and floors (FD; n=10) from rooms on a California campus that contain various concentrations of electronic products. We hypothesized a difference in chemical concentrations in ESD and FD. Secondarily, we examined whether or not this difference persisted: (a) across the studied microenvironments and (b) in rooms with various concentrations of electronics. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the ESD was statistically significantly higher than FD for BDE-47 (p=0.01), BDE-99 (p=0.01), BDE-100 (p=0.01), BDE-153 (p=0.02), BDE-154 (p=0.02), and 3 non-PBDEs including EH-TBB (p=0.02), BEH-TEBP (p=0.05), and TDCIPP (p=0.03). These results suggest different levels and kinds of exposures to flame-retardant chemicals for individuals spending time in the sampled locations depending on the position of accumulated dust. Therefore, further research is needed to estimate human exposure to flame retardant chemicals based on how much time and where in the room individuals spend their time. Such sub-location estimates will likely differ from assessments that assume continuous unidimensional exposure, with implications for improved understanding of potential health impacts of flame retardant chemicals. - Highlights: • Brominated flame retardants used in electronic products accumulate in room dust • Various chemical moieties of flame retardants leach

Potential human exposure to halogenated flame-retardants in elevated surface dust and floor dust in an academic environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allgood, Jaime M.; Jimah, Tamara [Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3957 (United States); McClaskey, Carolyn M. [Department of Cognitive Sciences, School of Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-5100 (United States); La Guardia, Mark J. [Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Hammel, Stephanie C.; Zeineddine, Maryam M.; Tang, Ian W.; Runnerstrom, Miryha G. [Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3957 (United States); Ogunseitan, Oladele A., E-mail: Oladele.Ogunseitan@uci.edu [Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3957 (United States)

2017-02-15

Most households and workplaces all over the world possess furnishings and electronics, all of which contain potentially toxic flame retardant chemicals to prevent fire hazards. Indoor dust is a recognized repository of these types of chemicals including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and non-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (non-PBDEs). However, no previous U.S. studies have differentiated concentrations from elevated surface dust (ESD) and floor dust (FD) within and across microenvironments. We address this information gap by measuring twenty-two flame-retardant chemicals in dust on elevated surfaces (ESD; n=10) and floors (FD; n=10) from rooms on a California campus that contain various concentrations of electronic products. We hypothesized a difference in chemical concentrations in ESD and FD. Secondarily, we examined whether or not this difference persisted: (a) across the studied microenvironments and (b) in rooms with various concentrations of electronics. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the ESD was statistically significantly higher than FD for BDE-47 (p=0.01), BDE-99 (p=0.01), BDE-100 (p=0.01), BDE-153 (p=0.02), BDE-154 (p=0.02), and 3 non-PBDEs including EH-TBB (p=0.02), BEH-TEBP (p=0.05), and TDCIPP (p=0.03). These results suggest different levels and kinds of exposures to flame-retardant chemicals for individuals spending time in the sampled locations depending on the position of accumulated dust. Therefore, further research is needed to estimate human exposure to flame retardant chemicals based on how much time and where in the room individuals spend their time. Such sub-location estimates will likely differ from assessments that assume continuous unidimensional exposure, with implications for improved understanding of potential health impacts of flame retardant chemicals. - Highlights: • Brominated flame retardants used in electronic products accumulate in room dust • Various chemical moieties of flame retardants leach

Microbial degradation of 4-monobrominated diphenyl ether with anaerobic sludge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, Yang-hsin; Chou, Hsi-Ling; Peng, Yu-Huei

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► BDE-3 was degraded with two anaerobes in different rates. ► Glucose addition augment the debromination efficiencies. ► Hydrogen gas was detected and relative microbes were identified. ► Extra-carbon source enhanced degradation partial due to H 2 -generation bacteria. - Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardant additives for many plastic and electronic products. Owing to their ubiquitous distribution in the environment, multiple toxicity to humans, and increasing accumulation in the environment, the fate of PBDEs is of serious concern for public safety. In this study, the degradation of 4-monobrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-3) in anaerobic sludge and the effect of carbon source addition were investigated. BDE-3 can be degraded by two different anaerobic sludge samples. The by-products, diphenyl ether (DE) and bromide ions, were monitored, indicating the reaction of debromination within these anaerobic samples. Co-metabolism with glucose facilitated BDE-3 biodegradation in terms of kinetics and efficiency in the Jhongsing sludge. Through the pattern of amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments in denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), the composition of the microbial community was analyzed. Most of the predominant microbes were novel species. The fragments enriched in BDE-3-degrading anaerobic sludge samples are presumably Clostridium sp. This enrichment coincides with the H 2 gas generation and the facilitation of debromination during the degradation process. Findings of this study provide better understanding of the biodegradation of brominated DEs and can facilitate the prediction of the fate of PBDEs in the environment.

Associations between serum levels of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants and environmental and behavioral factors in pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttke, Danielle E; Wolkin, Amy; Stapleton, Heather M; Miranda, Marie Lynn

2013-03-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are flame retardants that were previously used in upholstery, fabrics, and household appliances. PBDEs have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including neurotoxicity, thyroid hormone dysregulation, endocrine disruption, and poor semen quality. Because PBDEs pass into placental circulation, maternal exposures can approximate fetal exposures. Our objectives were to determine whether diet and specific human behaviors were significantly associated with PBDE exposures in a cohort of pregnant women. Women between the 34th and 38th week of pregnancy were given a questionnaire about behavioral, environmental, and dietary factors and asked to provide blood samples. Serum PBDE levels were measured using GS-MS and lipid adjusted. An adjusted ordinary least squares regression model was run to identify potential associations between behaviors and serum PBDE levels. Serum concentrations of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153 were found above the limit of detection in at least 50% of study participants and used in our models. Associations with serum PBDEs were observed with self-reported hand-to-mouth behaviors, including biting nails and licking fingers. Serum BDE levels of 47, 99, 153, and total PBDEs were also significantly higher in those individuals owning a large-screen TV compared with those who did not. Serum PBDE levels were comparable to levels reported in the general population. Hand-to-mouth behaviors may influence serum PBDE concentrations in adults. Household electronics such as large-screen TVs appear to serve as a significant source of PBDEs in pregnant women. Together, hand-to-mouth behaviors and TV ownership may serve as a route of exposure to PBDEs in adults.

Chlorinated organophosphate and “legacy” brominated flame retardants in UK waste soft furnishings: A preliminary study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William A. Stubbings

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety Regulations 1988 is the major driver for the use of chemical flame retardants (FRs in soft furnishings marketed in the UK. While these regulations specify the level of flame retardancy required, they do not specify how such levels should be achieved. Consequently, it remains unclear which FRs are present in UK soft furnishings. This is important not only to help assess what FRs we may be exposed to currently, but which FRs are currently entering the waste stream with concomitant potential for release into the environment. To address this data gap, concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD and a range of chlorinated organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs were measured in samples of domestic and office waste soft furnishings products entering the UK waste stream in 2011 and 2012. This preliminary study measured the FR content of: carpets (n = 4, curtains (n = 7, mattress fabrics (n = 2, furniture foam (n = 9, and furniture upholstery textiles (n = 10. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD were not found at significant concentrations (below detection limits in most samples in any of the twenty two analysed products. In contrast, 7 of the 9 furniture foam samples were treated with tris(2-chloroisopropylphosphate (TCIPP at a mean concentration of 1.9% w/w, with another single foam sample containing tris(1,3-dichloroisopropylphosphate (TDCIPP and tris(2-chloroethylphosphate (TCEP at 1.1 and 0.5% respectively. By comparison, PBDE concentrations are within the range reported previously for UK indoor dust [18], rather than the percent by weight levels required to impart flame retardancy.

Pollution of Lake Mjoesa by brominated flame retardants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlabach, M.; Gundersen, H.; Mariussen, E. [NILU, Kjeller (Norway); Fjeld, E.; Breivik, E. [NIVA, Oslo (Norway); Kjellberg, G. [NIVA, Hamar (Norway)

2004-09-15

The worldwide use of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) is extensive and there are significant release of these components to the environment. The last twenty years the levels of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in biota have increased, and in some areas the levels are comparable or even higher to what is reported for the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). This study was focused on the pollution of PBDEs in Lake Mjoesa, where unusually high concentrations have been found in fish. The objective of this part of the survey was to make a broader documentation of the PBDE levels in sediments and fish, and to localize areas with point sources of PBDEs.

Use of Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Biomarkers of Exposure to the Flame Retardant DI(2-Ethylhexyl)-2,3,4,5-Tetrabromophthlate

Science.gov (United States)

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) is one component in the technical formulation of Firemaster 550, a fire retardant used after phasing out certain polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Firemaster 550 is used widely and its use may result in human exposure to TBPH. To...

Multi-class, multi-residue analysis of pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and novel flame retardants in fish using fast, low-pressure gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sapozhnikova, Yelena; Lehotay, Steven J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A method for analysis of POPs and novel flame retardants in catfish was developed. ► The method is based on a QuEChERS extraction, d-SPE clean-up and low pressure GC/MS–MS. ► The method validation demonstrated good recoveries and low detection limits. ► The method was successfully applied for analysis of catfish samples from the market. - Abstract: A multi-class, multi-residue method for the analysis of 13 novel flame retardants, 18 representative pesticides, 14 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 7 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in catfish muscle was developed and evaluated using fast low pressure gas chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LP-GC/MS–MS). The method was based on a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) extraction with acetonitrile and dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) clean-up with zirconium-based sorbent prior to LP-GC/MS–MS analysis. The developed method was evaluated at 4 spiking levels and further validated by analysis of NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) 1974B and 1947. Sample preparation for a batch of 10 homogenized samples took about 1 h/analyst, and LP-GC/MS–MS analysis provided fast separation of multiple analytes within 9 min achieving high throughput. With the use of isotopically labeled internal standards, recoveries of all but one analyte were between 70 and 120% with relative standard deviations less than 20% (n = 5). The measured values for both SRMs agreed with certified/reference values (72–119% accuracy) for the majority of analytes. The detection limits were 0.1–0.5 ng g −1 for PCBs, 0.5–10 ng g −1 for PBDEs, 0.5–5 ng g −1 for select pesticides and PAHs and 1–10 ng g −1 for flame retardants. The developed method was successfully applied for analysis of catfish samples from the market.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and “novel” brominated flame retardants in floor and elevated surface house dust from Iraq: Implications for human exposure assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Layla Salih Al-Omran

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs and selected novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs were measured in indoor dust from the living areas of 18 homes in Basrah, Iraq. This is the first report of contamination of the Iraqi environment with these chemicals. To evaluate the implications for human exposure, samples were collected from both the floor and from elevated surfaces like tables, shelves and chairs. When normalised for the organic carbon content of the dust sample, concentrations in elevated surface dust of BDE-99, BDE-209, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB, bis (2-ethylhexyl 3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP, and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE exceeded significantly (p < 0.05 those in floor dust from the same rooms. This suggests that previous studies that base estimates of adult exposure via dust ingestion on floor dust, may underestimate exposure. Such underestimation is less likely for toddlers who are far more likely to ingest floor dust. Concentrations of PBDEs and NBFRs in indoor dust from Basrah, Iraq are at the lower end of levels reported elsewhere. The PBDE contamination pattern in our samples suggests that use in Iraq of the Deca-BDE formulation, exceeds substantially that of Penta-BDE, but that use of the Octa-BDE formulation has been higher in Iraq than in some other regions. Reassuringly, our estimates of exposure to our target BFRs via dust ingestion for the Iraqi population fall well below the relevant health-based limit values.

Halogenated flame retardants in the Great Lakes environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Venier, Marta; Salamova, Amina; Hites, Ronald A

2015-07-21

Flame retardants are widely used industrial chemicals that are added to polymers, such as polyurethane foam, to prevent them from rapidly burning if exposed to a small flame or a smoldering cigarette. Flame retardants, especially brominated flame retardants, are added to many polymeric products at percent levels and are present in most upholstered furniture and mattresses. Most of these chemicals are so-called "additive" flame retardants and are not chemically bound to the polymer; thus, they migrate from the polymeric materials into the environment and into people. As a result, some of these chemicals have become widespread pollutants, which is a concern given their possible adverse health effects. Perhaps because of their environmental ubiquity, the most heavily used group of brominated flame retardants, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), was withdrawn from production and use during the 2004-2013 period. This led to an increasing demand for other flame retardants, including other brominated aromatics and organophosphate esters. Although little is known about the use or production volumes of these newer flame retardants, it is evident that some of these chemicals are also becoming pervasive in the environment and in humans. In this Account, we describe our research on the occurrence of halogenated and organophosphate flame retardants in the environment, with a specific focus on the Great Lakes region. This Account starts with a short introduction to the first generation of brominated flame retardants, the polybrominated biphenyls, and then presents our measurements of their replacement, the PBDEs. We summarize our data on PBDE levels in babies, bald eagles, and in air. Once these compounds came off the market, we began to measure several of the newer flame retardants in air collected on the shores of the Great Lakes once every 12 days. These new measurements focus on a tetrabrominated benzoate, a tetrabrominated phthalate, a hexabrominated diphenoxyethane

Evaluation of hepatic biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

Science.gov (United States)

Krieger, Lisa K; Szeitz, András; Bandiera, Stelvio M

2016-03-01

Polar bears are at the top of the Arctic marine food chain and are subject to exposure and bioaccumulation of environmental chemicals of concern such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were widely used as flame retardants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro oxidative metabolism of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47) and 2,2',4,4',5-pentabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-99) by polar bear liver microsomes. The identification and quantification of the hydroxy-brominated diphenyl ethers formed were assessed using an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based method. Incubation of BDE-47 with archived individual liver microsomes, prepared from fifteen polar bears from northern Canada, produced a total of eleven hydroxylated metabolites, eight of which were identified using authentic standards. The major metabolites were 4'-hydroxy-2,2',4,5'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether and 5'-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether. Incubation of BDE-99 with polar bear liver microsomes produced a total of eleven hydroxylated metabolites, seven of which were identified using authentic standards. The major metabolites were 2,4,5-tribromophenol and 4-hydroxy-2,2',3,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether. Among the CYP specific antibodies tested, anti-rat CYP2B was found to be the most active in inhibiting the formation of hydroxylated metabolites of both BDE-47 and BDE-99, indicating that CYP2B was the major CYP enzyme involved in the oxidative biotransformation of these two congeners. Our study shows that polar bears are capable of forming multiple hydroxylated metabolites of BDE-47 and BDE-99 in vitro and demonstrates the role of CYP2B in the biotransformation and possibly in the toxicity of BDE-47 and BDE-99 in polar bears. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental and theoretical method for determination of standard electrode potential for the redox couple diphenyl sulfone/diphenyl sulfide

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Y. Z.; Wei, K. X.; Lv, J. S.

2013-12-01

DFT calculations were performed for diphenyl sulfide and diphenyl sulfone. The electrochemistry of diphenyl sulfide on the gold electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammety and the results show that standard electrode potential for redox couple diphenyl sulfone/diphenyl sulfide is 1.058 V, which is consistent with that of 1.057 calculated at B3LYP/6-31++G( d, p)-IEFPCM level. The front orbit theory and Mulliken charges of molecular explain well on the oxidation of diphenyl sulfide in oxidative desulfurization. According to equilibrium theory the experimental equilibrium constant in the oxidative desulfurization of H2O2, is 1.17 × 1048, which is consistent with the theoretical equilibrium constant is 2.18 × 1048 at B3LYP/6-31++G( d, p)-IEFPCM level.

Polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure and reproductive hormones in North American men.

Science.gov (United States)

Makey, Colleen M; McClean, Michael D; Braverman, Lewis E; Pearce, Elizabeth N; Sjödin, Andreas; Weinberg, Janice; Webster, Thomas F

2016-07-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant chemicals that are persistent organic pollutants. Animal experiments and some human studies indicate that PBDEs may adversely affect male reproductive function. To assess the association between PBDE exposure and reproductive hormones (RHs) in a North American male adult cohort. From 2010-11, we collected three serum samples from 27 healthy adult men. We assessed associations between PBDEs and RHs using mixed effect regression models. PBDEs were inversely associated with inhibin-B. In older men, increased concentrations of BDE-47 and BDE-100 were significantly associated with a decrease in inhibin-B, and an increase in follicular stimulating hormone (FSH). These findings suggest PBDE exposure may affect RHs in older men. We did not measure other parameters of male reproductive function and therefore these results are preliminary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive biomonitoring for PFRs and PSDEs: New insights in analysis of human hair externally exposed to selected flame retardants

OpenAIRE

Kucharska, Agnieszka; Covaci, Adrian; Vanermen, Guido; Voorspoels, Stefan

2015-01-01

Abstract: In this study, we investigated the hypothesis whether externally adsorbed and internally deposited flame retardants (FRs) in hair could be distinguished. To this extent, hair samples collected from one volunteer were exposed under controlled conditions to phosphate FR (PFR) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) standards to mimic external contamination. Afterwards, suitable washing procedures to selectively remove contaminants from the hair surface were investigated. The samples ...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sewage sludge and effluents of sewage plants from a central region of Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamm, S. [eurofins/GfA, Muenster (Germany)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) belong to the group of bromine-containing flame retardants. They are added to materials such as plastics, resins and textiles in percent concentrations to make them flameproof. While in former times also Penta and OctaBDE formulations were used, today mainly the technical DecaBDE is applied throughout Europe. Meanwhile PBDEs have been found in partly increasing concentrations in a number of aquatic environmental compartments such as river and marine sediments, river water, fishes and mussels. Here, mostly the same PBDE components which are present in the technical mixtures are found in the environment. PBDE emissions can punctually take place during the manufacture or processing of the flame retardants and during the disposal and recycling of flame-retarded materials. This, as a rule, should lead to local contamination but cannot explain the meanwhile wide spread of these flame retardants in the aquatic environment. Therefore, we have to have a closer look at possible further sources. Thus, the sewage sludges and suspended matter from the effluents of 8 municipal sewage treatment plants from a central region of Germany were examined for their PBDE content. The analyses included the quantitation of Tri to DecaBDE under congener-specific determination of components which are typically present in technical PBDE products. This paper reports on the applied method of analysis and presents the PBDE data for the sewage sludges and the respective sewage plant effluents.

Riverine inputs of polybrominated diphenyl ethers from the Pearl River Delta (China) to the coastal ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yu-Feng; Wang, Ji-Zhong; Ni, Hong-Gang; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Mai, Bi-Xian; Zeng, Eddy Y

2007-09-01

Riverine runoff is an important mode to transport anthropogenic pollutants from terrestrial sources to oceans. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in riverine runoff samples from the eight major outlets within the Pearl River Delta (PRD), China, an economically fast developing region housing a vast number of electronics manufacturing and assembling plants. The sigma 17PBDEs (sum of 17 BDE congeners, i.e., BDE-28, -47, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, -183, -196, -197, -203, -206, -207, -208, and -209) concentrations varied from 344 to 68,000 pg/L, with those of BDE-209, BDE-47, and BDE-99 being 335-65200, 3-143, and production of brominated fire retardants (approximately 10000 metric tons/year) and the annual riverine input of total PBDEs from the PRD, suggesting that the majority of PBDEs inventory has been accumulated from importation of e-wastes. Because of the continuous importation of e-wastes and strong demand for brominated fire retardants, the impact of PBDEs on China's and the world's environments is expected to persist for many years to come.

Flame retardant exposure: polybrominated diphenyl ethers in blood from Swedish workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjödin, A; Hagmar, L; Klasson-Wehler, E; Kronholm-Diab, K; Jakobsson, E; Bergman, A

1999-08-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as additives in polymers and textiles to prohibit the development of fires. Because of the production and use of PBDEs, their lipophilic characteristics, and persistence, these compounds have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants. The aim of the present study was to determine potential exposures of PBDEs to clerks working full-time at computer screens and personnel at an electronics-dismantling plant, with hospital cleaners as a control group. Five PBDE congeners--2,2',4,4'-tetraBDE; 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaBDE; 2,2',4,4',5, 6'-hexaBDE; 2,2',3,4,4',5',6-heptaBDE; and decaBDE--were quantified in blood serum from all three categories of workers. Subjects working at the dismantling plant showed significantly higher levels of all PBDE congeners in their serum as compared to the control group. Decabromodiphenyl ether is present in concentrations of 5 pmol/g lipid weight (lw) in the personnel dismantling electronics; these concentrations are comparable to the concentrations of 2,2',4, 4'-tetraBDE. The latter compound was the dominating PBDE congener in the clerks and cleaners. The major compound in personnel at the dismantling plant was 2,2',3,4,4',5',6-heptaBDE. Concentrations of this PBDE congener are almost twice as high as for 2,2',4, 4'-tetraBDE in these workers and seventy times the level of this heptaBDE in cleaners. The total median PBDE concentrations in the serum from workers at the electronics-dismantling plant, clerks, and cleaners were 37, 7.3, and 5.4 pmol/g lw, respectively. The results show that decabromodiphenyl ether is bioavailable and that occupational exposure to PBDEs occurs at the electronics-dismantling plant.

Promoting environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinhui; Zhao, Nana; Liu, Xue; Wu, Xiaoyang

2014-06-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers with persistent organic pollutant properties are required to be controlled by the Stockholm Convention. Recently, polybrominated diphenyl ether contamination has become widespread in Asia, mainly because of the disposal and recycling processes of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing wastes. The management status, production, usage, import/export, treatment, and disposal, as well as implementation deficiencies for the environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials in ten Asian countries were investigated and assessed in this study. This information could help the participating countries implement the Stockholm Convention and could promote the regional environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing articles and products. The results obtained were as follows. (1) Most of the countries studied lacked environmental policies and regulations, or even standards of polybrominated diphenyl ether pollution management and emission control actions. Accurate data on the consumption and importation of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, however, were not available for all the participating countries. In addition, there were no special treatment or disposal systems for polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, or emission-cutting measures for the treatment of waste in these countries, owing to the lack of sufficient funding or technologies. (2) The improper dismantling of e-waste is a major source of polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions in these countries. (3) Proper e-waste management could result in a breakthrough in the environmentally sound management of this major polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing material flow, and could significantly reduce polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions. Finally, based on the study results, this article puts forward some recommendations for improving the environmentally

Current levels of primary polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Norwegian seafood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bethune, C.; Nielsen, J.; Julshamn, K. [National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Bergen (Norway)

2004-09-15

The brominated flame retardants (BFRs) represent major industrial chemicals whose use has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are BFRs that are used in many types of consumer products. PBDEs have come to the attention of regulators and scientists due to their bioaccumulation, increasing exposure and persistence in the environment, and adverse health effects in animals and humans. Although PBDE contamination in marine fish was first detected in Sweden in 1979, and certain PBDEs are now banned as of this year, the European Union has yet to establish regulations on PBDE levels in either feed or seafood. The determination of these contaminants in consumer seafood is important for dietary exposure assessment and protection of human health. This study reports on the levels of 6 prominent PBDE congeners (28, 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) in a selection of common Norwegian seafood.

Interaction of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) with anaerobic mixed bacterial cultures isolated from river sediment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yen, J H; Liao, W C; Chen, W C [Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Wang, Y.S., E-mail: yswang@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

2009-06-15

The degradation of flame retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), including tetra-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47), penta-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-99 and -100), and hexa-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-153 and -154), by anaerobic bacterial mixed cultures isolated from river sediment was investigated. The effects of PBDEs on changes of anaerobic bacterial community in sediment culture were also studied. Sediments were collected from Er-Jen River and Nan-Kan River basins, which were both heavily polluted rivers in Taiwan, and bacteria from the sediment samples were enriched before the experiment was conducted. Into the anaerobic bacterial mixed cultures, 0.1 {mu}g/mL of PBDEs was added followed by incubation under 30 deg. C for 70 days. Residues of PBDE were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and the changes of bacterial community were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Less than 20% of PBDEs were degraded after 70 days of incubation in all samples except for BDE-47 from the Nan-Kan River sediment. In that culture, BDE-47 was found to have notably degraded. In particular, after 42 days of incubation; BDE-47 was degraded, suddenly and sharply, to a negligible level on Day 70, and the result was confirmed by a repeated experiment. An interesting result was that although BDE-47 was degraded fast in the Nan-Kan River sediment, the bacterial communities did not shift significantly as we had speculated at Day 70. From UPGMA dendrograms, PBDEs changed the composition of bacterial communities, and the extents varied with the variety of PBDE congeners. By the amendment with BDE-153 or -154, bacterial communities would be changed immediately and irreversibly throughout the rest of the incubation period. No significant difference in degradation of PBDEs was observed between sediment bacteria from Er-Jen River and Nan-Kan River. However, the results verified the persistence of PBDEs in the environment.

Interaction of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) with anaerobic mixed bacterial cultures isolated from river sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yen, J.H.; Liao, W.C.; Chen, W.C.; Wang, Y.S.

2009-01-01

The degradation of flame retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), including tetra-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47), penta-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-99 and -100), and hexa-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-153 and -154), by anaerobic bacterial mixed cultures isolated from river sediment was investigated. The effects of PBDEs on changes of anaerobic bacterial community in sediment culture were also studied. Sediments were collected from Er-Jen River and Nan-Kan River basins, which were both heavily polluted rivers in Taiwan, and bacteria from the sediment samples were enriched before the experiment was conducted. Into the anaerobic bacterial mixed cultures, 0.1 μg/mL of PBDEs was added followed by incubation under 30 deg. C for 70 days. Residues of PBDE were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and the changes of bacterial community were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Less than 20% of PBDEs were degraded after 70 days of incubation in all samples except for BDE-47 from the Nan-Kan River sediment. In that culture, BDE-47 was found to have notably degraded. In particular, after 42 days of incubation; BDE-47 was degraded, suddenly and sharply, to a negligible level on Day 70, and the result was confirmed by a repeated experiment. An interesting result was that although BDE-47 was degraded fast in the Nan-Kan River sediment, the bacterial communities did not shift significantly as we had speculated at Day 70. From UPGMA dendrograms, PBDEs changed the composition of bacterial communities, and the extents varied with the variety of PBDE congeners. By the amendment with BDE-153 or -154, bacterial communities would be changed immediately and irreversibly throughout the rest of the incubation period. No significant difference in degradation of PBDEs was observed between sediment bacteria from Er-Jen River and Nan-Kan River. However, the results verified the persistence of PBDEs in the environment.

Neonatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE 153) disrupts spontaneous behaviour, impairs learning and memory, and decreases hippocampal cholinergic receptors in adult mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viberg, Henrik; Fredriksson, Anders; Eriksson, Per

2003-01-01

Neonatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE 153) disrupts spontaneous behaviour, impairs learning and memory, and decreases hippocampal cholinergic receptors in adult mice. Flame retardants are used to suppress or inhibit combustion processes in an effort to reduce the risk of fire. One class of flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are present and increasing in the environment and in human milk. The present study shows that neonatal exposure to 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaBDE (PBDE 153), a PBDE persistent both in environment and in human milk, can induce developmental neurotoxic effects, such as changes in spontaneous behaviour (hyperactivity), impairments in learning and memory, and reduced amounts of nicotinic receptors, effects that get worse with age. Neonatal NMRI male mice were orally exposed on day 10 to 0.45, 0.9, or 9.0 mg of PBDE 153/kg of body weight. Spontaneous behaviour (locomotion, rearing, and total activity) was observed in 2-, 4-, and 6-month-old mice, Morris water maze at an age of 6 months. The behaviour tests showed that the effects were dose-response and time-response related. Animals showing defects in learning and memory also showed significantly reduced amounts of nicotinic receptors in hippocampus, using α-bungarotoxin binding assay. The observed developmental neurotoxic effects seen for PBDE 153 are similar to those seen for PBDE 99 and for certain PCBs. Furthermore, PBDEs appear to as potent as the PCBs

Flame retardants in eggs of four gull species (Laridae) from breeding sites spanning Atlantic to Pacific Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Da; Letcher, Robert J.; Burgess, Neil M.; Champoux, Louise; Elliott, John E.; Hebert, Craig E.; Martin, Pamela; Wayland, Mark; Chip Weseloh, D.V.; Wilson, Laurie

2012-01-01

To compare legacy and emerging flame retardant (FR) contamination in Canadian marine and freshwater ecosystems, eggs of four gull species (Laridae) were collected from 26 colonies spanning Pacific to Atlantic Canada, including in the Great Lakes basin. Fourteen polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and 20 non-PBDE FRs were analyzed, but BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154 and -209, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and Dechlorane Plus (DP) syn- and anti-isomers were common, and where concentrations of ∑PBDEs (37–610 ng/g wet weight, ww) ≫ HBCD (0.5–12 ng/g ww) > ∑DP (not quantifiable-5.5 ng/g ww). All other FRs were generally not detectable. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes used as dietary tracers provided insights into the diet choice influences on the exposure sources and contamination patterns (e.g., PBDE congener compositions) for individual gulls from the same colony. Eggs from gulls breeding near metropolitan regions of higher human densities showed greater PBDE burdens than from other ecosystems. - Highlights: ► We investigated flame retardants in eggs of four gull species spanning Canada. ► Concentrations of ∑PBDE ≫ hexabromocyclododecane > ∑Dechlorane Plus in eggs. ► Stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes revealed diet sources of flame retardants. ► Human density near breeding sites influenced flame retardant burdens in eggs. - Various flame retardants were found in eggs of four gull species from sites across Canada, and levels were influenced by location, ecosystem, diet and proximity to human populations.

Simultaneous Determination of Methoxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Water, Soil and Sediment from China by GC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiaozhong; Hu, Decong; Chen, Wei; Wu, Bin; Lin, Changjun

2015-09-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used brominated flame retardants, which are increasingly reported in the environment. Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) are structural analogs to PBDEs and reported as natural products and novel pollutants present in the environment. First, a new isotopic dilution GC-MS method was developed in this study to simultaneously determine 13 PBDEs and 8 MeO-PBDEs in water, soil and sediment. Liquid/liquid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction and multi-layer silica gel column chromatography cleanup were used, and some important steps and crucial parameters were modified and intensified compared with the other literatures. Besides, the conditions of GC and MS were also optimized. The limits of quantitation values of 0.005-0.1 and 0.02-0.1 µg L(-1) in water were calculated for PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs, respectively; so did 0.25-5 and 1-5 µg kg(-1) dry weight in soil and sediment. In addition, good repeatability and accuracy of the whole method were achieved. Moreover, 60 water and 30 sediment samples for aquaculture crayfish and freshwater fish collected from aquatic products production base, 40 soil samples collected from agricultural products production base and also 20 Yangtze River water samples and 20 Hanjiang River water samples collected from different sampling situations near Wuhan, Hubei province along the Yangtze River and the Hanjiang River were analyzed to determine whether they are contaminated by PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs. Using the established methods, it was found that PBDEs or MeO-PBDEs emerged in 4 of 60 water samples for aquatic products, 3 of 40 soils, and 2 of 30 sediments and in low µg kg(-1) dry weight for soil and sediments and low µg L(-1) for water. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Global Gridded Emission Inventories of Pentabrominated Diphenyl Ether (PeBDE)

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi-Fan; Tian, Chongguo; Yang, Meng; Jia, Hongliang; Ma, Jianmin; Li, Dacheng

2010-05-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants widely used in many everyday products such as cars, furniture, textiles, and other electronic equipment. The commercial PBDEs have three major technical mixtures: penta-(PeBDE), octa-(OBDE) and decabromodiphenyl ethers (DeBDE). PeBDE is a mixture of several BDE congeners, such as BDE-47, -99, and -100, and has been included as a new member of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the 2009 Stockholm Convention. In order to produce gridded emission inventories of PeBDE on a global scale, information of production, consumption, emission, and physiochemical properties of PeBDE have been searched for published papers, government reports, and internet publications. A methodology to estimate the emissions of PeBDE has been developed and global gridded emission inventories of 2 major congener in PeBDE mixture, BDE-47 and -99, on a 1 degree by 1degree latitude/longitude resolution for 2005 have been compiled. Using these emission inventories as input data, the Canadian Model for Environmental Transport of Organochlorine Pesticides (CanMETOP) model was used to simulate the transport of these chemicals and their concentrations in air were calculated for the year of 2005. The modeled air concentration of BDE-47 and -99 were compared with the monitoring air concentrations of these two congeners in the same year obtained from renowned international/national monitoring programs, such as Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS), the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN), and the Chinese POPs Soil and Air Monitoring Program (SAMP), and significant correlations between the modeled results and the monitoring data were found, indicating the high quality of the produced emission inventories of BDE-47 and -99. Keywords: Pentabrominated Diphenyl Ether (PeBDE), Emission Inventories, Global, Model

Sorption-desorption behavior of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olshansky, Yaniv; Polubesova, Tamara; Vetter, Walter; Chefetz, Benny

2011-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants that are commonly found in commercial and household products. These compounds are considered persistent organic pollutants. In this study, we used 4,4'-dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE-15) as a model compound to elucidate the sorption and desorption behavior of PBDEs in soils. The organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficient (K OC ) of BDE-15 was more than three times higher for humin than for bulk soils. However, pronounced desorption hysteresis was obtained mainly for bulk soils. For humin, increasing concentration of sorbed BDE-15 resulted in decreased desorption. Our data illustrate that BDE-15 and probably other PBDEs exhibit high sorption affinity to soils. Moreover, sorption is irreversible and thus PBDEs can potentially accumulate in the topsoil layer. We also suggest that although humin is probably a major sorbent for PBDEs in soils, other humic materials are also responsible for their sequestration. - Highlights: → BDE-15 exhibited pronounced desorption hysteresis. → BDE-15 sowed higher sorption affinity to humin as compared to the bulk soils. → Sequestration of PBDEs depends on soil organic matter constitutes other than humin. - Pronounced desorption hysteresis was observed for BDE-15 in natural soils.

The presence and partitioning behavior of flame retardants in waste, leachate, and air particles from Norwegian waste-handling facilities

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Nicolas A.O.Morin; Patrik L.Andersson; Sarah E.Hale; Hans Peter H.Arp

2017-01-01

Flame retardants in commercial products eventually make their way into the waste stream.Herein the presence of flame retardants in Norwegian landfills,incineration facilities and recycling sorting/defragmenting facilities is investigated.These facilities handled waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE),vehicles,digestate,glass,combustibles,bottom ash and fly ash.The flame retardants considered included polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑BDE-10) as well as dechlorane plus,polybrominated biphenyls,hexabromobenzene,pentabromotoluene and pentabromoethylbenzene (collectively referred to as ∑FR-7).Plastic,WEEE and vehicles contained the largest amount of flame retardants (∑BDE-10:45,000-210,000 μg/kg;∑FR-7:300-13,000 μg/kg).It was hypothesized leachate and air concentrations from facilities that sort/defragment WEEE and vehicles would be the highest.This was supported for total air phase concenttations (∑BDE-10:9000-195,000 pg/m3 WEEE/vehicle facilities,80-900 pg/m3 in incineration/sorting and landfill sites),but not for water leachate concentrations (e.g.,ΣBDE-10:15-3500 ng/L in WEEE/Vehicle facilities and 1-250 ng/L in landfill sites).Landfill leachate exhibited similar concentrations as WEEE/vehicle sorting and defragmenting facility leachate.To better account for concentrations in leachates at the different facilities,waste-water partitioning coefficients,Kwaste were measured (for the first time to our knowledge for flame retardants).WEEE and plastic waste had elevated Kwaste compared to other wastes,likely because flame retardants are directly added to these materials.The results of this study have implications for the development of strategies to reduce exposure and environmental emissions of flame retardants in waste and recycled products through improved waste management practices.

Maternal-infant transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirai, T.; Fujimine, Y.; Watanabe, S. [Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima (Japan); Nakamura, Y. [SRL Nishinihon, Fukuoka (Japan); Shimomura, H. [Shimomura OBGY Clinic, Fukuoka (Japan); Nagayama, J. [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in plastics of automobiles, textile industry, television, personal computer, electronic appliances etc. The amount of production world-wide has reached 40,000 tons in 1992. In 1992 world-wide production of PBDEs reached 40,000 tons raising serious concern over the dangers of environmental pollution by BFRs. The toxicity of PBDEs was reported to be an antagonist of thyroid-hormone (T4) and inhibition to aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor. Since PBDEs are structurally similar to PCBs and therefore they work as an antagonist. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) demonstrate biological stability and high lipophilicity. As a result, PCBs used in the past and released into the environment, have been transmitted through the food chain and accumlated in the human body over time. In Japan, approximately 58,000 tons of PCBs were produced with the grade name of Kanechlor in between 1954 and 1971. In this study, all PCB congeners and 25 PBDE congeners (17, 25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 37, 47, 49, 66, 71, 75, 77, 85, 99, 100, 116, 119, 126, 138, 153, 154, 155, 166) were analyzed by the method that combines high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether congener-specific PCBs and PBDEs were transferred from pregnant women to their infants.

Novel routes in flame retardancy of bisphenol A polycarbonate/impact modifier/aryl phosphate blends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wawrzyn, Eliza

2013-07-01

The massive use of electronic engineering products accompanied by high demands on fire safety has led to increasing interest in environmentally friendly flame retardancy of bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) based materials. In this work, novel routes for enhancing the flame retardancy of PC/Impact Modifier/Aryl phosphate were studied with respect to pyrolysis (TG, TG-FTIR, ATR-FTIR, NMR), flammability (LOI and UL 94) and fire behavior (cone calorimeter at different irradiations). To improve charring of PC/ABS{sub PTFE}+Aryl phosphate, the exchange of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BDP) with novel aryl phosphates was proposed. Two novel flame retardants were synthesized: 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexylbisphenol-bis(diphenyl phosphate) (TMC-BDP) and bisphenol A-bis(diethylphosphate) (BEP). TMC-BDP was more stable than BDP, thus gave a potential to increase the chemical reactions between the components of the PC/ABS{sub PTFE}+Aryl phosphate, whereas more reactive BEP was expected to increase the cross linking activity with the polymer matrix. Nevertheless, the corresponding blends did not enhance the flame retardancy compared to PC/ABS{sub PTFE}+BDP. BEP in PC/ABS{sub PTFE} preferred to cross-link with itself instead of with PC, thus it showed poor fire protection performance. TMC-BDP gave as good results as BDP in PC/ABS PTFE material. The results delivered evidence that BDP possesses a high degree of optimization in PC/ABS{sub PTFE} system. To provide a novel impact modifier improving not only mechanical properties but also the fire retardancy of PC/BDP material, the replacement of highly flammable acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) with silicon acrylate rubber (SiR) with high content of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was studied. In PC/SiR{sub PTFE}/BDP the replacement of ABS is beneficial, but PDMS worsened the BDP gas phase and condensed phase action. PDMS reacted also with PC during combustion. PDMS-PC and PDMS-BDP interactions led to silicon dioxide. In fact, the

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl-ethers and polybrominated dioxins in fish, total diet study food groups, and Japanese meals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ashizuka, Y.; Nakagawa, R.; Hori, T.; Tobiishi, K.; Iida, T. [Fukuoka Inst. of Health and Environmental Sciences, Dazaifu (Japan)

2004-09-15

Since they were found in mother's milk and blood in several studies, the polybrominated diphenyl-ethers (PBDEs) and other polybrominated flame-retardants (BFRs) that are used in plastics, electrical appliances, and textiles have been recognized as ubiquitous pollutants. BFRs are precursors of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs). Recently, 2,3,7,8-TBDD/Fs and PBDEs have been detected in adipose tissue and blood in Japanese people. Food is naturally suspected. However, there is very few information on food contamination with those brominated compounds in Japan. Therefore, we measured the levels of PBDEs and PBDD/Fs in various fish samples, meal samples, and total diet study (TDS) food groups and estimated Japanese people's dietary intake of PBDD/Fs and PBDEs.

Flame retardant emission from e-waste recycling operation in northern Vietnam: Environmental occurrence of emerging organophosphorus esters used as alternatives for PBDEs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsukami, Hidenori; Tue, Nguyen Minh; Suzuki, Go; Someya, Masayuki; Tuyen, Le Huu; Viet, Pham Hung; Takahashi, Shin; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Takigami, Hidetaka

2015-01-01

Three oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants (o-PFRs), eight monomeric PFRs (m-PFRs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were identified and quantified in surface soils and river sediments around the e-waste recycling area in Bui Dau, northern Vietnam. Around the e-waste recycling workshops, 1,3-phenylene bis(diphenyl phosphate) (PBDPP), bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), TBBPA, and PBDEs were dominant among the investigated flame retardants (FRs). The respective concentrations of PBDPP, BPA-BDPP, TPHP, TBBPA and the total PBDEs were 6.6–14000 ng/g-dry, < 2–1500 ng/g-dry, 11–3300 ng/g-dry, < 5–2900 ng/g-dry, and 67–9200 ng/g-dry in surface soils, and 4.4–78 ng/g-dry, < 2–20 ng/g-dry, 7.3–38 ng/g-dry, 6.0–44 ng/g-dry and 100–350 ng/g-dry in river sediments. Near the open burning site of e-waste, tris(methylphenyl) phosphate (TMPP), (2-ethylhexyl)diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), TPHP, and the total PBDEs were abundantly with respective concentrations of < 2–190 ng/g-dry, < 2–69 ng/g-dry, < 3–51 ng/g-dry and 1.7–67 ng/g-dry in surface soils. Open storage and burning of e-waste have been determined to be important factors contributing to the emissions of FRs. The environmental occurrence of emerging FRs, especially o-PFRs, indicates that the alternation of FRs addition in electronic products is shifting in response to domestic and international regulations of PBDEs. The emissions of alternatives from open storage and burning of e-waste might become greater than those of PBDEs in the following years. The presence and environmental effects of alternatives should be regarded as a risk factor along with e-waste recycling. - Highlights: • Open storage and burning of e-waste contributed to emission of FRs. • Types of FRs currently in emission are shifting in response to regulations of PBDEs. • Emerging PFRs were detected in soils and sediments around e

Flame retardant emission from e-waste recycling operation in northern Vietnam: Environmental occurrence of emerging organophosphorus esters used as alternatives for PBDEs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsukami, Hidenori, E-mail: matsukami.hidenori@nies.go.jp [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8563 (Japan); Tue, Nguyen Minh [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Centre for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development (CETASD), Hanoi University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Suzuki, Go [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Someya, Masayuki [Tokyo Metropolitan Research Institute for Environmental Protection, 1-7-5 Shinsuna Koto, Tokyo 136-0075 (Japan); Tuyen, Le Huu; Viet, Pham Hung [Centre for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development (CETASD), Hanoi University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Takahashi, Shin [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama 790-8566 (Japan); Tanabe, Shinsuke [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Takigami, Hidetaka [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8563 (Japan)

2015-05-01

Three oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants (o-PFRs), eight monomeric PFRs (m-PFRs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were identified and quantified in surface soils and river sediments around the e-waste recycling area in Bui Dau, northern Vietnam. Around the e-waste recycling workshops, 1,3-phenylene bis(diphenyl phosphate) (PBDPP), bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), TBBPA, and PBDEs were dominant among the investigated flame retardants (FRs). The respective concentrations of PBDPP, BPA-BDPP, TPHP, TBBPA and the total PBDEs were 6.6–14000 ng/g-dry, < 2–1500 ng/g-dry, 11–3300 ng/g-dry, < 5–2900 ng/g-dry, and 67–9200 ng/g-dry in surface soils, and 4.4–78 ng/g-dry, < 2–20 ng/g-dry, 7.3–38 ng/g-dry, 6.0–44 ng/g-dry and 100–350 ng/g-dry in river sediments. Near the open burning site of e-waste, tris(methylphenyl) phosphate (TMPP), (2-ethylhexyl)diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), TPHP, and the total PBDEs were abundantly with respective concentrations of < 2–190 ng/g-dry, < 2–69 ng/g-dry, < 3–51 ng/g-dry and 1.7–67 ng/g-dry in surface soils. Open storage and burning of e-waste have been determined to be important factors contributing to the emissions of FRs. The environmental occurrence of emerging FRs, especially o-PFRs, indicates that the alternation of FRs addition in electronic products is shifting in response to domestic and international regulations of PBDEs. The emissions of alternatives from open storage and burning of e-waste might become greater than those of PBDEs in the following years. The presence and environmental effects of alternatives should be regarded as a risk factor along with e-waste recycling. - Highlights: • Open storage and burning of e-waste contributed to emission of FRs. • Types of FRs currently in emission are shifting in response to regulations of PBDEs. • Emerging PFRs were detected in soils and sediments around e

The presence and partitioning behavior of flame retardants in waste, leachate, and air particles from Norwegian waste-handling facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, Nicolas A O; Andersson, Patrik L; Hale, Sarah E; Arp, Hans Peter H

2017-12-01

Flame retardants in commercial products eventually make their way into the waste stream. Herein the presence of flame retardants in Norwegian landfills, incineration facilities and recycling sorting/defragmenting facilities is investigated. These facilities handled waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), vehicles, digestate, glass, combustibles, bottom ash and fly ash. The flame retardants considered included polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑BDE-10) as well as dechlorane plus, polybrominated biphenyls, hexabromobenzene, pentabromotoluene and pentabromoethylbenzene (collectively referred to as ∑FR-7). Plastic, WEEE and vehicles contained the largest amount of flame retardants (∑BDE-10: 45,000-210,000μg/kg; ∑FR-7: 300-13,000μg/kg). It was hypothesized leachate and air concentrations from facilities that sort/defragment WEEE and vehicles would be the highest. This was supported for total air phase concentrations (∑BDE-10: 9000-195,000pg/m 3 WEEE/vehicle facilities, 80-900pg/m 3 in incineration/sorting and landfill sites), but not for water leachate concentrations (e.g., ∑BDE-10: 15-3500ng/L in WEEE/Vehicle facilities and 1-250ng/L in landfill sites). Landfill leachate exhibited similar concentrations as WEEE/vehicle sorting and defragmenting facility leachate. To better account for concentrations in leachates at the different facilities, waste-water partitioning coefficients, K waste were measured (for the first time to our knowledge for flame retardants). WEEE and plastic waste had elevated K waste compared to other wastes, likely because flame retardants are directly added to these materials. The results of this study have implications for the development of strategies to reduce exposure and environmental emissions of flame retardants in waste and recycled products through improved waste management practices. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Particle size distribution of brominated flame retardants in house dust from Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natsuko Kajiwara

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The present study was conducted to examine the concentrations, profiles, and mass distributions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs, and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs based on the particle sizes of house dust samples from five homes in Japan. After removal of impurities from house dust from vacuum cleaner bags, selected indoor dust samples were size fractionated (>2 mm, 1–2 mm, 0.5–1 mm, 250–500 μm, 106–250 μm, 53–106 μm, and 250 μm in size and fluffy dust were included. The conclusion is that particulate dust <250 μm in size without fluffy dust should be used to analyze dust for brominated flame retardants.

Body burdens of polybrominated diphenyl ethers among urban anglers.

Science.gov (United States)

Morland, Kimberly B; Landrigan, Philip J; Sjödin, Andreas; Gobeille, Alayne K; Jones, Richard S; McGahee, Ernest E; Needham, Larry L; Patterson, Donald G

2005-12-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used in the United States and worldwide as flame retardants. Recent PBDE production figures show that worldwide use has increased. To determine whether fish consumption is a source of PBDE exposure for humans, a cross-sectional epidemiologic study of New York and New Jersey urban anglers was conducted during the summers of 2001-2003. Frequency of local fish consumption was assessed by questionnaire, and blood samples for PBDE analysis were collected from 94 anglers fishing from piers on the lower Hudson River and Newark Bay. We analyzed PBDEs by gas chromatography-isotope dilution-high-resolution mass spectrometry. The congeners found in anglers' serum at the highest concentrations were, by International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry numbers, BDE-47, BDE-153, and BDE-99. Anglers reporting consumption of local fish had higher, but nonstatistically significantly different, concentrations of PBDEs than did anglers who did not eat local fish. For some congeners (BDE-100 and BDE-153), we observed moderate dose-response relationships between serum PBDE levels and frequency of reported fish intake. These findings suggest that consumption of locally caught fish is not a major route of human exposure for this study population.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in indoor air in Kuwait: Implications for human exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Gevao, Bondi; Al-Bahloul, Majed; Al-Ghadban, Abdul Nabi; Ali, Lulwa; Al-Omair, Ali; Helaleh, Murad; Al-Matrouk, Khaled; Zafar, Jamal

Polyurethane foam plug passive samplers were used to concurrently measure air concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in 70 indoor environments. PBDEs were detected in all homes and offices investigated with patterns similar to the distribution in the commercial penta technical formulation (Bromkal 70-5DE). The ubiquitous distribution of these compounds in indoor environments may be due to the volatilization of these chemicals from foam (e.g. mattresses, foam padded furniture), electronic equipments (e.g. TVs, printers, computers) and other consumer products to which they are added as flame retardants. Mean ΣPBDEs concentration in air was log-normally distributed and ranged from ˜2-385 pg m -3. Using an inhalation rate of 8 and 20 m 3 day -1 for children and adults respectively, exposure via inhalation is estimated to be 173 and 399 pg day -1 for children and adults respectively. This study supports the growing body of evidence for the ubiquitous presence of these compounds in indoor air and the potential for continuous, low-level exposure both at work and home.

Associations between brominated flame retardants in house dust and hormone levels in men

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Paula I.; Stapleton, Heather M.; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Hauser, Russ; Meeker, John D.

2013-01-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used in the manufacture of a variety of materials and consumer products in order to meet fire safety standards. BFRs may persist in the environment and have been detected in wildlife, humans and indoor dust and air. Some BFRs have demonstrated endocrine and reproductive effects in animals, but human studies are limited. In this exploratory study, we measured serum hormone levels and flame retardant concentrations [31 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and 6 alternate flame retardants] in house dust from men recruited through a US infertility clinic. PBDE congeners in dust were grouped by commercial mixtures (i.e. penta-, octa- and deca-BDE). In multivariable linear regression models adjusted by age and body mass index (BMI), significant positive associations were found between house dust concentrations of pentaBDEs and serum levels of free T4, total T3, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), along with an inverse association with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). There were also positive associations of octaBDE concentrations with serum free T4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone and an inverse association of decaBDE concentrations with testosterone. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was associated with decreased SHBG and increased free androgen index. Dust concentrations of bis-tribromophenoxyethane (BTBPE) and tetrabromo-diethylhexylphthalate (TBPH) were positively associated with total T3. These findings are consistent with our previous report of associations between PBDEs (BDE 47, 99 and 100) in house dust and hormone levels in men, and further suggest that exposure to contaminants in indoor dust may be leading to endocrine disruption in men. - Highlights: ► Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) including PBDEs and alternates were measured. ► Exposure to BFRs is characterized from concentrations in participant vacuum bag dust. ► Exposure to PBDEs and

Associations between brominated flame retardants in house dust and hormone levels in men

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Paula I. [Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Stapleton, Heather M. [Nicholas School of the Environment, Box 90328, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 (United States); Mukherjee, Bhramar [Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Hauser, Russ [Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Meeker, John D., E-mail: meekerj@umich.edu [Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2013-02-15

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used in the manufacture of a variety of materials and consumer products in order to meet fire safety standards. BFRs may persist in the environment and have been detected in wildlife, humans and indoor dust and air. Some BFRs have demonstrated endocrine and reproductive effects in animals, but human studies are limited. In this exploratory study, we measured serum hormone levels and flame retardant concentrations [31 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and 6 alternate flame retardants] in house dust from men recruited through a US infertility clinic. PBDE congeners in dust were grouped by commercial mixtures (i.e. penta-, octa- and deca-BDE). In multivariable linear regression models adjusted by age and body mass index (BMI), significant positive associations were found between house dust concentrations of pentaBDEs and serum levels of free T4, total T3, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), along with an inverse association with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). There were also positive associations of octaBDE concentrations with serum free T4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone and an inverse association of decaBDE concentrations with testosterone. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was associated with decreased SHBG and increased free androgen index. Dust concentrations of bis-tribromophenoxyethane (BTBPE) and tetrabromo-diethylhexylphthalate (TBPH) were positively associated with total T3. These findings are consistent with our previous report of associations between PBDEs (BDE 47, 99 and 100) in house dust and hormone levels in men, and further suggest that exposure to contaminants in indoor dust may be leading to endocrine disruption in men. - Highlights: ► Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) including PBDEs and alternates were measured. ► Exposure to BFRs is characterized from concentrations in participant vacuum bag dust. ► Exposure to PBDEs and

Environmental pollution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers from industrial plants in China: a preliminary investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Chao; Chen, Yuan; Li, Jinhui; Li, Ying; Li, Huafen

2016-04-01

Although numerous studies have shown the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in various environmental media, attention to their distribution in the environmental media surrounding industrial facilities is limited. In this study, eight PBDEs congeners (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, -183, -209) were investigated in surface soils and water samples collected from commercial PBDE manufacturers, flame-retardant plastic modification plants and waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling facilities in China. Analysis of target compounds was performed using the model NCI GC-MS in SIM mode. The concentrations of ∑8PBDEs varied from 193.1 to 22,004.3 ng/L in water samples and from 1209.3 to 226,906 ng/g dry wt in surface soils, respectively. More severe PBDE contamination, when compared with previously reported data, was found in industrial areas in this study. This indicates that these industrial areas are highly polluted with PBDEs. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, accounting for more than 94% in this study, except for a 68.75% portion at one site. Our results show that PBDE manufacturing and flame-retardant plastic modification plants, easily overlooked by the public, are two primary PBDE pollution sources although they affect surrounding areas. Further research is needed, aimed at managing industrial PBDE emissions and eliminating environmental PBDE pollution, to investigate the material flows and environmental fates of PBDEs in all stages of the life cycle.

Recycling of plastic waste: Screening for brominated flame retardants (BFRs).

Science.gov (United States)

Pivnenko, K; Granby, K; Eriksson, E; Astrup, T F

2017-11-01

Flame retardants are chemicals vital for reducing risks of fire and preventing human casualties and property losses. Due to the abundance, low cost and high performance of bromine, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have had a significant share of the market for years. Physical stability on the other hand, has resulted in dispersion and accumulation of selected BFRs in the environment and receiving biota. A wide range of plastic products may contain BFRs. This affects the quality of waste plastics as secondary resource: material recycling may potentially reintroduce the BFRs into new plastic product cycles and lead to increased exposure levels, e.g. through use of plastic packaging materials. To provide quantitative and qualitative data on presence of BFRs in plastics, we analysed bromophenols (tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), dibromophenols (2,4- and 2,6-DBP) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP)), hexabromocyclododecane stereoisomers (α-, β-, and γ-HBCD), as well as selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in samples of household waste plastics, virgin and recycled plastics. A considerable number of samples contained BFRs, with highest concentrations associated with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS, up to 26,000,000ngTBBPA/g) and polystyrene (PS, up to 330,000ng∑HBCD/g). Abundancy in low concentrations of some BFRs in plastic samples suggested either unintended addition in plastic products or degradation of higher molecular weight BFRs. The presence of currently restricted flame retardants (PBDEs and HBCD) identified in the plastic samples illustrates that circular material flows may be contaminated for extended periods. The screening clearly showed a need for improved documentation and monitoring of the presence of BFRs in plastic waste routed to recycling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls, selected persistent organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated flame retardants in fillets of fishes from the 2007 Missouri Department of Conservation Monitoring Program

Science.gov (United States)

Gale, Robert W.; Orazio, Carl E.; McKee, Michael J.

2009-01-01

This report presents the results of a study to determine polychlorinated biphenyl, organochlorine pesticide, and polybrominated diphenylether flame retardant concentrations in selected fishes from lakes and streams across Missouri. Fillets were collected from each fish sample and after homogenization, compositing, and preparation, analyte concentrations were determined with dual column capillary gas chromatography-electron-capture detection. Total concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in samples ranged from background levels of about 50 to 300 nanograms per gram. In samples with elevated contaminant concentrations, chlordanes, DDT-related chemicals, and dieldrin constituted the primary classes of pesticides present, and ranged from 5 to 75 nanograms per gram. Total concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in samples ranged from background levels of 5 to 86 nanograms per gram. Channel catfish from the upper and lower Blue River and lake sturgeon from the Mississippi River at Saverton exhibited different polybrominated diphenyl ethers ratios. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, chlordanes, DDT-related compounds, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers all were greatest in samples of channel catfish from the upper and lower Blue River, and in samples of lake sturgeon from the Mississippi River at Saverton.

Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Japanese autopsy tissue and body fluid samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirai, Tetsuya; Fujimine, Yoshinori; Watanabe, Shaw; Nakano, Takeshi

2012-09-01

Brominated flame retardants are components of many plastics and are used in products such as cars, textiles, televisions, and personal computers. Human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants has increased exponentially during the last three decades. Our objective was to measure the body burden and distribution of PBDEs and to determine the concentrations of the predominant PBDE congeners in samples of liver, bile, adipose tissue, and blood obtained from Japanese autopsy cases. Tissues and body fluids obtained from 20 autopsy cases were analyzed. The levels of 25 PBDE congeners, ranging from tri- to hexa-BDEs, were assessed. The geometric means of the sum of the concentrations of PBDE congeners having detection frequencies >50 % (ΣPBDE) in the blood, liver, bile, and adipose tissue were 2.4, 2.6, 1.4, and 4.3 ng/g lipid, respectively. The most abundant congeners were BDE-47 and BDE-153, followed by BDE-100, BDE-99, and BDE-28+33. These concentrations of PBDE congeners were similar to other reports of human exposure in Japan but were notably lower than concentrations than those reported in the USA. Significant positive correlations were observed between the concentrations of predominant congeners and ΣPBDE among the samples analyzed. The ΣPBDE concentration was highest in the adipose tissue, but PBDEs were distributed widely among the tissues and body fluids analyzed. The PBDE levels observed in the present study are similar to those reported in previous studies in Japan and significantly lower than those reported in the USA.

Spatial distribution and implications to sources of halogenated flame retardants in riverine sediments of Taizhou, an intense e-waste recycling area in eastern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shanshan; Fu, Jie; He, Huan; Fu, Jianjie; Tang, Qiaozhi; Dong, Minfeng; Pan, Yongqiang; Li, An; Liu, Weiping; Zhang, Limin

2017-10-01

Concentrations and spatial distribution pattern of organohalogen flame retardants were investigated in the riverine surface sediments from Taizhou, an intensive e-waste recycling region in China. The analytes were syn- and anti- Dechlorane Plus (DP), Dechloranes 602, 603, and 604, a DP monoadduct, two dechlorinated DPs and 8 congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of Σ 8 PBDEs, ΣDP, ΣDec600s, and ΣDP-degradates ranged from recycling facilities. Such patterns were largely shared by Dec602 and dechlorinated DP, although their concentration levels were much lower. These major flame retardants significantly correlate with each other, and cluster together in the loading plot of principle component analysis. In contrast, most non-deca PBDE congeners do not correlate with DPs. Dec604 stood out having distinctly different spatial distribution pattern, which could be linked to historical use of mirex. Organic matter content of the sediment was not the dominant factor in determining the spatial pattern of pollution by halogenated flame retardants in the rivers of this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental matrix standard reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stapleton, H.; Schantz, M.; Wise, S. (National Institute of Standards and Technology)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of emerging contaminants of concern as many studies have now demonstrated that these compounds are bioaccumulative, persistent and increasing in concentration in the environment. PBDEs are being detected in almost every environmental sample examined, and they have even been measured in samples collected in the Arctic, further demonstrating their persistence and potential for long range transport. More and more studies are continuing to examine the fate and transport of these flame retardant compounds in environmental samples and as such, reference materials are needed to provide quality control on these measurements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports a national Standard Reference Material (SRM) program for measurement of organic contaminants such as PCBs, PAHs and chlorinated pesticides in environmental matrices. This current study was undertaken to provide reference measurements for PBDEs in selected SRMs that are currently used by various laboratories throughout the United States. These SRMs include matrices such as marine mammal blubber, lake trout tissue, mussel tissue, sediment, house dust and human serum. We report here reference values for 22 PBDE congeners that have been quantified in these seven types of SRMs.

Pilot-scale incineration of wastes with high content of chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants used as alternatives for PBDEs.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsukami, Hidenori; Kose, Tomohiro; Watanabe, Mafumi; Takigami, Hidetaka

2014-09-15

Chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) including tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), diethylene glycol bis(di(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate) (DEG-BDCIPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP) have been used increasingly as alternatives to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other brominated flame retardants. For this study, five batches of incineration experiments of wastes containing approximately 1% of TCIPP, DEG-BDCIPP, TPHP, and BPA-BDPP were conducted using a pilot-scale incinerator. Destruction and emission behaviors of OPFRs were investigated along with the effects on behaviors of unintentional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and pentachlorophenol (PCP). Incineration conditions were chosen according to current regulations for waste incinerators in Japan and UNEP. The OPFRs in the input materials were mainly destroyed in the primary combustion with destruction efficiencies greater than 99.999%. Concentrations of the OPFRs in the exhaust gases and ash were, respectively, incineration. Inputs of chlorinated OPFRs did not affect the formation markedly. Destruction and emission behaviors of unintentional POPs were investigated. Emissions of such POPs in exhaust gases and the ash were lower than the Japanese and international standards. Results show that even in wastes with high contents of chlorinated and non-halogenated OPFRs, waste incineration by the current regulations for the waste incinerators can control environmental emissions of OPFRs and unintentional POPs. Incineration is regarded as a best available technology (BAT) for waste management systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic properties of 4-tert-butyl-diphenyl oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Druzhinina, A.I.; Pimenova, S.M.; Tarazanov, S.V.; Nesterova, T.N.; Varushchenko, R.M.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The sample of the 4-tert-butyl-diphenyl oxide was synthesized and purified. • Heat capacities, energy of combustion, saturation vapor pressures were measured. • The temperature, the enthalpy and the entropy of fusion were determined. • The enthalpy of sublimation at T = 298.15 K was derived. • The main thermodynamic functions and functions of formation were computed. - Abstract: The main thermodynamic functions (changes of the entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy) and functions of formation at T = 298.15 K of 4-tert-butyl-diphenyl oxide in condensed and ideal gas states were computed on the basis of experimental results obtained. The heat capacities of 4-tert-butyl-diphenyl oxide was measured by vacuum adiabatic calorimetry over the temperature range (8 to 371) K. The temperature, the enthalpy and the entropy of fusion were determined. The energy of combustion of the sample was determined by static-bomb combustion calorimetry. The saturation vapor pressures of the substance were measured by dynamic transpiration method over the temperature and pressure intervals (298 to 325) K and (0.05 to 1.2) Pa. The enthalpy of sublimation at T = 298.15 K was derived. The contribution of O-(2C b ) group (where C b is the carbon atom in a benzene ring) into the absolute entropies of diphenyl oxide derivatives was assessed

The flame retardant DE-71 (a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers) inhibits human differentiated thyroid cell function in vitro

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kronborg, Thit Mynster; Hansen, Juliana Frohnert; Rasmussen, Åse Krogh

2017-01-01

Normal thyroid function is essential for general growth and metabolism, but can be affected by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used worldwide to reduce flammability in different materials and are suspected to be EDCs. The production...... of the commercial Penta- and OctaBDE mixtures is banned, but DecaBDEs and existing products may leak PBDEs into the environment. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the PentaBDE mixture DE-71 on human thyroid cells in vitro. Primary human thyroid cells were obtained as paraadenomatous tissue and cultured...... in monolayers. The influence of DE-71 on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and thyroglobulin (Tg) production was examined in the culture medium by competitive radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of thyroid-specific genes was performed...

Temporal variability of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) serum concentrations over one year.

Science.gov (United States)

Makey, Colleen M; McClean, Michael D; Sjödin, Andreas; Weinberg, Janice; Carignan, Courtney C; Webster, Thomas F

2014-12-16

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant chemicals used in consumer products. They are common contaminants in human serum and associated with adverse health effects. Our objectives were to characterize PBDE serum concentrations in a New England cohort and assess temporal variability of this exposure biomarker over a one-year period. We collected three repeated measurements at six-month intervals from 52 office workers from the greater Boston (MA, United States) area from 2010 to 2011. The intraclass correlation coefficient for BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, and 153 ranged from 0.87 to 0.99, indicating that a single serum measurement can reliably estimate exposure over a one-year period. This was true for both lipid adjusted and nonlipid adjusted concentrations. The kappa statistics, quantifying the level of agreement of categorical exposure classification, based on medians, tertiles, or quartiles ranged from 0.67 to 0.90. Some congeners showed nonsignificant increases from sampling round 1 (winter) to round 2 (summer) and significant decreases from round 2 to round 3 (winter). This study highlights the high reliability of a single serum PBDE measurement for use in human epidemiologic studies.

Selected chlorobornanes, polychlorinated naphthalenes and brominated flame retardants in Bjornoya (Bear Island) freshwater biota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evenset, Anita; Christensen, Guttorm N.; Kallenborn, Roland

2005-01-01

Levels of selected sparsely investigated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been measured in organisms from two Arctic lakes on Bjornoya (Bear Island). Elevated levels of chlorobornanes (CHBs) (up to 46.7 ng/g wet weight=ww), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (up to 27.2 ng/g ww), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) (up to 1.1 ng/g ww) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs, only 4 congeners) (up to 62.7 pg/g ww), were measured in biota from Lake Ellasjoen. In Lake Oyangen, located only 5 km north of Ellasjoen, levels of these contaminants were significantly lower. δ 15 N-values were 7-10%o higher in organisms from Ellasjoen as compared to Oyangen. This is attributed to biological inputs related to seabird activities. The present study illustrates that contaminants such as CHBs, brominated flame retardants and PCNs accumulate in the Ellasjoen food web in a manner similar to PCBs and conventional organochlorine pesticides. Transport mechanisms that control PCB and DDT distributions, i.e. atmospheric long-range transport and biotransport by seabirds, are also relevant for the contaminants investigated in the present study. - Elevate levels of chlorobornanes, polychlorinated naphthalenes and brominated flame retardants have been measured in biota from a Norwegian Arctic lake

Quantification of Hydroxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (OH-BDEs), Triclosan, and Related Compounds in Freshwater and Coastal Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerrigan, Jill F; Engstrom, Daniel R; Yee, Donald; Sueper, Charles; Erickson, Paul R; Grandbois, Matthew; McNeill, Kristopher; Arnold, William A

2015-01-01

Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-BDEs) are a new class of contaminants of emerging concern, but the relative roles of natural and anthropogenic sources remain uncertain. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as brominated flame retardants, and they are a potential source of OH-BDEs via oxidative transformations. OH-BDEs are also natural products in marine systems. In this study, OH-BDEs were measured in water and sediment of freshwater and coastal systems along with the anthropogenic wastewater-marker compound triclosan and its photoproduct dioxin, 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The 6-OH-BDE 47 congener and its brominated dioxin (1,3,7-tribromodibenzo-p-dioxin) photoproduct were the only OH-BDE and brominated dioxin detected in surface sediments from San Francisco Bay, the anthropogenically impacted coastal site, where levels increased along a north-south gradient. Triclosan, 6-OH-BDE 47, 6-OH-BDE 90, 6-OH-BDE 99, and (only once) 6'-OH-BDE 100 were detected in two sediment cores from San Francisco Bay. The occurrence of 6-OH-BDE 47 and 1,3,7-tribromodibenzo-p-dioxin sediments in Point Reyes National Seashore, a marine system with limited anthropogenic impact, was generally lower than in San Francisco Bay surface sediments. OH-BDEs were not detected in freshwater lakes. The spatial and temporal trends of triclosan, 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, OH-BDEs, and brominated dioxins observed in this study suggest that the dominant source of OH-BDEs in these systems is likely natural production, but their occurrence may be enhanced in San Francisco Bay by anthropogenic activities.

Quantification of Hydroxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (OH-BDEs, Triclosan, and Related Compounds in Freshwater and Coastal Systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill F Kerrigan

Full Text Available Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-BDEs are a new class of contaminants of emerging concern, but the relative roles of natural and anthropogenic sources remain uncertain. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs are used as brominated flame retardants, and they are a potential source of OH-BDEs via oxidative transformations. OH-BDEs are also natural products in marine systems. In this study, OH-BDEs were measured in water and sediment of freshwater and coastal systems along with the anthropogenic wastewater-marker compound triclosan and its photoproduct dioxin, 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The 6-OH-BDE 47 congener and its brominated dioxin (1,3,7-tribromodibenzo-p-dioxin photoproduct were the only OH-BDE and brominated dioxin detected in surface sediments from San Francisco Bay, the anthropogenically impacted coastal site, where levels increased along a north-south gradient. Triclosan, 6-OH-BDE 47, 6-OH-BDE 90, 6-OH-BDE 99, and (only once 6'-OH-BDE 100 were detected in two sediment cores from San Francisco Bay. The occurrence of 6-OH-BDE 47 and 1,3,7-tribromodibenzo-p-dioxin sediments in Point Reyes National Seashore, a marine system with limited anthropogenic impact, was generally lower than in San Francisco Bay surface sediments. OH-BDEs were not detected in freshwater lakes. The spatial and temporal trends of triclosan, 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, OH-BDEs, and brominated dioxins observed in this study suggest that the dominant source of OH-BDEs in these systems is likely natural production, but their occurrence may be enhanced in San Francisco Bay by anthropogenic activities.

GC-MS analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Vagula, Mary C.; Vartak, Marissa; Tallmadge, Weslene

2012-06-01

Lake Erie is one of the five great lakes of North America. It is the shallowest, the warmest, and the most biologically productive of the Great Lakes producing more fish than all of the other four lakes combined. It is also a source of drinking water for 11 million people and a recreational asset. On the flipside, it is also very vulnerable and troubled with environmental challenges because it has the smallest water volume, but the greatest pressures from the human settlement. One of the many issues faced by the Lake is pollution. It receives larger loads of many pollutants than any other Great Lake. Even with the best pollution controls many pesticides and organohalogens continue to enter the lake. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame-retardants that have been used in a variety of consumer products since the 1970s. They are added to many commercial and household products such as computers, foam mattresses, carpets, etc. Being largely non-polar and chemically stable, these chemicals are extremely lipophilic and resist degradation in the environment, thus giving them a high affinity for their bioaccumulation. Due to these properties PBDEs have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants. These compounds are reported to be endocrine disruptors and could cause oxidative damage. This report presents the sample preparation protocol, the GC-MS analysis of PBDEs in Lake Erie sediment samples.

Halogenated organics in Vietnamese and in Vietnam food. Dioxins, dibenzofurans, PCBs, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and selected pesticides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schecter, A.; Tung, K.C. [Univ. of Texas School of Public Health at Dallas, TX (United States); Quynh, Hong Trong [Oncology Institute, Ha Noi, Vietnam (Viet Nam); Paepke, O. [ERGO Research Laboratory, Hamburg (Germany); Malisch, R. [State Laboratory for Chemical and Veterinary Analysis, Freiburg (Germany); Constable, J.D. [Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States)

2004-09-15

Vietnam is frequently thought of as the location of the world's largest dioxin contamination, with over 400 pounds of 2,3,7,8-TCDD from Agent Orange defoliant sprayed from 1962 to 1971. Although this is true, distribution of dioxin from Agent Orange is far from ubiquitous in Vietnam. The north was never sprayed and only certain areas of central and south Vietnam were sprayed. Dioxins have been found in very high levels in human milk and in food in some select areas of Vietnam from the 1970s to the present. Other pesticides including DDT and metabolites, {alpha}, {beta}, and {gamma} HCH, and HCB have also been found in humans and in food. We review dioxin ''hot spots'' studied in the past with current suspect hot spots and also add to the chemicals studied in Vietnamese by measuring polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in nursing Vietnamese women's milk and compare these to levels from other countries.

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Exposure and Thyroid Function Tests in North American Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Makey, Colleen M; McClean, Michael D; Braverman, Lewis E; Pearce, Elizabeth N; He, Xue-Mei; Sjödin, Andreas; Weinberg, Janice M; Webster, Thomas F

2016-04-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame-retardant chemicals that are added to many consumer products. Multiple animal studies have shown PBDEs to be thyroid hormone (TH) disruptors. Epidemiologic evidence of PBDE exposure associated with TH disruption has been inconclusive. We used repeated measures to estimate associations between serum PBDE concentrations and THs in a North American adult cohort. From 2010 to 2011, we collected ≤ 3 serum samples at approximately 6-month intervals from 52 healthy adult office workers from Boston, Massachusetts, for analysis of PBDE congeners and THs. The geometric mean sum concentrations of the most prevalent PBDE congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, and BDE-153) were 22 ng/g lipid in winter 2010, 23 ng/g lipid in summer 2010, and 19 ng/g lipid in winter 2011. BDE-47 was the predominant congener. Based on a multivariable mixed regression model, we estimated that on average, a 1-ng/g serum increase in BDE-47 was associated with a 2.6-μg/dL decrease in total thyroxine (T4) (95% CI: -4.7, -0.35). Total T4 was inversely associated with each PBDE congener. Serum concentrations of PBDEs were not strongly associated with total triiodothyronine (T3), free T4, or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These results are consistent with those from animal studies showing that exposure to PBDEs is associated with a decrease in serum T4. Because the other TH concentrations did not appear to be associated with BDE exposures, our findings do not indicate effects on the pituitary-thyroid axis. Taken together, our findings suggest that PBDE exposure might decrease the binding of T4 to serum T4 binding proteins. Makey CM, McClean MD, Braverman LE, Pearce EN, He XM, Sjödin A, Weinberg JM, Webster TF. 2016. Polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure and thyroid function tests in North American adults. Environ Health Perspect 124:420-425; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509755.

Research Advance in Pollution of Flame Retardant Tetrabromobisphenol-A to Environment%阻燃剂四溴双酚-A环境污染研究进展

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

武焕阳

2011-01-01

随着多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)生产的逐渐限制和淘汰,目前尚未被限制且大量生产的非PBDEs阻燃剂,如四溴双酚-A(TBBP-A),在环境中的污染现状逐渐引起重视.该文介绍了在不同环境下TBBP-A的分布、生物富集、人类暴露和环境行为影响.%Along with the gradual limit and elimination of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) production, the environment pollution status of un- regulated and mass -producing non -PBDEs flame retardants, such as tetrabromobisphenol -A (TBBP -A) has attracted increasing attention and concern. This paper reviews the distribution, bioaccumulation, human exposure and environmental behavior of flame retardant TBBP - A in various environments.

DETERMINATION OF ALKYLATED & SULFONATED DIPHENYL OXIDE SULFACTANT BY HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

Science.gov (United States)

Methods for the determination of the anionic surfactant Dowfax 8390 are described. Dowfax is a complex mixture of various alkylated and sulfonated diphenyl oxides. The primary component of Dowfax is monoalkylated disulfonated diphenyl oxide (MADS). This work uses ion pairing chro...

Optimization of parameters for the analysis of the decabrominated diphenylether using PTV and split/splitless injectors and the consecutive setup of a dual column analysis method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krumwiede, D.; Muenster, H.; Griep-Raming, J. [Thermo Electron Corporation, Bremen (Germany)

2004-09-15

Brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) are widely used as flame retardants in electronics industry. However, for the following reasons the mass spectrometric analysis of BDEs by high resolution magnetic sector mass spectrometry is more complicated than e.g. analysis of polychlorinated dioxins and furans: i) a high mass range from m/z 248 (mono-BDE) to m/z 960 (deca-BDE) is required, therefore demanding a reference compound that provides sufficient intensity on high m/z ions, ii) large electric jumps are necessary for window defining measurements, which demands for a stable and rugged electric mass calibration, and iii) the Deca-BDE being thermally labile, requiring optimized chromatographic methods. The first and second complication can be overcome by the correct selection of instrument parameters and by proper selection of the reference compound. Probably the most severe complication is that the deca-BDE is thermally labile, and decomposes during GC analysis. Optimized chromatographic parameters are needed in order to achieve good sensitivity for deca BDE. However, such chromatographic parameters usually sacrifice separation efficiency for the other congeners. In the following it will be shown how different chromatographic parameters influence the analytical sensitivity for the thermolabile deca BDE. Furthermore a method setup is presented, which combines optimum sensitivity for the deca BDE and at the same time good separation efficiency for mono to hepta BDE.

40 CFR 721.2565 - Alkylated sulfonated diphenyl oxide, alkali and amine salts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., alkali and amine salts. 721.2565 Section 721.2565 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.2565 Alkylated sulfonated diphenyl oxide, alkali and... substances identified as alkylated sulfonated diphenyl oxide, alkali salt (PMN P-93-352) and alkylated...

Preparation and characterization of aliphatic diphenyl esters intended as precursors for polyesters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvilsted, S.; Andruzzi, F.; Cerrai, P.

1991-01-01

An extensive number of aliphatic diphenyl esters, C6H5OOC(CH2)nCOOC6H5 (n = O,...,8,10,11,12,14), have been prepared in pure form. The crystalline melting points these esters exhibit an odd-even temperature behaviour, with the higher-melting even series (n even) displaying a minimum for n = 8 while...... based on similar data from phenyl esters, interpreted as the results of an apparent macrocyclic conformation of the larger diphenyl esters. High-performance size exclusion chromatography (s.e.c.) of diphenyl esters, phenyl esters, aromatic and linear hydrocarbons in tetrahydrofuran, toluene...

Optimization and development of analytical methods for the determination of new brominated flame retardants and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediments and suspended particulate matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, P. [VU University Amsterdam, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Amsterdam (Netherlands); Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Retieseweg 111, 2440, Geel (Belgium); Brandsma, S.A.; Leonards, P.E.G.; Boer, J. de [VU University Amsterdam, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2011-05-15

With more stringent legislation on brominated flame retardants, it is expected that increasing amounts of substitutes would replace polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). Therefore, the development and optimization of analytical methodologies that allow their identification and quantification are of paramount relevance. This work describes the optimization of an analytical procedure to determine pentabromochlorocyclohexane, tetrabromo-o-chlorotoluene, 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromotoluene, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate, decabromodiphenylethane and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane together with PBDEs in sediments and in suspended particulate matter. This method comprises a pressurized liquid extraction followed by three cleanup steps (gel permeation chromatography and solid phase extraction on Oasis trademark HLB and on silica cartridges). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, using electron capture negative chemical ionization, is used for the final analysis. The proposed method provides recoveries >85%. The method was applied to sediment and suspended particulate matter samples from different locations in the Western Scheldt estuary (the Netherlands). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the occurrence of the additive flame retardants 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene, 3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-o-chlorotoluene and 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromochlorocyclohexane is reported in the literature. The concentrations of these new flame retardants ranged from 0.05 to 0.30 {mu}g/kg dry weight. (orig.)

Species-specific accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in birds of prey from the Chesapeake Bay region, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Da, E-mail: chen@vims.ed [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Hale, Robert C. [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Watts, Bryan D. [Center for Conservation Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (United States); La Guardia, Mark J.; Harvey, Ellen [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Mojica, Elizabeth K. [Center for Conservation Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (United States)

2010-05-15

Compared to organochlorines, little is known about polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination of birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S. This study examined and compared PBDE contamination in eggs of osprey, double-crested cormorant, brown pelican and peregrine falcon from this area. Several legacy persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs and DDE were also investigated. The level of urbanization of the landscape appeared to influence the level of PBDE exposure. PBDE congener distribution patterns varied between piscivorous and terrestrial-feeding birds. This suggests individual congeners may be subject to differences in bioaccumulation, biomagnification or metabolism in the aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Biomagnification of PBDEs was studied in the Bay aquatic food chains for the first time. A biomagnification factor of 25.1 was estimated for SIGMAPBDEs for the fish - osprey egg food chain. Hazard quotients, applied as a preliminary evaluation, indicated that PBDEs may pose a moderate hazard to ospreys and peregrine falcons through impairment of reproductive performance. - Birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) exhibited species-specific PBDE accumulation patterns.

Species-specific accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in birds of prey from the Chesapeake Bay region, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Da; Hale, Robert C.; Watts, Bryan D.; La Guardia, Mark J.; Harvey, Ellen; Mojica, Elizabeth K.

2010-01-01

Compared to organochlorines, little is known about polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination of birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S. This study examined and compared PBDE contamination in eggs of osprey, double-crested cormorant, brown pelican and peregrine falcon from this area. Several legacy persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs and DDE were also investigated. The level of urbanization of the landscape appeared to influence the level of PBDE exposure. PBDE congener distribution patterns varied between piscivorous and terrestrial-feeding birds. This suggests individual congeners may be subject to differences in bioaccumulation, biomagnification or metabolism in the aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Biomagnification of PBDEs was studied in the Bay aquatic food chains for the first time. A biomagnification factor of 25.1 was estimated for ΣPBDEs for the fish - osprey egg food chain. Hazard quotients, applied as a preliminary evaluation, indicated that PBDEs may pose a moderate hazard to ospreys and peregrine falcons through impairment of reproductive performance. - Birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) exhibited species-specific PBDE accumulation patterns.

Organophosphorus flame retardants – Toxicity and influence on human health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elżbieta Bruchajzer

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Organophosphorus flame retardants (flame retardants, FRs have been used for several decades in many industries, including the production of dyes, varnishes, adhesives, synthetic resins, polyvinyl chloride, hydraulic fluids, plastics and textiles. Their importance in recent times has increased due to i.a., significantly reduced use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs – persistent organic pollutants, dangerous for the environment. The aim of this study was to review the available literature data concerning phosphorous FRs primarily for neurotoxic, fertility, reproductive and carcinogenic effects. The analysis concerned the following most commonly used substances: tris(2-ethylhexylphosphate (TEHP, tris(2-butoxyethylphosphate (TBEP, triphenyl phosphate (TPP, tris(2-chloroethylphosphate (TCEP, tetrakis(hydroxymethyl-phosphonium chloride (THPC, tributyl phosphate (TBP, tricresyl phosphate (TCP, tris(2-chloroisopropylphosphate (TCPP, tris(1,3-dichloroisopropylphosphate (TDCP and tetrakis(hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulphate (THPS. In animal studies neurotoxic effects were found after exposure to TBEP, THPC, TBP and TCP, while in humans they were observed only after exposure to TCP. TCEP, THPS, TBP, TCP and TDCP caused disorders in fertility and/or fetal development of animals. Adverse effects on reproduction in humans may be caused by TPP, TCP, and TDCP. In laboratory animals the development of tumors was observed after high doses of TEHP, TCEP, TBP and TDCP. None of these compounds is classified as a human carcinogen. The environmental toxicity of phosphate FRs is low (except for TPP, TCEP and TBEP. They are not stable compounds, in living organisms they are metabolised and quickly excreted. Therefore, they can be used as an alternative to PBDEs. Med. Pr. 2015;66(2:235–264

Induction of Adipocyte Differentiation by Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in 3T3-L1 Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tung, Emily W. Y.; Boudreau, Adèle; Wade, Michael G.; Atlas, Ella

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of brominated flame retardants that were extensively used in commercial products. PBDEs are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that are both lipophilic and bioaccumulative. Effects of PBDEs on adipogenesis were studied in the 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell model in the presence and absence of a known adipogenic agent, dexamethasone (DEX). A PBDE mixture designed to mimic body burden of North Americans was tested, in addition to the technical mixture DE-71 and the individual congener BDE-47. The mixture, DE-71, and BDE-47 all induced adipocyte differentiation as assessed by markers for terminal differentiation [fatty acid binding protein 4 (aP2) and perilipin] and lipid accumulation. Characterization of the differentiation process in response to PBDEs indicated that adipogenesis induced by a minimally effective dose of DEX was enhanced by these PBDEs. Moreover, C/EBPα, PPARγ, and LXRα were induced late in the differentiation process. Taken together, these data indicate that adipocyte differentiation is induced by PBDEs; they act in the absence of glucocorticoid and enhance glucocorticoid-mediated adipogenesis. PMID:24722056

A review of chamber experiments for determining specific emission rates and investigating migration pathways of flame retardants

Science.gov (United States)

Rauert, Cassandra; Lazarov, Borislav; Harrad, Stuart; Covaci, Adrian; Stranger, Marianne

2014-01-01

The widespread use of flame retardants (FRs) in indoor products has led to their ubiquitous distribution within indoor microenvironments with many studies reporting concentrations in indoor air and dust. Little information is available however on emission of these compounds to air, particularly the measurement of specific emission rates (SERs), or the migration pathways leading to dust contamination. Such knowledge gaps hamper efforts to develop understanding of human exposure. This review summarizes published data on SERs of the following FRs released from treated products: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), including a brief discussion of the methods used to derive these SERs. Also reviewed are published studies that utilize emission chambers for investigations/measurements of mass transfer of FRs to dust, discussing the chamber configurations and methods used for these experiments. A brief review of studies investigating correlations between concentrations detected in indoor air/dust and possible sources in the microenvironment is included along with efforts to model contamination of indoor environments. Critical analysis of the literature reveals that the major limitations with utilizing chambers to derive SERs for FRs arise due to the physicochemical properties of FRs. In particular, increased partitioning to chamber surfaces, airborne particles and dust, causes loss through “sink” effects and results in long times to reach steady state conditions inside the chamber. The limitations of chamber experiments are discussed as well as their potential for filling gaps in knowledge in this area.

Children's exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) through mouthing toys.

Science.gov (United States)

Ionas, Alin C; Ulevicus, Jocelyn; Gómez, Ana Ballesteros; Brandsma, Sicco H; Leonards, Pim E G; van de Bor, Margot; Covaci, Adrian

2016-02-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have previously been detected in children toys, yet the risk of child exposure to these chemicals through the mouthing of toys or other items is still unknown. We aimed to expand on the current knowledge by investigating the impact of infants' mouthing activities on exposure to PBDEs present in toys. This was established by a leaching model for determining the amount PBDEs that can leach from toys into saliva in simulated conditions. The PBDE migration rate was at its highest for the 15 min low-exposure scenario incubations (198 pg/cm(2) × min) with the ERM EC-591 certified reference material (CRM) (0.17% w/w PBDEs). The leaching process was congener-dependent, since the percentage of lower brominated PBDE congeners that leached out was up to 4.5 times higher than for the heavier PBDEs. To study the scenario in which a child would mouth on a toy flame retarded with BDE 209 alone, a plastic item containing 7% BDE 209 (w/w) was also tested. The BDE 209 amounts leached out in only 15 min were higher than the amounts leached from the CRM after the 16 h incubation. For the Belgian population, the exposure scenario from mouthing on toys containing PBDEs in amounts similar to the REACH threshold was found to be lower than the exposure from mother's milk, but higher than the exposure through diet or even dust. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poly-brominated diphenyl-ethers (PBDEs) and other persistent organic pollutants in blood of penguins from the Ross Sea (Antarctica)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corsolini, S.; Ademollo, N.; Mariottini, M.; Focardi, S. [Universita degli Studi di Siena, Siena (Italy)

2004-09-15

Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dichlorodiphenyl-dichloro ethane (pp'-DDE) including its isomers and metabolites are known as POPs very well. POPs are particularly hazardous to wildlife not only because they are toxic but because they are persistent and distributed on global scale. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of POPs used worldwide as flame retardants with an increasing trend in the market demand (67.4 ktons in 2001), but with some restrictions in their usage in Europe. PBDEs are hydrophobic, highly soluble in lipids, resistant to biodegradation and have similar behavior to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Their bioaccumulation and biomagnification properties, as well their global increasing presence, have already been reported by many authors. PBDEs have been detected in remote Arctic regions10 that seem to be their final sink. PBDEs show acute toxicity and a prolonged exposure can affect the function of thyroid and cause neurodevelopmental disorders and estrogenic and hepatic effects. Furthermore, a synergic effect with dioxin-like compounds or other POPs cannot be excluded. The two aims of this study are: (1) to evaluate accumulation levels and patterns of PCBs, PBDEs and chlorinated pesticides in blood samples of the Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, the Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri and the South Polar skua, Cataracta maccormicki from three sites in the Ross Sea (Antarctica); (2) to assess the suitability of blood for the detection of POP residues in supposedly low contaminated organisms that live in protected/ecologically sensitive areas.

Legacy and alternative halogenated flame retardants in human milk in Europe: Implications for children's health.

Science.gov (United States)

Čechová, Eliška; Vojta, Šimon; Kukučka, Petr; Kočan, Anton; Trnovec, Tomáš; Murínová, Ľubica Palkovičová; de Cock, Marijke; van de Bor, Margot; Askevold, Joakim; Eggesbø, Merete; Scheringer, Martin

2017-11-01

In this study, 10 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 19 alternative halogenated flame retardants (AFRs) were determined in >450 human milk samples across three European countries, representing northern, western and eastern Europe. This study provides first insights into the occurrence of selected AFRs in mother milk samples and compares them among three European countries. Sums of median concentrations of the most frequently detected PBDEs were 2.16, 0.88 and 0.45ngg -1 lipid weight (lw) in Norway, the Netherlands and Slovakia, respectively. The sum of the concentrations of AFRs ranged from 0.14 to 0.25ngg -1 lw in all countries, which was 2 to 15 times less compared to Σ 7 PBDEs. The Penta-BDE replacement, bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate, BEH-TEBP, was present at the greatest concentrations of any of the AFRs and in some samples exceeded concentrations of BDE 47 and BDE 153. Four AFRs including bromobenzenes (hexabromobenzene, pentabromobenzene, pentabromotoluene) and another Penta-BDE replacement (2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate, EH-TBB) were detected in >42% of all human milk samples. Because of the potential developmental neurotoxicity of the halogenated flame retardants, infant dietary intakes via breastfeeding were estimated; in four cases the intakes of BDE 47 exceeded the reference dose indicating that the present concentrations may pose a risk for children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fire retardant formulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

The present invention relates to compositions where a substrate is liable to catch fire such as bituminous products, paints, carpets or the like. The invention relates to a composition comprising 40-95 weight % of a substrate to be rendered fire resistant such as bituminous material or paint......, carpets which substrate is mixed with 5-60 weight % of a fire retardant component. The invention relates to a fire retardant component comprising or being constituted of attapulgite, and a salt being a source of a blowing or expanding agent, where the attapulgite and the salt are electrostatically...... connected by mixing and subjecting the mixture of the two components to agitation. Also, the invention relates to compositions comprising 40-95 weight % of a substrate to be rendered fire resistant mixed with 5-60 weight % of a fire retardant according to claim 1 or 2, which fire retardant component...

Rigid-rod polyamides and polyimides derived from 4,3 ''-diamino-2 ',6 '-diphenyl- or di(4-biphenylyl)-p-terphenyl and 4-amino-4 ''-carboxy-2 ',6 '-diphenyl-p-terphenyl

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiliopoulos, IK; Mikroyannidis, JA; Tsivgoulis, GM

1998-01-01

4,3 "-Diamino-2',6'-diphenyl- or di(4-biphenylyl)p-terphenyl (3a or 3b) and 4-amino-4 "-carboxy-2',6'-diphenyl-p-terphenyl (6) were synthesized through pyrylium salts and used for the preparation of rigid-rod polyamides and polyimides. The polymers were characterized by inherent viscosity, elemental

AIRBORNE POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS IN A COMPUTER CLASSROOM OF COLLEGE IN TAIWAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. H. Chang ، C. R. Yang ، C. Y. Tsai ، W. C. Lin

2009-04-01

Full Text Available This study characterized the airborne exposure of students to thirty polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners inside and outside a computer classroom in a southern Taiwan college. Arithmetic mean values of total indoor and outdoor polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations were 125.0 pg/m3 (89.8 to 203.9 pg/m3 and 110.3 pg/m3 (83.5 to 157.0 pg/m3, respectively. Total indoor polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations were one order of magnitude lower than those detected in homes in Birmingham, United Kingdom and in Ottawa, Canada but were several times higher than those measured in the ambient air in Ottawa, Canada and from the Bohai Sea to the Arctic. The five highest indoor concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners were decabromodiphenyl ether (23.0 pg/m3, 4,4’-dibromodiphenyl ether (15.9 pg/m3, 2,2’,3,4,4’,5,5’,6-octabromodiphenyl ether (10.6 pg/m3, 2,4-dibromodiphenyl ether (10.3 pg/m3 and 2,2’,3,4,4’,5’,6-heptabromodiphenyl ether (10.0 pg/m3. Although indoor and outdoor total polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations did not significantly differ, the indoor concentrations of 2,4-dibromodiphenyl ether, 2,2’,4-tribromodiphenyl ether, 2,4,4’-tribromodiphenyl ether, 2,2’,4,5’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether and 2,3’,4’,6-tetrabromodiphenyl ether were significantly higher than their outdoor concentrations. This study suggests the following measures: 1 to increase the air exchange rate and open classroom doors and windows for several minutes before classes to reduce indoor PBDE concentrations; 2 to reduce polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions from new devices, it’s better to use computer-related products that meet the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive adopted by the European Union.

Emission factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from plastics processing and recycling facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakai, Shin-ichi; Hirai, Yasuhiro [National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba (Japan); Ota, Shizuko; Sudo, Kinichi [Ministry of Environment (Japan)

2004-09-15

With regard to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), there is few scientific knowledge on the emission patterns into the environment and exposure pathways to humans, and basic information is insufficient to consider what measures effective are. For the purpose of promoting risk reduction of target substances more effectively and efficiently, it is desirable to comprehend accurately the causal chain from the target substances utilization to the risk intake, and to evaluate the measures covering the whole applications of target substances. As the existing researches on the PBDE emission inventory, there are EU risk assessment report (European Chemical Bureau 2000, 2002, 2003), Danish EPA (1999), Palm et al.(2002) and Alcock et al. (2003). In addition, emissions of DecaBDE are published in TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) of US EPA. However, the primary information of the previous inventories is often the same and estimations based on the measured values are few. In light of the situation, PBDE emission concentrations from processing facilities of flame retardant plastics and recycling facilities of home electric appliances are measured in practice to presume material flow of PBDE and to estimate emission factors and inventories from each phase of life cycles. The validities of emission factors are examined in comparison to measured values of atmospheric depositions surroundings, which are close to sources.

A brominated flame retardant 2,2',4,4' tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47) leads to lipogenesis in the copepod Tigriopus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Min-Chul; Han, Jeonghoon; Lee, Seung-Hwi; Kim, Duck-Hyun; Kang, Hye-Min; Won, Eun-Ji; Hwang, Dae-Sik; Park, Jun Chul; Om, Ae-Son; Lee, Jae-Seong

2016-09-01

De novo lipogenesis (DNL) is a fatty acid synthesis process that requires several genes, including sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). DNL up-regulation is able to induce fat accumulation through an increase in fatty acids. To investigate the relationship between DNL up-regulation and the accumulation of fatty acids and lipid droplets in response to 2,2',4,4' tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47), we examined DNL in the copepod Tigriopus japonicus. Transcription levels of DNL-related genes were increased after exposure to 2.5μg/L BDE-47 for 24h. After exposure to 2.5μg/L BDE-47, palmitic acid was significantly increased (Pcopepod. This study provides a better understanding of the effects of BDE-47 on DNL in copepods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

COLOUR LEARNING IN RETARDED CHILDREN*

African Journals Online (AJOL)

COLOUR LEARNING IN RETARDED CHILDREN* !\\'fRS E. K~SEBOOM, Principal, ADS. LEVIN, M.B., M.R.C.P., D.C.H., Hon. Medical Officer, Hamlet B School for. Retarded Children, Johannesburg. '... silly children, with no understanding .. -'. Jeremiah 4:22. Tt has been observed' that mentally retarded children have.

Spatial trends of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Spatial trends of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were analyzed in young of the year bluefish collected along the U.S. Atlantic coastline from...

Research on flame retardation of wool fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enomoto, Ichiro; Ametani, Kazuo; Sawai, Takeshi

1990-01-01

Flame retardant, vinyl phosphonate oligomer, was uniformly impregnated in wool fibers, and by irradiating low energy electron beam or cobalt-60 gamma ray, the flame retardation of fabrics was attempted, as the results, the following knowledges were obtained. At the rate of sticking of flame retardant lower than that in cotton fabrics, sufficient flame retarding property can be given. The flame retarding property withstands 30 times of washing. The lowering of strength due to the processing hardly arose. For the flame retardation, gamma-ray was more effective than electron beam. Since the accidents of burning clothes have occurred frequently, their flame retardation has been demanded. So far the flame retardation of cotton fabrics has been advanced, but this time the research on the flame retardation of wool fabrics was carried out by the same method. The experimental method is explained. As for the performance of the processed fabrics, the rate of sticking of the flame retardant, the efficiency of utilization, the flame retarding property, the endurance in washing and the tensile and tearing strength were examined. As the oxygen index was higher, the flame retarding property was higher, and in the case of the index being more than 27, the flame retarding property is sufficient, that is, the rate of sticking of 6% in serge and 5% in muslin. (K.I.)

Flame retardancy and thermal degradation of cotton textiles based on UV-curable flame retardant coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xing, Weiyi [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Suzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, 166 Ren' ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Jie, Ganxin [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Adaptability for Industrial Products, China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute, Guangzhou 510300 (China); Song, Lei; Hu, Shuang; Lv, Xiaoqi; Wang, Xin [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Hu, Yuan, E-mail: yuanhu@ustc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Suzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, 166 Ren' ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China)

2011-01-20

The flame retardant coatings were prepared through UV-curable technique using tri(acryloyloxyethyl) phosphate (TAEP) and triglycidyl isocyanurate acrylate (TGICA). Results from FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that flame retardant coatings were successfully coated onto the surface of cotton fabrics. The flame retardancy of the treated fabrics was studied by Micro-scale Combustion Calorimeter (MCC) and limited oxygen index (LOI). The cottons coated flame retardant coatings had the lower peak heat release rate (PHRR), heat release capacity (HRC), total heat of combustion (THC) and higher LOI value compared with untreated cotton. The results from TGA test showed that the flame retardant coatings lowered the decomposition temperature of treated fabric. The thermal decomposition of cottons was monitored by real time FTIR analysis and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TGA-IR). The enhanced flame retardant action might be caused by thermal decomposition of TAEP structure, producing acidic intermediates, which could react with fabrics to alter its thermal decomposition process.

Exposure assessment of organophosphorus and organobromine flame retardants via indoor dust from elementary schools and domestic houses.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizouchi, Shigekazu; Ichiba, Masayoshi; Takigami, Hidetaka; Kajiwara, Natsuko; Takamuku, Toshiyuki; Miyajima, Toru; Kodama, Hiroki; Someya, Takashi; Ueno, Daisuke

2015-03-01

To assess the exposure of flame retardants (FRs) for school-children, organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) and organobromine flame retardants (BFRs) were determined in the indoor dust samples collected from elementary schools and domestic houses in Japan in 2009 and 2010. PFRs were detected in all the dust samples analyzed and the highest concentration of total PFRs was thousand-fold higher than that of BFRs. Among the PFRs, tris(butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBOEP) showed the highest concentration with a median (med.) of 270,000 ng g(-1) dry weight (3700-5,500,000 ng g(-1) dry weight), followed by tris(methylphenyl)phosphate (TMPPs)>triphenyl phosphate (TPHP)=tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCIPP)=tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate (TCIPP)=tris(2chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP)>ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP). Significantly higher concentrations of TBOEP, tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), TPHP, TMPPs, and total-PFRs were found in dust samples from elementary schools than from domestic houses. It might be due to that higher concentrations of TBOEP (as leveling agent) were detected from the floor polisher/wax products collected in those elementary schools. On the other hand, significantly higher concentrations of TCEP, TCIPPs, and total chloroalkyl-PFRs were found in domestic houses than in elementary schools. Exposure assessments of PFRs via indoor dust from elementary schools and domestic houses were conducted by calculating the hazard quotient (HQ). Among PFRs, HQs for TBOEP exceeded 1 (higher than reference dose: RfD) and its highest value was 1.9. To reduce the intake of TBOEP by school-children, it is recommended that the use of floor polisher/wax containing TBOEP be reduced in schools. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers: occurrence, dietary exposure, and toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Darnerud, P O; Eriksen, G S; Jóhannesson, T; Larsen, P B; Viluksela, M

2001-03-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in plastics (concentration, 5--30%) and in textile coatings. Commercial products consist predominantly of penta-, octa-, and decabromodiphenyl ether mixtures, and global PBDE production is about 40,000 tons per year. PBDEs are bioaccumulated and biomagnified in the environment, and comparatively high levels are often found in aquatic biotopes from different parts of the world. During the mid-1970--1980s there was a substantial increase in the PBDE levels with time in both sediments and aquatic biota, whereas the latest Swedish data (pike and guillemot egg) may indicate that levels are at steady state or are decreasing. However, exponentially increasing PBDE levels have been observed in mother's milk during 1972--1997. Based on levels in food from 1999, the dietary intake of PBDE in Sweden has been estimated to be 0.05 microg per day. Characteristic end points of animal toxicity are hepatotoxicity, embryotoxicity, and thyroid effects as well as maternal toxicity during gestation. Recently, behavioral effects have been observed in mice on administration of PBDEs during a critical period after birth. Based on the critical effects reported in available studies, we consider the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) value of the PBDE group to be 1 mg/kg/day (primarily based on effects of pentaBDEs). In conclusion, with the scientific knowledge of today and based on Nordic intake data, the possible consumer health risk from PBDEs appears limited, as a factor of over 10(6) separates the estimated present mean dietary intake from the suggested LOAEL value. However, the presence of many and important data gaps, including those in carcinogenicity, reproduction, and developmental toxicity, as well as additional routes of exposure, make this conclusion only preliminary. Moreover, the time trend of PBDEs in human breast milk is alarming for the future.

Associations between urinary diphenyl phosphate and thyroid function.

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Emma V; McClean, Michael D; Claus Henn, Birgit; Stapleton, Heather M; Braverman, Lewis E; Pearce, Elizabeth N; Makey, Colleen M; Webster, Thomas F

2017-04-01

Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) is a commonly used organophosphate flame retardant and plasticizer with widespread human exposure. Data on health effects of TPHP are limited. Recent toxicological studies suggest TPHP may alter thyroid function. We used repeated measures to assess the temporal variability in urinary concentrations of the TPHP metabolite, diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), and to examine relationships between DPHP concentrations and thyroid hormones. We sampled 51 adults at months 1, 6, and 12 from 2010 to 2011. Urine samples were analyzed for DPHP. Serum samples were analyzed for free and total thyroxine (fT 4 , TT 4 ), total triiodothyronine (TT 3 ), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). We assessed variability in DPHP using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and kappa statistics. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine associations between DPHP and thyroid hormones. DPHP was detected in 95% of urine samples. Mean DPHP concentrations were 43% higher in women than men. DPHP showed high within-subject variability (ICC range, 0.13-0.39; kappa range, 0.16-0.39). High versus low (≥2.65 vs. <2.65ng/mL) DPHP in all participants was associated with a 0.43μg/dL (95% confidence interval: 0.15, 0.72) increase in mean TT 4 levels. In sex-stratified analyses, high versus low DPHP was associated with a 0.91μg/dL (95% CI: 0.47, 1.36) increase in mean TT 4 in women. The association was attenuated in men (βeta=0.19; 95% CI: -0.15, 0.52). We found no significant associations between DPHP and fT 4 , TT 3 , or TSH. We found evidence that TPHP exposure may be associated with increased TT 4 levels, especially in women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concentrations in air of organobromine, organochlorine and organophosphate flame retardants in Toronto, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Shoeib, Mahiba; Ahrens, Lutz; Jantunen, Liisa; Harner, Tom

2014-12-01

Concentrations of organobromine (BFRs), organochlorine (CFRs) and organophosphate esters flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) in air were monitored for over one year at an urban site in Toronto, Canada during 2010-2011. The mean value for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) (gas + particle phase) was 38 pg/m3 with BDE-47 and BDE-99 as the dominant congeners. The mean concentrations in air for ∑non-BDE (BFRs and CFRs), was 9.6 pg/m3 - about four times lower than the BDEs. The brominated FRs: TBP-AE, BTBPE, EH-TBB, BEH-TEBP and the chlorinated syn- and anti-DP were detected frequently, ranging from 87% to 96%. Highest concentrations in air among all flame retardant classes were observed for the Σ-PFRs. The yearly mean concentration in air for ΣPFRs was 2643 pg/m3 with detection frequency higher than 80%. Except for TBP-AE and b- DBE-DBCH, non-BDEs (BFRs, CFRs and PFRs) were mainly associated with the particle phase. BDE concentrations in air were positively correlated with temperature indicating that volatilization from local sources was an important factor controlling levels in air. This correlation did not hold for most BFRs, CFRs and PFRs which were mainly on particles. For these compounds, air concentrations in Toronto are likely related to emissions from point sources and advective inputs. This study highlights the importance of urban air monitoring for FRs. Urban air can be considered a sentinel for detecting changes in the use and application of FRs in commercial products.

Photosynthesis involvement in the mechanism of action of diphenyl ether herbicides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ensminger, M P; Hess, F D

1985-05-01

Photosynthesis is not required for the toxicity of diphenyl ether herbicides, nor are chloroplast thylakoids the primary site of diphenyl ether herbicide activity. Isolated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplast fragments produced malonyl dialdehyde, indicating lipid peroxidation, when paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium ion) or diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] were added to the medium, but no malonyl dialdehyde was produced when chloroplast fragments were treated with the methyl ester of acifluorfen (methyl 5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid), oxyfluorfen [2-chloro-1-(3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenoxy)-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzene], or MC15608 (methyl 5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-chlorobenzoate). In most cases the toxicity of acifluorfen-methyl, oxyfluorfen, or MC15608 to the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas eugametos (Moewus) did not decrease after simultaneous treatment with diuron. However, diuron significantly reduced cell death after paraquat treatment at all but the highest paraquat concentration tested (0.1 millimolar). These data indicate electron transport of photosynthesis is not serving the same function for diphenyl ether herbicides as for paraquat. Additional evidence for differential action of paraquat was obtained from the superoxide scavenger copper penicillamine (copper complex of 2-amino-3-mercapto-3-methylbutanoic acid). Copper penicillamine eliminated paraquat toxicity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cotyledons but did not reduce diphenyl ether herbicide toxicity.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in leachates from selected landfill sites in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Odusanya, David O; Okonkwo, Jonathan O; Botha, Ben

2009-01-01

The last few decades have seen dramatic growth in the scale of production and the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants. Consequently, PBDEs such as BDE -28, -47, -66, -71, -75, -77, -85, -99, -100, -119, -138, -153, -154, and -183 have been detected in various environmental matrices. Generally, in South Africa, once the products containing these chemicals have outlived their usefulness, they are discarded into landfill sites. Consequently, the levels of PBDEs in leachates from landfill sites may give an indication of the general exposure and use of these compounds. The present study was aimed at determining the occurrence and concentrations of most common PBDEs in leachates from selected landfill sites. The extraction capacities of the solvents were also tested. Spiked landfill leachate samples were used for the recovery tests. Separation and determination of the PBDE congeners were carried out with a gas chromatograph equipped with Ni63 electron capture detector. The mean percentage recoveries ranged from 63% to 108% (n=3) for landfill leachate samples with petroleum ether giving the highest percentage extraction. The mean concentrations of PBDEs obtained ranged from ND to 2670pgl(-1), ND to 6638pgl(-1), ND to 7230pgl(-1), 41 to 4009pgl(-1), 90 to 9793pgl(-1) for the Garankuwa, Hatherly, Kwaggarsrand, Soshanguve and Temba landfill sites, respectively. Also BDE -28, -47, -71 and BDE-77 were detected in the leachate samples from all the landfill sites; and all the congeners were detected in two of the oldest landfill sites. The peak concentrations were recorded for BDE-47 at three sites and BDE-71 and BDE-75 at two sites. The highest concentration, 9793+/-1.5pgl(-1), was obtained for the Temba landfill site with the highest BOD value. This may suggest some influence of organics on the level of PBDEs. Considering the leaching characteristics of brominated flame retardants, there is a high possibility that with time these compounds may

Pilot-scale incineration of wastes with high content of chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants used as alternatives for PBDEs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsukami, Hidenori, E-mail: matsukami.hidenori@nies.go.jp [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8563 (Japan); Kose, Tomohiro [Faculty of Applied Life Sciences, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, 265-1, Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Watanabe, Mafumi [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Takigami, Hidetaka [Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506 (Japan); Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8563 (Japan)

2014-09-15

Chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) including tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), diethylene glycol bis(di(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate) (DEG-BDCIPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP) have been used increasingly as alternatives to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other brominated flame retardants. For this study, five batches of incineration experiments of wastes containing approximately 1% of TCIPP, DEG-BDCIPP, TPHP, and BPA-BDPP were conducted using a pilot-scale incinerator. Destruction and emission behaviors of OPFRs were investigated along with the effects on behaviors of unintentional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and pentachlorophenol (PCP). Incineration conditions were chosen according to current regulations for waste incinerators in Japan and UNEP. The OPFRs in the input materials were mainly destroyed in the primary combustion with destruction efficiencies greater than 99.999%. Concentrations of the OPFRs in the exhaust gases and ash were, respectively, < 0.01–0.048 μg m{sup −3} and < 0.5–68 μg kg{sup −1}. Almost all of the total phosphorus in the input materials was partitioned into the ash, but less into final exit gases, indicating negligible emissions of volatile phosphorus compounds during incineration. Inputs of chlorinated OPFRs did not affect the formation markedly. Destruction and emission behaviors of unintentional POPs were investigated. Emissions of such POPs in exhaust gases and the ash were lower than the Japanese and international standards. Results show that even in wastes with high contents of chlorinated and non-halogenated OPFRs, waste incineration by the current regulations for the waste incinerators can control environmental emissions of

Pilot-scale incineration of wastes with high content of chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants used as alternatives for PBDEs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsukami, Hidenori; Kose, Tomohiro; Watanabe, Mafumi; Takigami, Hidetaka

2014-01-01

Chlorinated and non-halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) including tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), diethylene glycol bis(di(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate) (DEG-BDCIPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP) have been used increasingly as alternatives to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other brominated flame retardants. For this study, five batches of incineration experiments of wastes containing approximately 1% of TCIPP, DEG-BDCIPP, TPHP, and BPA-BDPP were conducted using a pilot-scale incinerator. Destruction and emission behaviors of OPFRs were investigated along with the effects on behaviors of unintentional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and pentachlorophenol (PCP). Incineration conditions were chosen according to current regulations for waste incinerators in Japan and UNEP. The OPFRs in the input materials were mainly destroyed in the primary combustion with destruction efficiencies greater than 99.999%. Concentrations of the OPFRs in the exhaust gases and ash were, respectively, < 0.01–0.048 μg m −3 and < 0.5–68 μg kg −1 . Almost all of the total phosphorus in the input materials was partitioned into the ash, but less into final exit gases, indicating negligible emissions of volatile phosphorus compounds during incineration. Inputs of chlorinated OPFRs did not affect the formation markedly. Destruction and emission behaviors of unintentional POPs were investigated. Emissions of such POPs in exhaust gases and the ash were lower than the Japanese and international standards. Results show that even in wastes with high contents of chlorinated and non-halogenated OPFRs, waste incineration by the current regulations for the waste incinerators can control environmental emissions of OPFRs and

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers do not affect metamorphosis but alter the proteome of the invasive slipper limpet Crepidula onyx.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Joy; Po, Beverly H K; Chiu, Jill M Y; Wu, Rudolf S S; Qian, Pei-Yuan; Thiyagarajan, Vengatesen

2013-08-15

Man-made polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) used as flame retardants in various consumer products may be harmful to marine organisms. Larvae of some marine invertebrates, especially invasive species, can develop resistance to PBDEs through altered protein expression patterns or proteome plasticity. This is the first report of a proteomics approach to study BDE-47 induced molecular changes in the invasive limpet Crepidula onyx. Larvae of C. onyx were cultured for 5 days (hatching to metamorphosis) in the presence of BDE-47 (1 μg L(-1)). Using a 2-DE proteomics approach with triple quadrupole and high-resolution TOF-MS, we showed that BDE-47 altered the proteome structure but not the growth or metamorphosis of C. onyx larvae. We found eight significant differentially expressed proteins in response to BDE-47, deemed the protein expression signature, consisting of cytoskeletal, stress tolerance, metabolism and energy production related proteins. Our data suggest C. onyx larvae have adequate proteome plasticity to tolerate BDE-47 toxicity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the indoor and outdoor environments – A review on occurrence and human exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besis, Athanasios; Samara, Constantini

2012-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) constitute an important group of brominated flame retardants that have been massively produced and extensively used in numerous everyday products, providing longer escape times in case of fire and thus saving lives, as well as reducing the damage of property. In recent years, PBDEs have been recognized as significant pollutants of the indoor environment. This article provides a synthesis and critical evaluation of the state of the knowledge about the occurrence of PBDEs in the indoor environment (air and dust in homes, workplaces and cars) in different countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, as well as about the human exposure via indoor air inhalation and dust ingestion in comparison to outdoor air inhalation and dietary intake. - Although dietary intake is major human exposure route to PBDEs, there is sufficient body of evidence for the ubiquitous presence of these compounds in indoor air and dust, therefore for the potential for significant exposure at work, at home, as well as in closed means of transport.

Local Equilibrium and Retardation Revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Scott K; Vesselinov, Velimir V

2018-01-01

In modeling solute transport with mobile-immobile mass transfer (MIMT), it is common to use an advection-dispersion equation (ADE) with a retardation factor, or retarded ADE. This is commonly referred to as making the local equilibrium assumption (LEA). Assuming local equilibrium, Eulerian textbook treatments derive the retarded ADE, ostensibly exactly. However, other authors have presented rigorous mathematical derivations of the dispersive effect of MIMT, applicable even in the case of arbitrarily fast mass transfer. We resolve the apparent contradiction between these seemingly exact derivations by adopting a Lagrangian point of view. We show that local equilibrium constrains the expected time immobile, whereas the retarded ADE actually embeds a stronger, nonphysical, constraint: that all particles spend the same amount of every time increment immobile. Eulerian derivations of the retarded ADE thus silently commit the gambler's fallacy, leading them to ignore dispersion due to mass transfer that is correctly modeled by other approaches. We then present a particle tracking simulation illustrating how poor an approximation the retarded ADE may be, even when mobile and immobile plumes are continually near local equilibrium. We note that classic "LEA" (actually, retarded ADE validity) criteria test for insignificance of MIMT-driven dispersion relative to hydrodynamic dispersion, rather than for local equilibrium. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Novel and high volume use flame retardants in US couches reflective of the 2005 PentaBDE phase out.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Heather M; Sharma, Smriti; Getzinger, Gordon; Ferguson, P Lee; Gabriel, Michelle; Webster, Thomas F; Blum, Arlene

2012-12-18

California's furniture flammability standard Technical Bulletin 117 (TB 117) is believed to be a major driver of chemical flame retardant (FR) use in residential furniture in the United States. With the phase-out of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) FR mixture PentaBDE in 2005, alternative FRs are increasingly being used to meet TB 117; however, it was unclear which chemicals were being used and how frequently. To address this data gap, we collected and analyzed 102 samples of polyurethane foam from residential couches purchased in the United States from 1985 to 2010. Overall, we detected chemical flame retardants in 85% of the couches. In samples purchased prior to 2005 (n = 41) PBDEs associated with the PentaBDE mixture including BDEs 47, 99, and 100 (PentaBDE) were the most common FR detected (39%), followed by tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCPP; 24%), which is a suspected human carcinogen. In samples purchased in 2005 or later (n = 61) the most common FRs detected were TDCPP (52%) and components associated with the Firemaster550 (FM 550) mixture (18%). Since the 2005 phase-out of PentaBDE, the use of TDCPP increased significantly. In addition, a mixture of nonhalogenated organophosphate FRs that included triphenyl phosphate (TPP), tris(4-butylphenyl) phosphate (TBPP), and a mix of butylphenyl phosphate isomers were observed in 13% of the couch samples purchased in 2005 or later. Overall the prevalence of flame retardants (and PentaBDE) was higher in couches bought in California compared to elsewhere, although the difference was not quite significant (p = 0.054 for PentaBDE). The difference was greater before 2005 than after, suggesting that TB 117 is becoming a de facto standard across the U.S. We determined that the presence of a TB 117 label did predict the presence of a FR; however, lack of a label did not predict the absence of a flame retardant. Following the PentaBDE phase out, we also found an increased number of flame retardants on the

O interactions in 1,3-diphenyl-urea

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The synthesis, X-ray structure and role of intermolecular interactions have been studied in case of 1,3-diphenyl-urea, owing to its medicinal importance. The compound crystallizes in orthorhombic crystal system (space group, 21) with unit cell parameters, = 9.118(3), = 10.558(2), = 11.780(3) Å and = 4.

Substituting environmentally relevant flame retardants: assessment fundamentals. Vol. 1: results and summary overview; Erarbeitung von Bewertungsgrundlagen zur Substitution umweltrelevanter Flammschutzmittel. Bd. 1: Ergebnisse und zusammenfassende Uebersicht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leisewitz, A.; Kruse, H.; Schramm, E.

2001-04-01

The study examines the status, trends and alternatives (substitution and reduction potentials) in the use of flame retardants in selected product sectors: construction; electronics and electrical engineering; rail vehicles; textiles/upholstery. In addition, the study characterises thirteen flame retardants in terms of material flows, applications and toxicology/ecotoxicology. Vol. I: Summary overview of flame retardant applications in Germany in 1999/2000; characterisation of 13 flame retardants in terms of substance properties and application-specific characteristics, range of applications and quantities; derivation of assessment fundamentals for flame retardants, focussing on toxicology/ecotoxicology, suitability for closed-loop substance management, and potential for substitution and reduction; summary assessment of 13 flame retardants; summary overview of flame retardant applications. Vol. II: Analysis of flame retardant applications (state of the art, trends, alternatives) in: unsaturated polyester (UP) resins (rail vehicles); polyurethane (PU) insulating foams and one component foams (OCF) (construction sector); plastics for generic uses in electronic and electrical equipment, in casings for electronic and electrical equipment and in printed circuit boards (electronics/electrical engineering); and in upholstery and mattresses (textile applications). Vol. III: Toxicological/ecotoxicological profiles of substances: Decabromodiphenyl oxide; Tetrabromobisphenol A; Bis[pentabromophenyl]ethane; Hexabromocyclodo-decane, Tris[chloropropyl]phosphate, Resorcinol-bis-diphenylphosphate; N-Hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide, Red phosphorus, Ammonium polyphosphate, Melamin cyanurate, Aluminiumtrihydroxide, Sodium borate decahydrate, Antimony trioxide. (orig.) [German] Untersucht werden Stand, Trends und Alternativen (Substitutions- und Minderungspotentiale) beim Einsatz von Flammschutzmitteln (FSM) in ausgewaehlten Produkten aus: Baubereich, Elektrotechnik

Influence of storage vial material on measurement of organophosphate flame retardant metabolites in urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Carignan, Courtney C; Butt, Craig M; Stapleton, Heather M; Meeker, John D; Minguez-Alarcón, Lidia; Williams, Paige L; Hauser, Russ

2017-08-01

Use of organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) has increased over the past decade with the phase out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Urinary metabolites of PFRs are used as biomarkers of exposure in epidemiologic research, which typically uses samples collected and stored in polypropylene plastic cryovials. However, a small study suggested that the storage vial material may influence reported concentrations. Therefore, we aimed to examine the influence of the storage vial material on analytical measurement of PFR urinary metabolites. Using urine samples collected from participants in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study, we analyzed the PFR metabolites in duplicate aliquots that were stored in glass and plastic vials (n = 31 pairs). Bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) and isopropyl-phenyl phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP) were detected in 98%, 97% and 87% of duplicates. We observed high correlations between glass-plastic duplicates for BDCIPP (r s  = 0.95), DPHP (r s  = 0.79) and ip-PPP (r s  = 0.82) (p samples stored in glass, with a mean relative difference of 14%. While this difference is statistically significant, it is small in magnitude. No differences were observed for BDCIPP or DPHP, however future research should seek to reduce the potential for type II error (false negatives). We conclude that storing urine samples in polypropylene plastic cryovials may result in slightly reduced concentrations of urinary ip-PPP relative to storage in glass vials and future research should seek to increase the sample size, reduce background variability and consider the material of the urine collection cup. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Product screening for sources of halogenated flame retardants in Canadian house and office dust

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbasi, Golnoush [Department of Geography, University of Toronto, 100 St. George St., Toronto M5S 3G3 (Canada); Saini, Amandeep [Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto M1C 1A4 (Canada); Goosey, Emma [Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, 22 Russell Street, Toronto M5S 3B1 (Canada); Diamond, Miriam L., E-mail: miriam.diamond@utoronto.ca [Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, 22 Russell Street, Toronto M5S 3B1 (Canada); Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto M1C 1A4 (Canada)

2016-03-01

Human exposure to halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their replacements, can be related to exposure to indoor dust and direct contact with HFR-containing products. This study aimed to identify electronic products that contributed to HFRs measured in indoor dust and to develop a screening method for identifying HFRs in hard polymer products. Concentrations of 10 PBDEs and 12 halogenated replacements in dust and surface wipe samples of hard polymer casings of electronic products plus Br in the surfaces of those casing measured using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were analyzed from 35 homes and 10 offices in Toronto (ON, Canada). HFR concentrations in dust and product wipes were positively correlated. Thus, we hypothesize that electronic products with the highest HFR concentrations contribute the most to concentrations in dust, regardless of the volatility of the HFR. Abundant HFRs in dust and product wipes were PBDEs (BDE-47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, 209), TDCPP, DBDPE, EH-TBB and BEHTBP. Older CRT TVs had the highest concentration of BDE-209 of all products tested. This was followed by higher concentrations of HFRs in PCs, Audio/Video (A/V) devices, small household appliances (HHAs) and flat screen TVs. The removal of HFRs from polymer surfaces using wipes supports concerns that HFRs could be transferred from these surfaces to hands as a result of direct contact with HFR-containing products. Surface wipe testing shows promise for screening additive HFRs. In comparison, the Br-content obtained using a handheld XRF analyzer did not correspond to concentrations obtained from surface wipe testing. - Highlights: • Concentrations of flame retardants in dust correlated with product surface wipes • Most abundant FRs in electronics were PBDEs, TDCPP, DBDPE, EH-TBB and BEHTBP. • Descending order of FRs in CRTs, TVs, PCs, A-V devices, and small household appliances • Product wipe testing, but not XRF, useful for non

Product screening for sources of halogenated flame retardants in Canadian house and office dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, Golnoush; Saini, Amandeep; Goosey, Emma; Diamond, Miriam L.

2016-01-01

Human exposure to halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their replacements, can be related to exposure to indoor dust and direct contact with HFR-containing products. This study aimed to identify electronic products that contributed to HFRs measured in indoor dust and to develop a screening method for identifying HFRs in hard polymer products. Concentrations of 10 PBDEs and 12 halogenated replacements in dust and surface wipe samples of hard polymer casings of electronic products plus Br in the surfaces of those casing measured using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were analyzed from 35 homes and 10 offices in Toronto (ON, Canada). HFR concentrations in dust and product wipes were positively correlated. Thus, we hypothesize that electronic products with the highest HFR concentrations contribute the most to concentrations in dust, regardless of the volatility of the HFR. Abundant HFRs in dust and product wipes were PBDEs (BDE-47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, 209), TDCPP, DBDPE, EH-TBB and BEHTBP. Older CRT TVs had the highest concentration of BDE-209 of all products tested. This was followed by higher concentrations of HFRs in PCs, Audio/Video (A/V) devices, small household appliances (HHAs) and flat screen TVs. The removal of HFRs from polymer surfaces using wipes supports concerns that HFRs could be transferred from these surfaces to hands as a result of direct contact with HFR-containing products. Surface wipe testing shows promise for screening additive HFRs. In comparison, the Br-content obtained using a handheld XRF analyzer did not correspond to concentrations obtained from surface wipe testing. - Highlights: • Concentrations of flame retardants in dust correlated with product surface wipes • Most abundant FRs in electronics were PBDEs, TDCPP, DBDPE, EH-TBB and BEHTBP. • Descending order of FRs in CRTs, TVs, PCs, A-V devices, and small household appliances • Product wipe testing, but not XRF, useful for non

POLYAMIDE 6 WITH A FLAME RETARDANT ENCAPSULATED BY POLYAMIDE 66: FLAME RETARDATION, THERMO-DECOMPOSITION AND THE POTENTIAL MECHANISM

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wei-cheng Xiong; Li Chen; Bin Zhao; De-yi Wang; Yu-zhong Wang

2012-01-01

A novel encapsulated flame retardant containing phosphorus-nitrogen (MSMM-Al-P) was prepared by encapsulating with polyamide 66 (PA66-MSMM-Al-P) for the flame retardation of polyamide 6 (PA6).The structure and thermal properties of PA66-MSMM-Al-P were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis.The flammability of PA6 containing' flame retardants (MSMMAl-P and PA66-MSMM-Al-P) was investigated by the limiting oxygen index test,vertical burning test and cone calorimeter.The flame retardancy and cone calorimetric analyses suggested a synergistic effect between PA66 and MSMM-Al-P in the flame-retardant PA6.Thermal stability of the flame-retardant PA6 was also investigated.

Organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers in indoor dust, air and window wipes in newly built low-energy preschools.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Josefin; Wang, Thanh; Hagberg, Jessika

2018-07-01

The construction of extremely airtight and energy efficient low-energy buildings is achieved by using functional building materials, such as age-resistant plastics, insulation, adhesives, and sealants. Additives such as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) can be added to some of these building materials as flame retardants and plasticizers. Some OPFRs are considered persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Therefore, in this pilot study, the occurrence and distribution of nine OPFRs were determined for dust, air, and window wipe samples collected in newly built low-energy preschools with and without environmental certifications. Tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were detected in all indoor dust samples at concentrations ranging from 0.014 to 10μg/g and 0.0069 to 79μg/g, respectively. Only six OPFRs (predominantly chlorinated OPFRs) were detected in the indoor air. All nine OPFRs were found on the window surfaces and the highest concentrations, which occurred in the reference preschool, were measured for 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) (maximum concentration: 1500ng/m 2 ). Interestingly, the OPFR levels in the environmental certified low-energy preschools were lower than those in the reference preschool and the non-certified low-energy preschool, probably attributed to the usage of environmental friendly and low-emitting building materials, interior decorations, and consumer products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Model for Photodegradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Veselý, M.; Vajglová, Zuzana; Kotas, Petr; Křišťál, Jiří; Ponec, Robert; Jiřičný, Vladimír

2015-01-01

Roč. 22, č. 7 (2015), s. 4949-4963 ISSN 0944-1344 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/09/0880; GA ČR(CZ) GAP105/12/0664 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 ; RVO:67179843 Keywords : polybrominated diphenyl ethers * photodegradation model * quantum chemical calculation Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 2.760, year: 2015

Mental Retardation; Its Social Context and Social Consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Farber, Bernard

Concerned with mental retardation as a social product, the following topics are discussed: mental retardation as a social phenomenon, the concept of the retarded as surplus population, labeling and incompetence in relation to life chances, mental retardation as deviance and as incompetence, and findings on the prevalence of retardation in the…

Widespread polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination of urban soils in Melbourne, Australia.

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McGrath, Thomas J; Morrison, Paul D; Sandiford, Christopher J; Ball, Andrew S; Clarke, Bradley O

2016-12-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants in a variety of materials and products. PBDEs have been shown to accumulate in the environment and human populations while exhibiting a range of toxic effects. In this study, surface soil samples from 30 sites in the city of Melbourne, Australia, were analysed for PBDEs. Eight congeners of environmental concern (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154 -183 and -209) were assessed using selective pressurized liquid extraction (S-PLE) and gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). PBDEs were detected in 29/30 samples with Σ 8 PBDE soil concentrations ranging nd-13,200 ng/g dw and Σ 7 PBDEs (excluding BDE-209) levels of nd-70.5 ng/g dw. Soils from waste disposal sites (n = 6) contained the highest median Σ 7 PBDE and Σ 8 PBDE concentrations, followed by manufacturing sites (n = 18) and then non-source sites (n = 6). Electronics recycling facilities contained the greatest levels of Σ 8 PBDEs by a significant margin (p production, with the most significant congener correlation existing between BDE-47 and BDE-99 (p < 0.001, r = 0.943). This first assessment of PBDEs in Melbourne soils indicates widespread contamination of the urban environment, including locations where direct sources to soil are not clear. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AUTISTIC FEATURES IN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION

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Kar, Nilamadhab; Khanna, Rakesh; Kar, Gopal Chandra

1997-01-01

Most of the autistic disorder patients are also mentally retarded and many mentally retarded persons exhibit autistic symptoms. By using a standard instrument (Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Rating Scale) the autistic features of the mentally retarded children were studied. The study also examined the influence of age, sex and level of mental retardation on the occurrence of autistic symptoms. Children who came for consultation to child psychiatric unit were compared with those at a school for children with mental retardation receiving stimulation. Male children from child psychiatric unit had significantly higher scores than those from the school. Social and language impairment could be reliably identified and grouped. It was possible to diagnose the syndrome of autism in children with mental retardation in a significant number (9.6%)as compared to that was possible only clinically (1.9%). More number of children with severe/ profound mental retardation could be diagnosed as autistic. The autistic syndrome in children with mental retardation can be picked up more effectively by the use of structured instrument. PMID:21584097

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in US meat and poultry: 2012-13 levels, trends and estimated consumer exposures.

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Lupton, Sara J; Hakk, Heldur

2017-09-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of brominated flame retardants whose use has contaminated foods and caused subsequent human exposures. To address the issue of possible human exposure, samples from a 2012-13 US meat and poultry (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) study were analysed for seven PBDEs. The mean summed concentrations of the seven BDE congeners (ΣPBDE) from beef, pork, chicken and turkey were 0.40, 0.36, 0.19, and 0.76 ng g -1 lipid weight (lw). The range of ΣPBDEs for all meat classes was 0.01-15.78 ng g -1 lw. A comparison of this study with a 2007-08 study revealed a decline in the median ΣPBDEs for all four meat classes, a reduction of 25.9% to 70.0%, with pork, chicken and turkey PBDE residues being statistically lower relative to the 2007-08 study. BDEs 47 and 99 contributed the most to the ΣPBDE concentrations, indicating likely animal exposures to the penta-BDE formulation. Based on the reported data an estimate of US consumer daily intake of PBDEs from meat and poultry was 6.42 ng day -1 .

Designing quantitative structure activity relationships to predict specific toxic endpoints for polybrominated diphenyl ethers in mammalian cells.

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Rawat, S; Bruce, E D

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are known as effective flame retardants and have vast industrial application in products like plastics, building materials and textiles. They are found to be structurally similar to thyroid hormones that are responsible for regulating metabolism in the body. Structural similarity with the hormones poses a threat to human health because, once in the system, PBDEs have the potential to affect thyroid hormone transport and metabolism. This study was aimed at designing quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for predicting toxic endpoints, namely cell viability and apoptosis, elicited by PBDEs in mammalian cells. Cell viability was evaluated quantitatively using a general cytotoxicity bioassay using Janus Green dye and apoptosis was evaluated using a caspase assay. This study has thus modelled the overall cytotoxic influence of PBDEs at an early and a late endpoint by the Genetic Function Approximation method. This research was a twofold process including running in vitro bioassays to collect data on the toxic endpoints and modeling the evaluated endpoints using QSARs. Cell viability and apoptosis responses for Hep G2 cells exposed to PBDEs were successfully modelled with an r(2) of 0.97 and 0.94, respectively.

Photosynthesis Involvement in the Mechanism of Action of Diphenyl Ether Herbicides 1

Science.gov (United States)

Ensminger, Michael P.; Hess, F. Dan

1985-01-01

Photosynthesis is not required for the toxicity of diphenyl ether herbicides, nor are chloroplast thylakoids the primary site of diphenyl ether herbicide activity. Isolated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplast fragments produced malonyl dialdehyde, indicating lipid peroxidation, when paraquat (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium ion) or diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] were added to the medium, but no malonyl dialdehyde was produced when chloroplast fragments were treated with the methyl ester of acifluorfen (methyl 5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid), oxyfluorfen [2-chloro-1-(3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenoxy)-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzene], or MC15608 (methyl 5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-chlorobenzoate). In most cases the toxicity of acifluorfen-methyl, oxyfluorfen, or MC15608 to the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas eugametos (Moewus) did not decrease after simultaneous treatment with diuron. However, diuron significantly reduced cell death after paraquat treatment at all but the highest paraquat concentration tested (0.1 millimolar). These data indicate electron transport of photosynthesis is not serving the same function for diphenyl ether herbicides as for paraquat. Additional evidence for differential action of paraquat was obtained from the superoxide scavenger copper penicillamine (copper complex of 2-amino-3-mercapto-3-methylbutanoic acid). Copper penicillamine eliminated paraquat toxicity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cotyledons but did not reduce diphenyl ether herbicide toxicity. PMID:16664206

Antifungal activities of diphenyl diselenide and ebselen alone and in combination with antifungal agents against Fusarium spp.

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Venturini, Tarcieli Pozzebon; Chassot, Francieli; Loreto, Érico Silva; Keller, Jéssica Tairine; Azevedo, Maria Izabel; Zeni, Gilson; Santurio, Janio Morais; Alves, Sydney Hartz

2016-07-01

Herein, we describe the in vitro activity of a combination of the organoselenium compounds diphenyl diselenide and ebselen alone and in combination with amphotericin B, caspofungin, itraconazole, and voriconazole against 25 clinical isolates of Fusarium spp. For this analysis, we used the broth microdilution method based on the M38-A2 technique and checkerboard microdilution method. Diphenyl diselenide (MIC range = 4-32 μg/ml) and ebselen (MIC range = 2-8 μg/ml) showed in vitro activity against the isolates tested. The most effective combinations were (synergism rates): ebselen + amphotericin B (88%), ebselen + voriconazole (80%), diphenyl diselenide + amphotericin B (72%), and diphenyl diselenide + voriconazole (64%). Combination with caspofungin resulted in low rates of synergism: ebselen + caspofungin, 36%, and diphenyl diselenide + caspofungin, 28%; combination with itraconazole demonstrated indifferent interactions. Antagonistic effects were not observed for any of the combinations tested. Our findings suggest that the antifungal potential of diphenyl diselenide and ebselen deserves further investigation in in vivo experimental models, especially in combination with amphotericin B and voriconazole. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Eudragit® Retard Polymers for the Microencapsulation of Alpha-Lipoic Acid.

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Pecora, Tiziana M G; Musumeci, Teresa; Musumeci, Lucrezia; Fresta, Massimo; Pignatello, Rosario

2016-01-01

Microencapsulation of natural antioxidants in polymeric systems represents a possible strategy for improving the oral bioavailability of compounds that are otherwise poorly soluble. α-lipoic acid (ALA) was microencapsulated with polymethacrylate polymers (blends at various ratios of Eudragit® RS100 and RL100 resins). Microspheres were produced by solvent displacement of an ethanol cosolution of ALA and polymers; the microsuspensions were then freeze-dried, using trehalose as a cryoprotector. Microspheres were characterized in the solid state for micromeritic properties and drug loading, as well as by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry. The antioxidant activity of free and encapsulated ALA was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. In vitro release studies, performed in simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestinal fluid (pH 6.8), showed that, depending on polymer composition and drug-to-polymer ratio, ALA release can be slowed down, compared to the dissolution pattern of the free drug. Solid-state characterization confirmed the chemical stability of ALA in the microspheres, suggesting that ALA did not develop strong interactions with the polymer and was present in an amorphous or a disordered-crystalline state within the polymer network. As indicated by the DPPH assay, the microencapsulation of ALA in Eudragit® Retard matrices did not alter its antioxidant activity. ALA was effectively encapsulated in Eudragit® Retard matrices, showing a chemical stability up to 6 months at room conditions and at 40°C. Moreover, since the drug maintained its antioxidant activity in vitro, the potential application of these microparticulate systems for oral administration would deserve further studies.

The toxic effects of flame retardants: a gene expression study in elucidating their carcinogenicity

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Vagula, Mary; Al-Dhumani, Ali; Al-Dhumani, Sajaad; Mastro, Alexandra

2013-05-01

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants widely used in many commercial products, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams, and textiles. Although the specific toxic action of these chemicals is not clear, it is reported that they can cause serious damage to the nervous, reproductive, and endocrine systems. These chemicals are branded as "probable carcinogens" by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Therefore, this study is taken up to investigate the expression of genes namely, TP-53, RAD1, CRADD, and ATM, which are involved in apoptosis, DNA repair and cell cycle regulation. For this study human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) are exposed to 5 μM of BDE-85 (a penta-BDE) and BDE-209 (deca-BDE). The results of this report reveal significant alteration in all the genes under investigation in BDE-85 and BDE-209 exposed cells. The BDE-85 induced responses are significantly more than BDE-209. These results emphasize the congener specific action of PBDEs on the expression of genes relevant to DNA repair and cell division of HUVEC cells.

The measurement of retardation in depression.

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Dantchev, N; Widlöcher, D J

1998-01-01

The description of clinical features helps to distinguish between depressive illness and nondepressive psychic pain and enables the clinician to decide whether prescription of an antidepressant is beneficial. Psychomotor retardation is probably a central feature of depression, and this review discusses the methods available for measuring it. The Salpêtrière Retardation Rating Scale (SRRS) specifically measures psychomotor retardation; the scale and applications are described. Means of measuring motor and speech activity and an experimental approach for understanding the process underlying psychomotor retardation are reviewed. Comparison of the SRRS and other rating scale scores demonstrates that retardation is related to depression severity and therapeutic change and is a good criterion for prediction of therapeutic effect. The SRRS has been used to show that selective antidepressants target specific clinical dimensions of depression depending on the patient subgroup treated. Measures of motor and speech activity are sensitive to therapeutic response. Choice Reaction Time and Simple Reaction Time tasks are particularly suited for examining psychomotor retardation because they test the decision process while avoiding motivation and attention interference. Psychomotor retardation is a constant and probably central feature of depression. Means available for measuring it can be used to assess the effects of antidepressants on specific clinical dimensions.

Effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers on steroidogenesis in rat Leydig cells.

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Wang, Kai-Lee; Hsia, Shih-Min; Mao, I-Fang; Chen, Mei-Lien; Wang, Shyi-Wu; Wang, Paulus S

2011-08-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated flame retardants that have been defined as major environmental pollutants. While previous studies have found that PBDEs may enhance the levels of sex-steroid hormones, their effects on testosterone secretion from rat Leydig cells are unclear. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of PBDE-710, a mixture of tetra- and penta-PBDEs, on testosterone biosynthesis in rat Leydig cells. Leydig cells from adult male rats were challenged with different concentrations of PBDE-710 (0.5-15 ng/ml) to evaluate the effects on testosterone steroidogenesis. Concentrations of testosterone and of cAMP and pregnenolone in medium were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Nuclear translocation of protein kinase A α (PKAα) was determined by immunofluorence assay and western blot assay, and the mRNA expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In this in vitro study, PBDE-710 (5 or 15 ng/ml) increased basal testosterone secretion and cAMP production by 3- and 2-fold, respectively. The stimulatory effect was abolished by adenylyl cyclase inhibitor. Enzyme activity of CYP11A1, as determined by the pregnenolone concentration, was stimulated by PBDE-710 treatment. Furthermore, nuclear translocation of PKAα was increased by 20% and StAR gene expression was elevated by 4-fold after PBDE-710 treatment. These results suggest that low concentrations of PBDE-710 could stimulate testosterone secretion by acting directly on Leydig cells to activate the cAMP pathway and increase expression of StAR.

Synergistic Effect of Nanosilica Aerogel with Phosphorus Flame Retardants on Improving Flame Retardancy and Leaching Resistance of Wood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaodan Zhu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nanosilica (Nano-SiO2 sol fabricated by a sol-gel process was introduced into wood modification with phosphorus flame retardants to improve the flame retardancy and leaching resistance of wood. The obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, cone calorimetric (CONE, and infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR. The residual rate of flame retardants before and after leaching was determinated by a leaching resistance. The results showed that the phosphorus flame retardants and SiO2 sol could reside in the poplar wood and are widely distributed in the vessels, pits, wood timber, and the spaces between wood cells of poplar substrate. TGA and CONE results indicated that the introduction of nano-SiO2 aerogel with phosphorus flame retardants had a significantly synergistic effect on improving the flame retardancy and inhibiting the release of smoke and toxic gases. In addition, the leaching resistance test, combined with infrared analysis and EDS analysis, confirmed that the phosphorus flame retardants were able to be fixed by SiO2 aerogel in the wood.

Can earthworms survive fire retardants?

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Beyer, W.N.; Olson, A.

1996-01-01

Most common fire retardants are foams or are similar to common agricultural fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate and ammonium phosphate. Although fire retardants are widely applied to soils, we lack basic information about their toxicities to soil organisms. We measured the toxicity of five fire retardants (Firetrol LCG-R, Firetrol GTS-R, Silv-Ex Foam Concentrate, Phos-chek D-75, and Phos-chek WD-881) to earthworms using the pesticide toxicity test developed for earthworms by the European Economic Community. None was lethal at 1,000 ppm in the soil, which was suggested as a relatively high exposure under normal applications. We concluded that the fire retardants tested are relatively nontoxic to soil organisms compared with other environmental chemicals and that they probably do not reduce earthworm populations when applied under usual firefighting conditions.

Antifungal activities of diphenyl diselenide and ebselen against echinocandin-susceptible and -resistant strains of Candida parapsilosis.

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Chassot, Francieli; Pozzebon Venturini, Tarcieli; Baldissera Piasentin, Fernanda; Morais Santurio, Janio; Estivalet Svidzinski, Terezinha Inez; Hartz Alves, Sydney

2016-10-01

We evaluated the in vitro antifungal activity of diphenyl diselenide and ebselen against echinocandin-susceptible and -resistant strains of Candida parapsilosis using the broth microdilution method. Diphenyl diselenide (MIC range =1-8 µg/mL) and ebselen (MIC range =0.25-4 µg/mL) showed in vitro activity against echinocandin-susceptible isolates. However, ebselen also showed the highest antifungal activity against echinocandin-resistant strains (MIC range =0.06-4 µg/mL). This study demonstrated that the antifungal potential of diphenyl diselenide and ebselen deserves further investigation using in vivo experimental protocols.

Induced production of halogenated diphenyl ethers from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum.

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Yang, Guohua; Yun, Keumja; Nenkep, Viviane N; Choi, Hong Dae; Kang, Jung Sook; Son, Byeng Wha

2010-11-01

Manipulation of the fermentation of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum by addition of CaBr(2) resulted in induced production of bromodiphenyl ether analogs. Two new free-radical-scavenging polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 1 and 2, and three known diphenyl ethers, 3,3'-dihydroxy-5,5'-dimethyldiphenyl ether (3), and an inseparable mixture of violacerol-I (4) and violacerol-II (5) were isolated. The structures of the two new polybromodiphenyl ethers 1 and 2 were assigned by combined spectroscopic-data analysis, including deuterium-induced isotope effect. Compounds 1-3, and a mixture of 4 and 5 exhibited radical-scavenging activities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl with IC(50) values of 18, 15, 42, and 6 μM, respectively. With the exception of 3, the compounds were, therefore, more active than the positive control, ascorbic acid (IC(50) 20 μM).

Fire-retardant decorative inks for aircraft interiors

Science.gov (United States)

Kourtides, D. A.; Nir, Z.; Mikroyannidis, J. A.

1985-01-01

Commercial and experimental fire retardants were screened as potential fire retardants for acrylic printing inks used on aircraft interior sandwich panels. The fire retardants are selected according to their physical properties and their thermostabilities. A criterion for selecting a more stable fire retardant is established. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are used to determine thermostabilities. Results show that the fire retardant formulations are more thermally stable than the acrylic ink control. It is determined that an ink formulation containing a brominated phenol and carboxy-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile which has been modified with a brominated polymeric additive (BPA), yields the highest limiting oxygen index (LOI) of all the compounds tested. All of the fire-retardant formulations have a higher oxygen index than the baseline acrylic ink.

Differentiation of retarded integrals and the divergence theorem for retarded functions with discontinuities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooperstock, F.I.; Lim, P.H.

1986-01-01

Theorems expressing the time derivatives of retarded volume and surface integrals are presented as well as the Gauss divergence theorem for retarded functions with discontinuities. These theorems greatly facilitate the analysis of gravitational radiation from the motion of disjoint matter distributions in general relativity and could find useful application in other branches of physics

Effects of diphenyl and p-chloro-diphenyl diselenides on feeding behavior of rats.

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Bortolatto, Cristiani F; Heck, Suélen O; Gai, Bibiana M; Zborowski, Vanessa A; Neto, José S S; Nogueira, Cristina W

2015-07-01

The searching for safe and effective antiobesity drugs has been the subject of intense research. Previous studies have shown several pharmacological applications of organoselenium compounds; however, their possible anorectic-like actions have not been investigated. This study aims to investigate the effects of (PhSe)2 and (p-ClPhSe)2 on feeding behavior of rats and their potential as weight-reducing agents. The effects of intraperitoneal administration of diselenides were investigated through the microstructural pattern of feeding behavior, behavioral satiety sequence (BSS), hypothalamic serotonin (5-HT) uptake, body weight, and epididymal fat content of male rats. Our findings demonstrated that food intake of fasted rats was reduced by both diselenides (1 and 10 mg/kg). Diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe)2] (1 mg/kg) and p-chloro-diphenyl diselenide [(p-ClPhSe)2] (10 mg/kg) decreased the frequency, mean duration, and mean size of meals compared with the control treatment. The BSS structure was preserved when organoselenium compounds (1 mg/kg) were administered, and it was associated to a displacement to the left when the resting period started indicating a satiating action. Inhibition of 5-HT uptake in the hypothalamus (∼20 %) was also found in rats treated with low doses of (PhSe)2 and (p-ClPhSe)2 (1 mg/kg). Treatments with a high dose of both diselenides (10 mg/kg) carried out for 7 days induced weight loss and epididymal fat reduction in sated rats. This study suggests that diselenides caused a satiating action in rats that could be partially explained by the inhibition of hypothalamic 5-HT uptake. These organoselenium compounds were potential weight-reducing agents when repeatedly administered.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and novel flame retardants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Marie; Vorkamp, Katrin; Nielsen, Jesper Bo

,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (TBP-DBPE) and dechlorane plus (DDC-CO) have been detected in the same dust samples previously analysed for PBDEs and are currently being analysed in the corresponding human milk samples. [1] Stapleon H.M., Eagle S., Sjödin A., Webster T.F. (2012). Serum PBDEs in a North Carolina Toddler...

Brominated flame retardants in Canadian chicken egg yolks.

Science.gov (United States)

Rawn, D F K; Sadler, A; Quade, S C; Sun, W-F; Lau, B P-Y; Kosarac, I; Hayward, S; Ryan, J J

2011-06-01

Chicken eggs categorised as conventional, omega-3 enriched, free range and organic were collected at grading stations in three regions of Canada between 2005 and 2006. Free run eggs, which were only available for collection from two regions, were also sampled during this time frame. Egg yolks from each of these egg types (n = 162) were analysed to determine brominated flame retardant levels, specifically polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). PBDEs were detected in 100% of the 162 samples tested, while HBCD was observed in 85% of the egg yolks. Total PBDE concentrations in egg yolks ranged from 0.018 to 20.9 ng g(-1) lipid (median = 3.03 ng g(-1) lipid), with PBDE 209 identified as being the major contributor to ΣPBDE concentrations. In addition to PBDE 209, PBDE 99, 47, 100, 183 and 153 were important contributors to ΣPBDE concentrations. Total HBCD concentrations ranged from below the limit of detection to a maximum concentration of 71.9 ng g(-1) lipid (median = 0.053 ng g(-1) lipid). The α-isomer was the dominant contributor to ΣHBCD levels in Canadian egg yolks and was the most frequently detected HBCD isomer. ΣPBDE levels exhibited large differences in variability between combinations of region and type. ΣHBCD concentrations were not significantly different among regions, although differences were observed between the different types of egg yolks analysed in the present study.

The flame retardant DE-71 (a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers) inhibits human differentiated thyroid cell function in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronborg, Thit Mynster; Hansen, Juliana Frohnert; Rasmussen, Åse Krogh; Vorkamp, Katrin; Nielsen, Claus Henrik; Frederiksen, Marie; Hofman-Bang, Jacob; Hahn, Christoffer Holst; Ramhøj, Louise; Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla

2017-01-01

Normal thyroid function is essential for general growth and metabolism, but can be affected by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used worldwide to reduce flammability in different materials and are suspected to be EDCs. The production of the commercial Penta- and OctaBDE mixtures is banned, but DecaBDEs and existing products may leak PBDEs into the environment. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the PentaBDE mixture DE-71 on human thyroid cells in vitro. Primary human thyroid cells were obtained as paraadenomatous tissue and cultured in monolayers. The influence of DE-71 on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and thyroglobulin (Tg) production was examined in the culture medium by competitive radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of thyroid-specific genes was performed on the exposed cell cultures. PBDE concentrations were determined in cellular and supernatant fractions of the cultures. DE-71 inhibited Tg-release from TSH-stimulated thyrocytes. At 50 mg/L DE-71, mean Tg production was reduced by 71.9% (range: 8.5-98.7%), and cAMP by 95.1% (range: 91.5-98.8%) compared to controls). Expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr were significantly inhibited (pproduction, respectively, as well as expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr. Our findings suggest an inhibiting effect of PBDEs on thyroid cells.

The Right Brain: Surviving Retardation

Science.gov (United States)

Science News, 1977

1977-01-01

Describes two studies of brain hemisphere development which indicate children retarded in the functions of one hemisphere may not be retarded in the functions of the second hemisphere. Suggests that the left hemisphere functions may inhibit some right hemisphere functions. (SL)

CT findings of mentally retarded patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikami, Akihiro; Watanabe, Hiroshi

1984-01-01

Cranial CT findings were compared according to the age group in 192 mentally retarded patients aged from 15 to 59 years and in 132 control subjects. Enlargement of the ventricles, cisterns or fissures was judged. The incidence of ''enlargement'' was higher, irrespective of age, in mentally retarded group than in the control group. When the mentally retarded patients were divided into the group with pathologic symptoms and the group without them, the incidence of ''enlargement'' was higher in the former group than in the control group, but there was no significant difference between the latter group and the control group. There was no consistent relationship between the degree of mental retardation and the incidence of ''enlargement''. Many of the mentally retarded patients with pathologic symptoms tended to have a wide range of enlargement, while many of the patients without them had narrowed lateral ventricle. (Namekawa, K.)

Synthesis of 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elhadi, S. A.

2004-09-01

Quinolin derivatives are a group of compounds known to possess a wide range of biological activities. The chemistry of quinolines together with their corresponding aldehydes were dealt with in chapter one of this study. Special emphasis was given to the chemistry of benzaldehyde. Twenty five 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid derivatives together with their corresponding intermediates were prepared in this work. Basically, the synthetic design of these compounds arise from the appropriate disconnections of the target 2-phenyl and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acids. The retro synthesis analysis of these compounds reveals pyruvic acid, aromatic amine and benzaldehyde or phenyl pyruvic acid, aromatic amine and benzaldehyde as possible logical precursors for 2-phenyl-and 2,3-diphenyl- quinoline-4-carboxylic acids respectively. The purity and identities of the synthesized compounds were elucidated through chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The compounds were heavily subjected to spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, GC/MS, 1 H-and 13 C- NMR). The appropriate disconnections and the mechanisms of the corresponding reactions were given and discussed in chapter three. The spectral data were interpreted and correlated with the target structures. The prepared 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives were screened for their antibacterial activity. The compounds were tested against the standard bacterial organisms B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli and P. vulgaris. Some of these compounds were devoid of antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. vulgaris, while others showed moderate activity. All of the tested compounds showed an activity against B. subtilis and E. coli. 2,3-diphenyl -6-sulphanilamide-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid showed the highest activity against the four standard tested organisms.(Author)

Synthesis of 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid derivatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elhadi, S A [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Education, University of Khartoum, Khartoum (Sudan)

2004-09-01

Quinolin derivatives are a group of compounds known to possess a wide range of biological activities. The chemistry of quinolines together with their corresponding aldehydes were dealt with in chapter one of this study. Special emphasis was given to the chemistry of benzaldehyde. Twenty five 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid derivatives together with their corresponding intermediates were prepared in this work. Basically, the synthetic design of these compounds arise from the appropriate disconnections of the target 2-phenyl and 2,3-diphenyl-quinolin-4-carboxylic acids. The retro synthesis analysis of these compounds reveals pyruvic acid, aromatic amine and benzaldehyde or phenyl pyruvic acid, aromatic amine and benzaldehyde as possible logical precursors for 2-phenyl-and 2,3-diphenyl- quinoline-4-carboxylic acids respectively. The purity and identities of the synthesized compounds were elucidated through chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The compounds were heavily subjected to spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, GC/MS, {sup 1}H-and {sup 13}C- NMR). The appropriate disconnections and the mechanisms of the corresponding reactions were given and discussed in chapter three. The spectral data were interpreted and correlated with the target structures. The prepared 2-phenyl- and 2,3-diphenyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives were screened for their antibacterial activity. The compounds were tested against the standard bacterial organisms B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli and P. vulgaris. Some of these compounds were devoid of antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. vulgaris, while others showed moderate activity. All of the tested compounds showed an activity against B. subtilis and E. coli. 2,3-diphenyl -6-sulphanilamide-quinolin-4-carboxylic acid showed the highest activity against the four standard tested organisms.(Author)

Effectiveness of Flame Retardants in TufFoam.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abelow, Alexis Elizabeth [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Nissen, April [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Massey, Lee Taylor [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Whinnery, LeRoy L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-12-01

An investigation of polyurethane foam filled with known flame retardant fillers including hydroxides, melamine, phosphate-containing compounds, and melamine phosphates was carried out to produce a low-cost material with high flame retardant efficiency. The impact of flame retardant fillers on the physical properties such a s composite foam density, glass transition temperature, storage modulus, and thermal expansion of composite foams was investigated with the goal of synthesizing a robust rigid foam with excellent flame retardant properties.

Inhibition of human placental aromatase activity by hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs).

Science.gov (United States)

Cantón, Rocío F; Scholten, Deborah E A; Marsh, Göran; de Jong, Paul C; van den Berg, Martin

2008-02-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used as flame retardants in many different polymers, resins and substrates. Due to their widespread production and use, their high binding affinity to particles, and their lipophilic properties, several PBDE congeners can bioaccumulate in the environment. As a result, PBDEs and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs) have been detected in humans and various wildlife samples, such as birds, seals, and whales. Furthermore, certain OH-PBDEs and their methoxylated derivatives (MeO-PBDEs) are natural products in the marine environment. Recently, our laboratory focused on the possible effects on steroidogenesis of PBDEs and OH-PBDEs, e.g. in the human adrenocortical carcinoma (H295R) cell line indicating that some OH-PBDEs can significantly influence steroidogenic enzymes like CYP19 (aromatase) and CYP17. In the present study, human placental microsomes have been used to study the possible interaction of twenty two OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs with aromatase, the enzyme that mediates the conversion of androgens into estrogens. All OH-PBDE derivates showed significant inhibition of placental aromatase activity with IC(50) values in the low micromolar range, while the MeO-PBDEs did not have any effect on this enzyme activity. Enzyme kinetics studies indicated that two OH-PBDEs, 5-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (5-OH-BDE47) and 6-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH-BDE47), had a mixed-type inhibition of aromatase activity with apparent K(i)/K(i)' of 7.68/0,02 microM and 5.01/0.04 microM respectively. For comparison, some structurally related compounds, a dihydroxylated polybrominated biphenyl, which is a natural product (2,2'-dihyroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyl (2,2'-diOH-BB80)) and its non-bromo derivative were also included in the study. Again inhibition of aromatase activity could be measured, but their potency was significantly less than those observed for the OH-PBDEs. These results show that a

Inhibition of human placental aromatase activity by hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canton, Rocio F.; Scholten, Deborah E.A.; Marsh, Goeran; Jong, Paul C. de; Berg, Martin van den

2008-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used as flame retardants in many different polymers, resins and substrates. Due to their widespread production and use, their high binding affinity to particles, and their lipophilic properties, several PBDE congeners can bioaccumulate in the environment. As a result, PBDEs and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs) have been detected in humans and various wildlife samples, such as birds, seals, and whales. Furthermore, certain OH-PBDEs and their methoxylated derivatives (MeO-PBDEs) are natural products in the marine environment. Recently, our laboratory focused on the possible effects on steroidogenesis of PBDEs and OH-PBDEs, e.g. in the human adrenocortical carcinoma (H295R) cell line indicating that some OH-PBDEs can significantly influence steroidogenic enzymes like CYP19 (aromatase) and CYP17. In the present study, human placental microsomes have been used to study the possible interaction of twenty two OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs with aromatase, the enzyme that mediates the conversion of androgens into estrogens. All OH-PBDE derivates showed significant inhibition of placental aromatase activity with IC 50 values in the low micromolar range, while the MeO-PBDEs did not have any effect on this enzyme activity. Enzyme kinetics studies indicated that two OH-PBDEs, 5-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (5-OH-BDE47) and 6-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH-BDE47), had a mixed-type inhibition of aromatase activity with apparent K i /K i ' of 7.68/0,02 μM and 5.01/0.04 μM respectively. For comparison, some structurally related compounds, a dihydroxylated polybrominated biphenyl, which is a natural product (2,2'-dihyroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyl (2,2'-diOH-BB80)) and its non-bromo derivative were also included in the study. Again inhibition of aromatase activity could be measured, but their potency was significantly less than those observed for the OH-PBDEs. These results show that a wide

[Indoor dust as a pathway of human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)].

Science.gov (United States)

Góralczyk, Katarzyna; Struciński, Paweł; Hernik, Agnieszka; Czaja, Katarzyna; Korcz, Wojciech; Minorczyk, Maria; Ludwicki, Jan K

2012-01-01

The brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) belong to a class of synthetic, additive brominated flame retardants (BFRs). PBDEs are used to reduce the flammability of commercial and household products such as textiles, various plastic polymers, furnishing foam, and electronic equipment. People spend a large percentage of their life-time indoors at home, in offices and cars, etc, providing many opportunities for lengthy exposure to PBDEs from residential settings and commercial products in an indoor environment. In recent time, the foodstuffs, mainly food of animal origin, have been indicated as the main pathway of human exposure to PBDEs. However, many studies have shown that the indoor environment, mainly indoor dust, can be also a significant source of exposure to PBDEs, especially for younger children (toddlers) because of their behavioral patterns, eg. putting fingers, toys, and other items in their mouth. Numerous studies show that the median intakes of PBDEs via dust for adult range from 1.41 to 277 ng x day(-1) is lower than that via food which range from 135 to 333 ng x day-', while the median intake of these compounds via indoor dust for children range from 101 to 404 ng x day(-1) is much higher than via food: 77-190 ng x day(-1). The congener pattern observed in the indoor dust is different to that found in food. The indoor dust is dominated by the congener BDE-209 vs. food where the most dominated congeners are BDE-47 and BDE-99. Human exposure to PBDEs and other brominated flame retardants (BFRs) is widely widespread throughout the world and it depends on a country range of usage, production and legislation concerning these chemicals as well as a citizen's behavior. Generally, human exposure has been found higher in North America than in Europe and Asia. Within European countries the significant highest concentrations in dust have been found in the United Kingdom. It should be noted that many uncertainty factors such as personal habits, dietary preferences

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in leachates from selected landfill sites in South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odusanya, David O.; Okonkwo, Jonathan O.; Botha, Ben

2009-01-01

The last few decades have seen dramatic growth in the scale of production and the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants. Consequently, PBDEs such as BDE -28, -47, -66, -71, -75, -77, -85, -99, -100, -119, -138, -153, -154, and -183 have been detected in various environmental matrices. Generally, in South Africa, once the products containing these chemicals have outlived their usefulness, they are discarded into landfill sites. Consequently, the levels of PBDEs in leachates from landfill sites may give an indication of the general exposure and use of these compounds. The present study was aimed at determining the occurrence and concentrations of most common PBDEs in leachates from selected landfill sites. The extraction capacities of the solvents were also tested. Spiked landfill leachate samples were used for the recovery tests. Separation and determination of the PBDE congeners were carried out with a gas chromatograph equipped with Ni 63 electron capture detector. The mean percentage recoveries ranged from 63% to 108% (n = 3) for landfill leachate samples with petroleum ether giving the highest percentage extraction. The mean concentrations of PBDEs obtained ranged from ND to 2670 pg l -1 , ND to 6638 pg l -1 , ND to 7230 pg l -1 , 41 to 4009 pg l -1 , 90 to 9793 pg l -1 for the Garankuwa, Hatherly, Kwaggarsrand, Soshanguve and Temba landfill sites, respectively. Also BDE -28, -47, -71 and BDE-77 were detected in the leachate samples from all the landfill sites; and all the congeners were detected in two of the oldest landfill sites. The peak concentrations were recorded for BDE-47 at three sites and BDE-71 and BDE-75 at two sites. The highest concentration, 9793 ± 1.5 pg l -1 , was obtained for the Temba landfill site with the highest BOD value. This may suggest some influence of organics on the level of PBDEs. Considering the leaching characteristics of brominated flame retardants, there is a high possibility that with time these

Environmental concentration and atmospheric deposition of halogenated flame retardants in soil from Nepal: Source apportionment and soil-air partitioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Ishwar Chandra; Devi, Ningombam Linthoingambi; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan

2018-02-01

While various investigations have been driven on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other flame retardants (FRs) in different framework around the world, information about contamination and fate of PBDEs and other FRs in developing countries especially in the Indian subcontinent is uncommon. Nepal being located in the Indian subcontinent, very little is known about contamination level of semi-volatile organic pollutants discharged into the environment. This motivated us to investigate the environmental fate of halogenated flame retardant (HFRs) in Nepalese condition. In this study, we investigated the concentration, fate, and sources of 9 PBDEs, 2 dechlorane plus isomers (DPs), and 6 novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs). Moreover, air-soil exchange and soil-air partitioning were also evaluated to characterize the pattern of air-soil exchange and environmental fate. In general, the concentrations of NBFRs in soil were more prevalent than PBDEs and DPs, and accounted 95% of ∑HFRs. By and large, the concentrations of NBFRs and DPs were measured high in Kathmandu, while PBDEs level exceeded in Pokhara. Principal component analysis (PCA) study suggested contributions from commercial penta-, octa-, and deca-BDEs products and de-bromination of highly brominated PBDEs as the significant source of PBDEs. Likewise, low f anti ratio suggested DPs in soil might have originated from long-range atmospheric transport from remote areas, while high levels of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) in soil were linked with the use of wide varieties of consumer products. The estimated fugacity fraction (ff) for individual HFR was quite lower (soil is overwhelming. Soil-air partitioning study revealed neither octanol-air partition coefficient (K OA ) nor black carbon partition coefficient (K BC-A ) is an appropriate surrogate for soil organic matter (SOM), subsequently, absorption by SOM has no or little role in the partitioning of HFRs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All

Brominated flame retardants as persistent organic pollutants. Distribution in the environment and human exposition; Los retardantes de llama bromados como compuestos organicos persistentes. Distribucion en el medio ambiente y exposicion en humanos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabrellas, B.; Solis, A.; Alvarez, A.; Larrazabal, D.; Martinez, A.

2004-07-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are a family of synthetic chemicals widely used in industry to delay, inhibit or even suppress combustion process in manufactured items. Flame retardant products are frequently added into plastic, electronic, paint and textile materials to reduce the risk of ignition. During last years, increasing levels of PBDEs have been detected in the environment, suggesting release from the treated surface as main pathway for environmental intake. Their physicochemical structure makes them substances of highly lipophilic bio accumulative and persistent nature, with potential toxic effects observed onto wildlife and humans. This publication resumes actual knowledge on PBDEs research and submits initiatives of human and environment exposure minimization. (Author)

People with Mental Retardation Are Dying, Legally.

Science.gov (United States)

Keyes, Denis; And Others

1997-01-01

Criticizes the institution of the death penalty for convicted criminals with mental retardation. Examples are given of cases in which juries were not told of the defendant's mental retardation before sentencing, and a list of defendants with mental retardation that have been executed since 1976 is provided. (CR)

Radiation and mental retardation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pochin, E.E.

1988-01-01

A brief article discusses mental retardation in children who had been exposed to ionizing radiation in utero. The time of greatest sensitivity is between the 8th and 15th week after conception and the time of lesser sensitivity between the 16th and 25th weeks. An examination of the thresholds for exposure indicate that severe mental retardation would not result from any present environmental exposures of the public. (U.K.)

CASE REPORT OF A MENTALLY RETARDED CHILD

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Vasilka GALEVSKA

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Mental retardation is a complex individual and social problem. According to WHO, around 1-3 % of world population are mentally retarded people and the percentage between school children is around 2 %.The development of a mentally retarded child depends on factors related to the disability itself, all the limitations and characteristics which results from that. But, physical, psychical, educational and social development of a mentally retarded child, also, depend on other conditions, such as the family and the wider environment, their reactions, attitudes, awareness and sensitivity for special needs of the child, as well as their preparedness and possibilities to respond.At the same time, it is necessary that the mentally retarded child is detected and diagnosed in time, as well as the early start of an adequate treatment.

Intrauterine radiation exposures and mental retardation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.W.

1988-01-01

Small head size and mental retardation have been known as effects of intrauterine exposure to ionizing radiation since the 1920s. In the 1950s, studies of Japanese atomic-bomb survivors revealed that at 4-17 wk of gestation, the greater the dose, the smaller the brain (and head size), and that beginning at 0.5 Gy (50 rad) in Hiroshima, mental retardation increased in frequency with increasing dose. No other excess of birth defects was observed. Otake and Schull (1984) pointed out that the period of susceptibility to mental retardation coincided with that for proliferation and migration of neuronal elements from near the cerebral ventricles to the cortex. Mental retardation could be the result of interference with this process. Their analysis indicated that exposures at 8-15 wk to 0.01-0.02 Gy (1-2 rad) doubled the frequency of severe mental retardation. This estimate was based on small numbers of mentally retarded atomic-bomb survivors. Although nuclear accidents have occurred recently, new cases will hopefully be too rare to provide further information about the risk of mental retardation. It may be possible, however, to learn about lesser impairment. New psychometric tests may be helpful in detecting subtle deficits in intelligence or neurodevelopmental function. One such test is PEERAMID, which is being used in schools to identify learning disabilities due, for example, to deficits in attention, short- or long-term memory, or in sequencing information. This and other tests could be applied in evaluating survivors of intrauterine exposure to various doses of ionizing radiation. The results could change our understanding of the safety of low-dose exposures

Retardo mental Mental retardation

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Marcio M. Vasconcelos

2004-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Esta revisão aborda as recentes descobertas da neurobiologia do retardo mental, enfatizando os novos recursos da citogenética, das técnicas moleculares e da neurorradiologia para esclarecer o diagnóstico. FONTES DE DADOS: O autor pesquisou o banco de dados MEDLINE da National Library of Medicine utilizando as palavras-chave "mental retardation", "developmental disability", "child" e "adolescent" em diferentes combinações, abrangendo o período de janeiro de 2000 a outubro de 2003. Também foram utilizados os bancos de dados das revistas científicas Pediatrics e New England Journal of Medicine através da palavra-chave "mental retardation". No total, o autor consultou cerca de 1.500 títulos de artigos e 500 resumos, e teve acesso direto a 150 artigos completos pertinentes. Quando oportuno, algumas referências dos artigos consultados também foram consideradas. O site Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man foi utilizado como fonte de informações em genética clínica. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Em outubro de 2003, o total de síndromes genéticas associadas a retardo mental chegou a 1.149. Considerando-se o conjunto das causas genéticas ou ambientais e congênitas ou adquiridas de retardo mental, a avaliação diagnóstica atual é capaz de esclarecer a etiologia em 50 a 70% dos casos. CONCLUSÕES: O autor sugere uma avaliação diagnóstica do retardo mental em etapas lógicas, visando ao uso racional dos dispendiosos recursos da citogenética, biologia molecular e neuroimagem.OBJECTIVE: This paper describes recent advances in the neurobiology of mental retardation, emphasizing new diagnostic resources provided by cytogenetics, molecular testing, and neuroimaging. SOURCES OF DATA: MEDLINE (January 2000 through October 2003, using the following key words: mental retardation, developmental disability, child, and adolescent. Search of the Pediatrics and New England Journal of Medicine websites using the key word mental retardation. The

Differences in neonatal neurotoxicity of brominated flame retardants, PBDE 99 and TBBPA, in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viberg, Henrik; Eriksson, Per

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Neonatal exposure to PBDE 99, but not TBBPA, causes changes in the neonatal brain. → CaMKII increases in neonatal hippocampus after PBDE 99 exposure. → CaMKII, GAP-43 and synaptophysin increase in neonatal cortex after PBDE 99 exposure. → CaMKII increase in hippocampus has earlier been seen to proceed behavioral changes. → Neonatal exposure to PBDE 99, but not TBBPA, is known to cause behavioral deficits. -- Abstract: Flame retardants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and tetrabromobisphenol A are used as flame retardants and detected in the environmental, wildlife species and human tissues. Exposure to PBDEs during the neonatal development of the brain has been shown to affect behavior and learning and memory in adult mice, while neonatal exposure to TBBPA (another brominated flame retardant) did not affect behavioral variables in the adult. In this study, we hypothesized that the effects of these compounds could be reflected by changes in biochemical substrates and cholinergic receptors and have examined the levels of four proteins involved in maturation of the brain, neuronal growth and synaptogenesis and the densities of both muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors. We measured the levels of radioactivity in the brain after administration of 14 C-labelled TBBPA at different time points and saw that levels of TBBA peaked earlier and decreased faster than the earlier reported levels of PBDE 99. The protein analysis in the neonatal brain showed changes in the levels of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and synaptophysin following neonatal exposure to PBDE 99 (21 μmol/kg body weight), but not following exposure TBBPA. Furthermore, neonatal exposure to PBDE 99 and TBBPA caused a decrease in binding sites of the nicotinic ligand cytisine in frontal cortex. These results confirm earlier reported data that PBDE 99 can act as a developmental neurotoxicant, possibly

Characterization of brominated flame retardants from e-waste components in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Danfeng; Duan, Huabo; Song, Qingbin; Liu, Yicheng; Li, Ying; Li, Jinhui; Shen, Weijun; Luo, Jiahui; Wang, Jinben

2017-10-01

Many studies show that high levels of many toxic metals and persistent and bio-accumulative chemicals have been found in electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling sites and their surrounding environmental media. Both flame-retardant plastic housing materials and printed circuit boards (PCBs) could be the major contributors. However, relatively little work has focused on the use or content of toxic substances and their changing in scrap housing materials and PCBs from home appliances. This study evaluated the existence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA)) in housing plastics and PCBs from home appliances collected from various e-waste recyclers in China. These were then analyzed for the potential migration of BFRs from the e-waste components into their recycled products. The results show that both PBDEs and TBBPA were found with high level in most of e-waste samples, indicating that the widespread use of BFRs in home appliances are entering into the end-of-life stage. For the plastics samples, CRT TVs and LCD monitors should be given priority for the control of BFRs. Regarding PBDEs, the dominant congeners of BDE-209 in the plastics samples contributed 90.72-93.54% to the total concentrations of PBDEs, yet there are large variations for PCBs samples: BDE-28, -47, -99, and -153 were also important congeners compositions, except for BDE-209. Compared with previous studies, the BFRs concentrations in current Chinese e-waste are trending to decline. This study also found that BFRs in housing plastics and PCBs will be transferred into the recycled products with other purpose use, and the new products could have highly enriched capacities for BFRs. The obtained results could be helpful to manage e-waste and their components properly in order to minimize associated environmental and health risks of BFRs, particularly for their further reuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flame Retardant Polyamide Fibres: The Challenge of Minimising Flame Retardant Additive Contents with Added Nanoclays

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Richard Horrocks

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This work shows that halogen-free, flame retarded polyamide 6 (PA6, fabrics may be produced in which component fibres still have acceptable tensile properties and low levels (preferably ≤10 wt % of additives by incorporating a nanoclay along with two types of flame retardant formulations. The latter include (i aluminium diethyl phosphinate (AlPi at 10 wt %, known to work principally in the vapour phase and (ii ammonium sulphamate (AS/dipentaerythritol (DP system present at 2.5 and 1 wt % respectively, believed to be condense phase active. The nanoclay chosen is an organically modified montmorillonite clay, Cloisite 25A. The effect of each additive system is analysed in terms of its ability to maximise both filament tensile properties relative to 100% PA6 and flame retardant behaviour of knitted fabrics in a vertical orientation. None of the AlPi-containing formulations achieved self-extinguishability, although the presence of nanoclay promoted lower burning and melt dripping rates. The AS/DP-containing formulations with total flame retardant levels of 5.5 wt % or less showed far superior properties and with nanoclay, showed fabric extinction times ≤ 39 s and reduced melt dripping. The tensile and flammability results, supported by thermogravimetric analysis, have been interpreted in terms of the mechanism of action of each flame retardant/nanoclay type.

Interactions between cadmium and decabrominated diphenyl ether on blood cells count in rats—Multiple factorial regression analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curcic, Marijana; Buha, Aleksandra; Stankovic, Sanja; Milovanovic, Vesna; Bulat, Zorica; Đukić-Ćosić, Danijela; Antonijević, Evica; Vučinić, Slavica; Matović, Vesna; Antonijevic, Biljana

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess toxicity of Cd and BDE-209 mixture on haematological parameters in subacutely exposed rats and to determine the presence and type of interactions between these two chemicals using multiple factorial regression analysis. Furthermore, for the assessment of interaction type, an isobologram based methodology was applied and compared with multiple factorial regression analysis. Chemicals were given by oral gavage to the male Wistar rats weighing 200–240 g for 28 days. Animals were divided in 16 groups (8/group): control vehiculum group, three groups of rats were treated with 2.5, 7.5 or 15 mg Cd/kg/day. These doses were chosen on the bases of literature data and reflect relatively high Cd environmental exposure, three groups of rats were treated with 1000, 2000 or 4000 mg BDE-209/kg/bw/day, doses proved to induce toxic effects in rats. Furthermore, nine groups of animals were treated with different mixtures of Cd and BDE-209 containing doses of Cd and BDE-209 stated above. Blood samples were taken at the end of experiment and red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets counts were determined. For interaction assessment multiple factorial regression analysis and fitted isobologram approach were used. In this study, we focused on multiple factorial regression analysis as a method for interaction assessment. We also investigated the interactions between Cd and BDE-209 by the derived model for the description of the obtained fitted isobologram curves. Current study indicated that co-exposure to Cd and BDE-209 can result in significant decrease in RBC count, increase in WBC count and decrease in PLT count, when compared with controls. Multiple factorial regression analysis used for the assessment of interactions type between Cd and BDE-209 indicated synergism for the effect on RBC count and no interactions i.e. additivity for the effects on WBC and PLT counts. On the other hand, isobologram based approach showed slight antagonism for the effects on RBC and WBC while no interactions were proved for the joint effect on PLT count. These results confirm that the assessment of interactions between chemicals in the mixture greatly depends on the concept or method used for this evaluation.

Interactions between cadmium and decabrominated diphenyl ether on blood cells count in rats-Multiple factorial regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Curcic, Marijana; Buha, Aleksandra; Stankovic, Sanja; Milovanovic, Vesna; Bulat, Zorica; Đukić-Ćosić, Danijela; Antonijević, Evica; Vučinić, Slavica; Matović, Vesna; Antonijevic, Biljana

2017-02-01

The objective of this study was to assess toxicity of Cd and BDE-209 mixture on haematological parameters in subacutely exposed rats and to determine the presence and type of interactions between these two chemicals using multiple factorial regression analysis. Furthermore, for the assessment of interaction type, an isobologram based methodology was applied and compared with multiple factorial regression analysis. Chemicals were given by oral gavage to the male Wistar rats weighing 200-240g for 28days. Animals were divided in 16 groups (8/group): control vehiculum group, three groups of rats were treated with 2.5, 7.5 or 15mg Cd/kg/day. These doses were chosen on the bases of literature data and reflect relatively high Cd environmental exposure, three groups of rats were treated with 1000, 2000 or 4000mg BDE-209/kg/bw/day, doses proved to induce toxic effects in rats. Furthermore, nine groups of animals were treated with different mixtures of Cd and BDE-209 containing doses of Cd and BDE-209 stated above. Blood samples were taken at the end of experiment and red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets counts were determined. For interaction assessment multiple factorial regression analysis and fitted isobologram approach were used. In this study, we focused on multiple factorial regression analysis as a method for interaction assessment. We also investigated the interactions between Cd and BDE-209 by the derived model for the description of the obtained fitted isobologram curves. Current study indicated that co-exposure to Cd and BDE-209 can result in significant decrease in RBC count, increase in WBC count and decrease in PLT count, when compared with controls. Multiple factorial regression analysis used for the assessment of interactions type between Cd and BDE-209 indicated synergism for the effect on RBC count and no interactions i.e. additivity for the effects on WBC and PLT counts. On the other hand, isobologram based approach showed slight antagonism for the effects on RBC and WBC while no interactions were proved for the joint effect on PLT count. These results confirm that the assessment of interactions between chemicals in the mixture greatly depends on the concept or method used for this evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of the presence of brominated flame retardants in Australian fauna

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Symons, R.; Burniston, D.; Piro, N.; Stevenson, G.; Yates, A. [Australian Government Analytical Laboratories, Sydney (Australia)

2004-09-15

Brominated flame retardants, in particular polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) gained prominence in the late nineties when Noren et al. reported an exponential increase in PBDE levels found in Swedish mothers milk over a quarter of a century period with an associated decrease in levels of dioxin-like compounds. PBDEs have since become exceptionally widely studied being detected in most environmental compartments and food as well as human tissues. Only limited information on the distribution if PBDEs is available for the Southern Hemisphere, however, elevated levels of PBDEs in pork fat were detected during the routine screening for organochlorine pesticide residues. More recently an investigation of breast milk for PBDE levels also demonstrated that levels were comparable with those in the Northern Hemisphere. BFRs are not manufactured in Australia but it has been estimated that over 500 tonnes are imported yearly of which 340 tonnes are PBDEs. In addition, the amount of PBDEs that are contained in imported articles used both in domestic and industrial applications is unknown. In this paper, we report levels of PBDEs in a range of different Australian fauna that show that these POPs have indeed become widely distributed both in terms of the types of the fauna but also the levels determined.

Flame-retardant carbon nanotube films

Science.gov (United States)

Janas, Dawid; Rdest, Monika; Koziol, Krzysztof K. K.

2017-07-01

We have demonstrated fire-retardancy properties of a polymer matrix-free CNT film for the first time. As compared with classical fire-retardant materials such as Kevlar, Twaron or Nomex, the CNT film showed a spectrum of advantages. The material is lightweight, flexible and well-adherent to even the most complicated shapes. The results have showed that by using CNTs for fire-retardancy we can extend the operational time almost two-fold, what makes CNTs a much better protection than the solutions employed nowadays. We believe that among other great properties of CNT, their macroscopic assemblies such as CNT films show significant potential for becoming a fire protective coating, which exhibits high performance in not sustaining fire.

Mental Retardation and Parenting Stress

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Eleni Siamaga

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Backround: The presence, upbringing and looking after of a mentally retarded child in the family, can become a threat to the mental health of its parents and is the main predisposing factor of stress for the parents.Aim: The purpose of this systematic review is (a to document the contemporary research bibliography related to the stress of parents with mentally retarded children, (b to aggregate the factors and secondary parameters based on the contemporary research related to the influence of the (child’s mental retardation on the parents and (c to show an intercultural aspect regarding the presence of stress to parents with mentally retarded children.Methods: Systematic review of research articles published in scientific journals included in the international academic databases HEAL-LING, SAGE, ELSEVIER, WILSON, SCIENCEDIRECT, MEDLINE, PUBMED, PsycINFO, Cochrane, EMBASE, SCIRUS and CINAHL having as search criteria and key words the terms («parental stress and mental retardation» [MeSH], «parenting stress and persons with special needs» [MeSH], «mental retardation and family problems» [MeSH], «stress and parents» [MeSH], «parenting and stress» [MeSH], «mental delay and parents» [MeSH], «developmental disabilities and family stress» [MeSH], «intellectual handicap and parenting» [MeSH], «maternal stress and child with disabilities» [MeSH].Discussion: The review has proven that all forms of mental retardation have an important -from a statistic point of viewimpacton the parents’ mental health. Anxiety, stress and depression are common symptoms mentioned by the parents.Additionally, there are individual variables such as the husband-wife relationship, the parents’ approach to their child’s disability, the parental strategies used in order to cope with the daily life of the child’s disability and the behavioural problems of their child, all of which contribute to the increase of the level of parental stress

Mental Retardation, Poverty and Community Based Rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Einar Helander

2009-10-01

Full Text Available A person with moderate mental retardation would, in a western country, be "diagnosed" early on in life. Consequently, such a child is likely to be sent for special education. Given the high level of job requirements, such a person is unlikely to be employed in the open market later in life. Mental retardation is one of the most frequent disabilities in most studies, mental retardation is found in about three percent of the population. Persons even with mild mental retardation have very large difficulties finding employment and are for this reason often deprived of opportunities for suitable and productive income generation this is why most stay poor. But disability does not only cause poverty poverty itself causes disability. This study follows an analysis, based on a review of the Swedish programme for mental retardation during the period 1930-2000. It is concluded that in Sweden a very large proportion of mild and moderate mental retardation has been eliminated though the combination of poverty alleviation with a community-based rehabilitation programme. For these situations a pro-active programme analysing and meeting the needs of the target groups should be useful as a means to achieve poverty alleviation.

High levels of medium-chain chlorinated paraffins and polybrominated diphenyl ethers on the inside of several household baking oven doors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallistl, Christoph; Sprengel, Jannik; Vetter, Walter

2018-02-15

Fat obtained by wipe tests on the inner surface of 21 baking ovens from Stuttgart (Germany) were analyzed for halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), namely polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), dechlorane plus (DP), short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, MCCPs), as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In ~50% of the samples chlorinated paraffins (CPs) were present in the mg/g fat range, i.e. three to four orders of magnitude higher concentrated than the sum of all other target compounds. In contrast the remaining ~50% of the samples were free of CPs, while the other HFRs were comparable in CP-positive and CP-negative samples. The exceptionally high concentrations and exclusive presence of CPs in half of the samples produced strong evidence that these compounds were released from the baking oven itself. This hypothesis was supported by detection of MCCPs at even higher concentrations in the inner components of one dismantled baking oven. The release of substantial amounts of HFRs from the oven casing during its use may contribute to human exposure to these compounds, especially MCCPs and SCCPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Inheritance Pattern in Mentally Retarded Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Behnaz

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Mental retardation is one of the most important problems of general health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate inheritance pattern of mentally retarded patients in Yazd city. Methods: In a descriptive cross- sectional study, all medical records and pedigrees of 320 mentally retarded children whose parents had referred for genetic consultation to the Welfare center of Yazd city were reviewed. Results: Of the total, 62.8% of the parents had consanguineous marriage. Mean inbreeding coefficient of offsprings was 0.0713 in third degree related parents versus 0.0156 in non-related parents. Mental retardation was seen in 43.4% of first– degree relatives of children (6.6% of parents and 36.8% of siblings, respectively. Frequency of mental retardation did not differ significantly in both sexes. Pedigree showed inheritance pattern in 43.4% of patients (autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant and x-linked inheritance pattern were seen in 33.75%, 6.9% and 2.8%, respectively, while 37% of patients had no definite inheritance pattern. Abnormal karyotype were seen in 19.4% of patients, 28 of whom(8.75% of all patients had Down syndrome. The prevalence of autosomal recessive inheritance in patients with consanguineous marriages and non family marriages was 62.8 % and 10%, respectively (P=0. 002. Conclusion: Since multiple cases of mental retardation were seen in families and rate of consanguineous marriage was more in parents of mentally retarded children, genetic counseling in consanguinity marriages and families of mentally retarded children can prevent incidence of mental retardation in these families.

Reductive debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in anaerobic sediment and a biomimetic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokarz, John A; Ahn, Mi-Youn; Leng, June; Filley, Timothy R; Nies, Loring

2008-02-15

Because of the bioaccumulation of penta- and tetrapolybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in biota,the environmental biotransformation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) is of interest. BDE-209 accounts for more than 80% by mass of PBDE production and is the dominant PBDE in sediments. Most sediments are anaerobic and reports of microbial reductive dehalogenation of hydrophobic persistent organohalogen pollutants are numerous. Reductive debromination of BDE-209 in the environment could provide a significant source of lesser-brominated PBDEs to biota. Moreover, a recent study showed that BDE-209 debrominates in sewage sludge, and another demonstrated that some halorespiring bacteria will debrominate BDE-209. To determine whether reductive debromination of BDE-209 occurs in sediments, parallel experiments were conducted using anaerobic sediment microcosms and a cosolvent-enhanced biomimetic system. In the biomimetic system, reductive debromination occurred at rates corresponding to bromine substitution levels with a BDE-209 half-life of only 18 s compared with a halflife of almost 60 days for 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether. In sediment, the measured debromination half-life of BDE-209 was well over a decade and was in good agreement with the predicted value obtained from the biomimetic experiment. Product congeners were predominantly double para-substituted. BDE-209 debrominated in sediment with a corresponding increase in nona-, octa-, hepta-, and hexa-PBDEs. Nine new PBDE congeners appeared in sediment from reductive debromination. Given the very large BDE-209 burden already in sediments globally, it is important to determine whether this transformation is a significant source of lesser-brominated PBDEs to the environment.

Nanocellular foam with solid flame retardant

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Liang; Kelly-Rowley, Anne M.; Bunker, Shana P.; Costeux, Stephane

2017-11-21

Prepare nanofoam by (a) providing an aqueous solution of a flame retardant dissolved in an aqueous solvent, wherein the flame retardant is a solid at 23.degree. C. and 101 kiloPascals pressure when in neat form; (b) providing a fluid polymer composition selected from a solution of polymer dissolved in a water-miscible solvent or a latex of polymer particles in a continuous aqueous phase; (c) mixing the aqueous solution of flame retardant with the fluid polymer composition to form a mixture; (d) removing water and, if present, solvent from the mixture to produce a polymeric composition having less than 74 weight-percent flame retardant based on total polymeric composition weight; (e) compound the polymeric composition with a matrix polymer to form a matrix polymer composition; and (f) foam the matrix polymer composition into nanofoam having a porosity of at least 60 percent.

Design and synthesis of novel diphenyl oxalamide and diphenyl acetamide derivatives as anticonvulsants.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikalje, Anna Pratima G; Ghodke, Mangesh; Girbane, Amol

2012-01-01

A series of novel N(1) -substituted-N(2) ,N(2) -diphenyl oxalamides 3a-l were synthesized in good yield by stirring diphenylcarbamoyl formyl chloride (2) and various substituted aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, heterocyclic amines in DMF and K(2) CO(3) . Also 2-substituted amino-N,N-diphenylacetamides 5a-m were designed by pharmacophore generation and synthesized by stirring 2-chloro-N,N-diphenylacetamide (4) and various substituted amines in acetone using triethyl amine as a catalyst. All the synthesized compounds were screened for anticonvulsant activity in Swiss albino mice by MES and ScPTZ induced seizure tests. Neurotoxicity screening and behavioral testing was also carried out. Some of the synthesized test compounds were found to be more potent than the standard drug. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Orthognathic surgery for mentally retarded patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Becking, A. G.; Tuinzing, D. B.

1991-01-01

The surgical treatment of mentally retarded children for esthetic reasons is discussed. In mentally retarded adults a facial deformity can give rise to functional problems; in some cases a facial deformity can stigmatize the mental state. In selected cases orthognathic surgery may offer a solution

Adsorption and sequential degradation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers with zerovalent iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Yu-Huei; Chen, Mei-kuei; Shih, Yang-hsin

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A detailed analysis in the removal mechanism of PBDEs by MZVI was conducted. • 13% of DBDE and 24% of BDE-3 in average were adsorbed on the surface of MZVI. • The adsorbed PBDEs on MZVI were also confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. • MZVI continues the reductive debromination of PBDEs even after one month. •MZVI has great longevity to adsorb and degrade PBDE in the environment. -- Abstract: The widely used flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been regulated owing to their persistence and toxicity. However, the high and increasing accumulation amount of PBDEs in the environment raises a big concern for public safety. In this study, the removal processes of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) and monobromodiphenyl ether (BDE-3) with microscale zerovalent iron (MZVI) were investigated to get better understandings for the removal mechanism based upon adsorption and degradation. The removal kinetics of both compounds was analyzed and revealed two-step kinetics: a fast removal step at the beginning of the reaction and a follow-up slow removal step. By-products generated during the entire process followed a stepwise sequence. The content of brominated compounds on the surface of MZVI was measured. About 10–20% of BDE-209 and 15–30% of BDE-3 were adsorbed on MZVI. The adsorption of BDE-209 and BDE-3 on MZVI was confirmed through the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface adsorption of PBDEs on MZVI dominates the removal mechanism in the beginning and further debromination with MZVI was found. Finally, about 70% of BDE-209 and 60% of BDE-3 was degraded by MZVI within about one month. Our findings provide evidences for understanding the removal mechanism of PBDEs with MZVI and its great longevity on the PBDE degradation, which can facilitate the remediation design

Measurement and human exposure assessment of brominated flame retardants in household products from South China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, She-Jun; Ma, Yun-Juan; Wang, Jing; Tian, Mi; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Chen, Da; Mai, Bi-Xian

2010-04-15

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were examined in household products in the Pearl River Delta, South China, including electronic appliances, furniture and upholstery, car interiors, and raw materials for electronics. The concentrations of PBDEs derived from penta-BDE mixture were much lower (electronic products and their reuse might be also a potential important source of discontinued PBDEs to the environment. DBDPE was found in 20.0% of all the samples, ranging from 311 to 268,230 ng/g. PBDE congener profiles in both the household products and raw materials suggest that some less brominated BDEs in the environment may be derived from the decomposition of higher brominated PBDEs in PBDE-containing products in process of the manufacturing, use and/or recycling. Human exposure to PBDEs from household products via inhalation ranged from 175 to 612 pg/kg bw day, accounting for a small proportion of the total daily exposure via indoor inhalation. Despite the low deleterious risk associated with household products with regard to PBDEs, they are of special concern because of the relatively higher exposures observed for young children and further work is required. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fish energy budget under ocean warming and flame retardant exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Anacleto, Patrícia; Figueiredo, Cátia; Baptista, Miguel; Maulvault, Ana Luísa; Camacho, Carolina; Pousão-Ferreira, Pedro; Valente, Luísa M P; Marques, António; Rosa, Rui

2018-07-01

Climate change and chemical contamination are global environmental threats of growing concern for the scientific community and regulatory authorities. Yet, the impacts and interactions of both stressors (particularly ocean warming and emerging chemical contaminants) on physiological responses of marine organisms remain unclear and still require further understanding. Within this context, the main goal of this study was to assess, for the first time, the effects of warming (+ 5 °C) and accumulation of a polybrominated diphenyl ether congener (BDE-209, brominated flame retardant) through dietary exposure on energy budget of the juvenile white seabream (Diplodus sargus). Specifically, growth (G), routine metabolism (R), excretion (faecal, F and nitrogenous losses, U) and food consumption (C) were calculated to obtain the energy budget. The results demonstrated that the energy proportion spent for G dominated the mode of the energy allocation of juvenile white seabream (56.0-67.8%), especially under the combined effect of warming plus BDE-209 exposure. Under all treatments, the energy channelled for R varied around 26% and a much smaller percentage was channelled for excretion (F: 4.3-16.0% and U: 2.3-3.3%). An opposite trend to G was observed to F, where the highest percentage (16.0 ± 0.9%) was found under control temperature and BDE-209 exposure via diet. In general, the parameters were significantly affected by increased temperature and flame retardant exposure, where higher levels occurred for: i) wet weight, relative growth rate, protein and ash contents under warming conditions, ii) only for O:N ratio under BDE-209 exposure via diet, and iii) for feed efficiency, ammonia excretion rate, routine metabolic rate and assimilation efficiency under the combination of both stressors. On the other hand, decreased viscerosomatic index was observed under warming and lower fat content was observed under the combined effect of both stressors. Overall, under future

Political Philosophy and the Mentally Retarded.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanovich, Keith E.

The effects of Social Darwinism, eugenics, and contemporary political conservatism on the status of advocacy efforts for the mentally retarded are reviewed. Provided are historical sketches of Social Darwinism, which viewed the retarded as members of an inferior race, and eugenics, which argued for sterilization of the "genetically…

The Mentally Retarded Offender and Corrections.

Science.gov (United States)

Santamour, Miles; West, Bernadette

The booklet provides an overview of the issues involved in correctional rehabilitation for the mentally retarded offender. Reviewed are clinical and legal definitions of criminal behavior and retardation, and discussed are such issues as law enforcement and court proceedings problems, pros and cons of special facilities, labeling, normalization,…

The flame retardant DE-71 (a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers inhibits human differentiated thyroid cell function in vitro.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thit Mynster Kronborg

Full Text Available Normal thyroid function is essential for general growth and metabolism, but can be affected by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs have been used worldwide to reduce flammability in different materials and are suspected to be EDCs. The production of the commercial Penta- and OctaBDE mixtures is banned, but DecaBDEs and existing products may leak PBDEs into the environment. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the PentaBDE mixture DE-71 on human thyroid cells in vitro.Primary human thyroid cells were obtained as paraadenomatous tissue and cultured in monolayers. The influence of DE-71 on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP and thyroglobulin (Tg production was examined in the culture medium by competitive radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of thyroid-specific genes was performed on the exposed cell cultures. PBDE concentrations were determined in cellular and supernatant fractions of the cultures.DE-71 inhibited Tg-release from TSH-stimulated thyrocytes. At 50 mg/L DE-71, mean Tg production was reduced by 71.9% (range: 8.5-98.7%, and cAMP by 95.1% (range: 91.5-98.8% compared to controls. Expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr were significantly inhibited (p<0.0001, p = 0.0079, and p = 0.0002, respectively. The majority of DE-71 added was found in the cell fraction. No cytotoxicity was found.DE-71 inhibited differentiated thyroid cell functions in a two phase response manner and a concentration-dependent inhibition of Tg and cAMP production, respectively, as well as expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr. Our findings suggest an inhibiting effect of PBDEs on thyroid cells.

Children's exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuurbier, M.; Leijs, M.; Schoeters, G.; Tusscher, G. Ten; Koppe, J.G.

2006-01-01

Background: Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of brominated flame retardants, are frequently used in consumer products. PBDEs levels in environmental and human samples have increased in recent decades. Children are exposed to PBDEs through diet, mainly through fish, meat and milk.

Preparation of Flame Retardant Modified with Titanate for Asphalt Binder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Improving the compatibility between flame retardant and asphalt is a difficult task due to the complex nature of the materials. This study explores a low dosage compound flame retardant and seeks to improve the compatibility between flame retardants and asphalt. An orthogonal experiment was designed taking magnesium hydroxide, ammonium polyphosphate, and melamine as factors. The oil absorption and activation index were tested to determine the effect of titanate on the flame retardant additive. The pavement performance test was conducted to evaluate the effect of the flame retardant additive. Oxygen index test was conducted to confirm the effect of flame retardant on flame ability of asphalt binder. The results of this study showed that the new composite flame retardant is more effective in improving the compatibility between flame retardant and asphalt and reducing the limiting oxygen index of asphalt binder tested in this study.

Diphenyl-phosphinyl-morpholide (DPPM) lanthanide trifluoroacetate adducts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, L.R.F. de; Kim, D.J.

1984-01-01

Preparation and properties of adducts of lanthanide salts and diphenyl-phosphinyl-morpholide (DPPM) have been described in the literature. Addition compounds containing lanthanide nitrates, isothiocyanates, perchlorates, chlorides, bromides with DPPM have been obtained. In this article, the preparation and characterization of the addition compounds of lanthanide trifluoroacetates (TFA) with DPPM are reported. The compounds of general formula Ln (TFA) 3 . 3DPPM, Ln= La-Lu, Y were characterized by elemental analysis, melting ranges, infrared spectra, absorption and emission visible spectra, X-ray powder patterns. (Author) [pt

Flame Retardants Used in Flexible Polyurethane Foam

Science.gov (United States)

The partnership project on flame retardants in furniture seeks to update the health and environmental profiles of flame-retardant chemicals that meet fire safety standards for upholstered consumer products with polyurethane foam

SLEEP DISORDERS IN MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Kelmanson

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the study of the association between sleep disturbances and mental retardation in children. Attention is paid to the instant connection between sleep neurophysiology and intellectual progress, as well as between sleep disorders and the pathogenesis of mental retardation in children. The data on characteristic forms of sleep disturbances, including bed-time resistance, frequent night awakenings, parasomnias, abnormal sleep structure, and notably reduced REM-sleep proportion are provided. The potential role of abnormal melatonin production in the origins of sleep disturbances in children with mental retardation is discussed. Certain approaches to pharmacological and non-pharmacological corrections of sleep disorders are outlined.

Noncitizen: Plight of the Mentally Retarded

Science.gov (United States)

Skarnulis, Ed

1974-01-01

Mentally retarded citizens have been denied their human and civil rights, not only by the public, but by professionals--including social workers. The author claims that most programs for the mentally retarded are, at best, dehumanizing. Professionals have an ethical obligation to refuse to refer children to such programs. (Author)

Development of highly fire-retardant irradiated polyolefin cables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, Keiji; Inui, Toshifumi; Uda, Ikujiro (Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Osaka (Japan))

1982-12-01

In recent years, motors, automobiles, heaters, etc., have been made into light weight and compact form in view of labour-saving and energy-saving. For this purpose, the wires for the electrical appliances used for these equipment are required to reduce insulation thickness and to improve heat resistance. On the other hand, the requirement for fire-retardant property has become severer than before from the viewpoint of safety. As an insulation for the wires which meets such requirement, the polyolefin cross-linked by irradiation was investigated, and the heat-resistant, highly fire-retardant, polyolefin-insulated wires have been developed, which have passed vertical combustion test (VW-1) and have the insulation thickness of 0.4 mm (voltage rating 300V) and UL standard 125 deg C and 150 deg C grades. Fire-retardant polyolefin resin is normally obtained by adding halogen series flame retarders. The selection of flame retarders requires the investigation on high thermal stability, high flame retardation, no impedance to cross-linking, and good dispersion into polymers. The evaluation of heat resistance performed on two points, thermal aging and thermal deformation. The use of oxidation inhibitors is indispensable to improve the anti-thermal aging capability, but it is important to balance the requirements well by combining oxidation inhibitors, considering thermal deformation, colouring and discolouration. By comparative test with silicone rubber, cross-linked polyethylene and cross-linked PVC-insulated wires, the characteristics of highly fire-retardant wires, insulated with polyethylene cross-linked by irradiation, are described about the fire retardation, thermal deformation, thermal aging resistance, electrical characteristics and oil resistance.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers affect the reproduction and development, and alter the sex ratio of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, X.B.; Yuen, Karen W.Y.; Wu, Rudolf S.S.

2013-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been commonly used as flame retardants and now become ubiquitous in the global environment. Using zebrafish as a model, we tested the hypothesis that PBDEs may affect the reproduction and development of fish. Zebrafish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of DE-71 (a congener of PBDE commonly found in the environment) throughout their whole life cycle, and the effects of DE-71 on gonadal development, gamete quality, fertilization success, hatching success, embryonic development and sex ratio were investigated. Despite gonadal development was enhanced, reductions in spawning, fertilization success, hatching success and larval survival rate were evident, while significant increases in malformation and percentage of male were also observed in the F1 generation. Our laboratory results suggest that PBDEs may pose a risk to reproductive success and alter the sex ratio of fish in environments highly contaminated with PBDEs. -- Highlights: •Zebrafish were exposed to PBDE from eggs to adults. •An increase in Gonadal-Somatic Index and enhanced gonadal development was enhanced. •Fertilization and hatching successes were reduced, while malformation was increased. •PBDE alters sex differentiation, leading to a male biased F1 population. •Environmental relevant concentrations of PBDE threaten natural fish populations. -- PBDE reduces fertilization and hatching successes, causes malformation and leads to a male biased F1 generation in fish

Distributions and compositions of old and emerging flame retardants in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil in an e-waste contaminated area of South China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shaorui; Wang, Yan; Song, Mengke; Luo, Chunling; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan

2016-01-01

We investigated rhizosphere effects on the distributions and compositions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), and dechlorane plus (DPs) in rhizosphere soils (RS) and non-rhizosphere soils (NRS) in an e-waste recycling area in South China. The concentrations of PBDEs, NBFRs, and DPs ranged from 13.9 to 351, 11.6 to 70.8, and 0.64 to 8.74 ng g −1 in RS and 7.56 to 127, 8.98 to 144, and 0.38 to 8.45 ng g −1 in NRS, respectively. BDE-209 and DBDPE were the dominant congeners of PBDEs and NBFRs, respectively. PBDEs, NBFRs, and DPs were more enriched in RS than NRS in most vegetables species. Further analysis suggested that the differentiation of the rhizosphere effect on halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) was not solely controlled by the octanol-water coefficients. This difference was also reflected by the correlations between total organic carbon (TOC) and PBDEs, NBFRs, or DPs, which indicated that organic carbon was a more pivotal controlling factor for PBDEs and DPs than for NBFRs in soil. We also found significant positive correlations between PBDEs and their replacement products, which indicated a similar emission pattern and environmental behaviour. - Highlights: • Most flame retardants were enriched in rhizosphere soils compared to bulk soils. • Rhizosphere effects were more significant for NBFRs than for PBDEs. • PBDEs were significantly correlated with the total organic carbon in soils. • Result suggested that PBDEs have not been replaced by other BFRs in the e-waste. - The influences of rhizosphere effects on the distributions of PBDEs, NBFRs, and DPs in soils were different.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in relation to autism and developmental delay: a case-control study

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants used widely and in increasing amounts in the U.S. over the last few decades. PBDEs and their metabolites cross the placenta and studies in rodents demonstrate neurodevelopmental toxicity from prenatal exposures. PBDE exposures occur both via breastfeeding and hand-to-mouth activities in small children. Methods Participants were 100 children from the CHARGE (CHildhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment) Study, a case-control epidemiologic investigation of children with autism/autism spectrum disorder, with developmental delay and from the general population. Diagnoses of autism were confirmed by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Autism Diagnostic Inventory-Revised, and of developmental delay using the Mullen's Scales of Early Learning and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Typically developing controls were those with no evidence of delay, autism, or autism spectrum disorder. Eleven PBDE congeners were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry from serum specimens collected after children were assessed. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between plasma PBDEs and autism. Results Children with autism/autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay were similar to typically developing controls for all PBDE congeners, but levels were high for all three groups. Conclusions Plasma samples collected post-diagnosis in this study may not represent early life exposures due to changes in diet and introduction of new household products containing PBDEs. Studies with direct measurements of prenatal or infant exposures are needed to assess the possible causal role for these compounds in autism spectrum disorders. PMID:21205326

Anxious-retarded depression: relation to family history of depression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Winter, Remco F. P.; Zwinderman, Koos H.; Goekoop, Jaap G.

2004-01-01

Anxious-retarded depression is a two-dimensionally defined subcategory of depression based on high scores for both anxiety and retardation. The anxious-retarded subcategory is related to melancholia as defined by DSM-IV. Patients with this diagnosis exhibit elevated plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP)

Development of flame retardant, radiation resistant insulating materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagiwara, M.

1984-01-01

On the cables used for nuclear power stations, in particular those ranked as IE class, flame retardation test, simulated LOCA environment test, radiation resistance test and so on are imposed. The results of the evaluation of performance by these tests largely depend on the insulating materials mainly made of polymers. Ethylene propylene copolymer rubber has been widely used as cable insulator because of its electrical characteristics, workability, economy and relatively good radiation resistance, but it is combustible, therefore, in the practical use, it is necessary to make it fire resistant. The author et al. have advanced the research on the molecular design of new fire retarding materials, and successfully developed acenaphthylene bromide condensate, which is not only fire resistant but also effective for improving radiation resistance. The condition of flame retardant, radiation resistant auxiliary agents is explained, and there are additive type and reaction type in fire retarding materials. The synthesis of acenaphthylene bromide condensate and its effect of giving flame retardant and radiation resistant properties are reported. The characteristics of the cables insulated with the flame retardant ethylene propylene rubber containing acenaphthylene bromide condensate were tested, and the results are shown. (Kako, I.).

Kinetics of Brominated Flame Retardant (BFR) Releases from Granules of Waste Plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Bingbing; Hu, Yuanan; Cheng, Hefa; Tao, Shu

2016-12-20

Plastic components of e-waste contain high levels of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), whose releases cause environmental and human health concerns. This study characterized the release kinetics of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from millimeter-sized granules processed from the plastic exteriors of two scrap computer displays at environmentally relevant temperatures. The release rate of a substitute of PBDEs, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), from the waste plastics, was reported for the first time. Deca-BDE was the most abundant PBDE congeners in both materials (87-89%), while BTBPE was also present at relatively high contents. The release kinetics of BFRs could be modeled as one-dimensional diffusion, while the temperature dependence of diffusion coefficients was well described by the Arrhenius equation. The diffusion coefficients of BFRs (at 30 °C) in the plastic matrices were estimated to be in the range of 10 -27.16 to 10 -19.96 m 2 ·s -1 , with apparent activation energies between 88.4 and 154.2 kJ·mol -1 . The half-lives of BFR releases (i.e., 50% depletion) from the plastic granules ranged from thousands to tens of billions of years at ambient temperatures. These findings suggest that BFRs are released very slowly from the matrices of waste plastics through molecular diffusion, while their emissions can be significantly enhanced with wear-and-tear and pulverization.

Temporal Trends in Exposure to Organophosphate Flame Retardants in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Kate; Butt, Craig M; Webster, Thomas F; Preston, Emma V; Hammel, Stephanie C; Makey, Colleen; Lorenzo, Amelia M; Cooper, Ellen M; Carignan, Courtney; Meeker, John D; Hauser, Russ; Soubry, Adelheid; Murphy, Susan K; Price, Thomas M; Hoyo, Cathrine; Mendelsohn, Emma; Congleton, Johanna; Daniels, Julie L; Stapleton, Heather M

2017-03-14

During the past decade, use of organophosphate compounds as flame retardants and plasticizers has increased. Numerous studies investigating biomarkers (i.e., urinary metabolites) demonstrate ubiquitous human exposure and suggest that human exposure may be increasing. To formally assess temporal trends, we combined data from 14 U.S. epidemiologic studies for which our laboratory group previously assessed exposure to two commonly used organophosphate compounds, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Using individual-level data and samples collected between 2002 and 2015, we assessed temporal and seasonal trends in urinary bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), the metabolites of TDCIPP and TPHP, respectively. Data suggest that BDCIPP concentrations have increased dramatically since 2002. Samples collected in 2014 and 2015 had BDCIPP concentrations that were more than 15 times higher than those collected in 2002 and 2003 (10 β = 16.5; 95% confidence interval from 9.64 to 28.3). Our results also demonstrate significant increases in DPHP levels; however, increases were much smaller than for BDCIPP. Additionally, results suggest that exposure varies seasonally, with significantly higher levels of exposure in summer for both TDCIPP and TPHP. Given these increases, more research is needed to determine whether the levels of exposure experienced by the general population are related to adverse health outcomes.

Study of reactivity of p-cymene ruthenium(II) dimer towards diphenyl ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

The reaction of [{(η6-p-cymene)Ru(µ-Cl)}2Cl2] with functionalized phosphine viz, diphenyl-. 2-pyridylphosphine ... ing from the displacement of the p-cymene ligand. ... The structures of complexes 1 and 2 have been confirmed by single crystal.

Caring for children with mental retardation: The experiences of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Caring for children with mental retardation at home requires great patience and understanding. Mothers often experience difficulties adjusting to the fact that their children are mentally retarded and that it cannot be cured. This study investigated the experiences of mothers caring for children with mental retardation.

Organophosphate Flame Retardants in House Dust from South China and Related Human Exposure Risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Hongli; Peng, Changfeng; Guo, Ying; Wang, Xiaodong; Wu, Yan; Chen, Da

2017-09-01

House dust associated with organic pollutants is not only a potential source of pollutants to the outdoor environment, but also a source to human exposure. The present study investigated the occurrence and concentrations of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in house dust collected from South China dwellings (n = 20). The results revealed a universal presence of most target OPFRs in house dust, with concentrations of ΣOPFRs ranging from 2.06 to 19.95 μg/g. The median concentration of ΣOPFR (9.20 μg/g) was one order of magnitude greater than that of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (0.80 μg/g). The composition of OPFR chemicals in house dust was dominated by chlorinated OPFRs, such as tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) and tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP). This compositional pattern was different from what has been reported in indoor dust from many other countries, where tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) was generally dominant. The daily intake of OPFRs by adults was estimated to be 1.6 and 4.2 ng/kg body weight/day under average and high exposure scenarios, respectively, and 31.7 and 127 ng/kg body weight/day for toddlers.

Sustained Attention of Adults with Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomporowski, Phillip D.; Allison, Pamela

1988-01-01

The sustained attention of 23 young adults with mild mental retardation and nonretarded subjects was assessed. Findings suggested that the sustained attention of the retarded differs from that of the nonretarded on those vigilance tasks that place demands on memory abilities. (Author/DB)

Fire-Retardant, Self-Extinguishing Inorganic/Polymer Composite Memory Foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Soumyajyoti; Shanmuganathan, Kadhiravan; Kumaraswamy, Guruswamy

2017-12-27

Polymeric foams used in furniture and automotive and aircraft seating applications rely on the incorporation of environmentally hazardous fire-retardant additives to meet fire safety norms. This has occasioned significant interest in novel approaches to the elimination of fire-retardant additives. Foams based on polymer nanocomposites or based on fire-retardant coatings show compromised mechanical performance and require additional processing steps. Here, we demonstrate a one-step preparation of a fire-retardant ice-templated inorganic/polymer hybrid that does not incorporate fire-retardant additives. The hybrid foams exhibit excellent mechanical properties. They are elastic to large compressional strain, despite the high inorganic content. They also exhibit tunable mechanical recovery, including viscoelastic "memory". These hybrid foams are prepared using ice-templating that relies on a green solvent, water, as a porogen. Because these foams are predominantly comprised of inorganic components, they exhibit exceptional fire retardance in torch burn tests and are self-extinguishing. After being subjected to a flame, the foam retains its porous structure and does not drip or collapse. In micro-combustion calorimetry, the hybrid foams show a peak heat release rate that is only 25% that of a commercial fire-retardant polyurethanes. Finally, we demonstrate that we can use ice-templating to prepare hybrid foams with different inorganic colloids, including cheap commercial materials. We also demonstrate that ice-templating is amenable to scale up, without loss of mechanical performance or fire-retardant properties.

Thermal and Optical Properties of New Poly(amide-imide)/Nanocomposite Reinforced by Layer Silicate Containing Diphenyl Ether Moieties

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, Khalil; Faramarzi, Ellahe; Shabanian, Meisam

2011-04-01

New poly(amide-imide)-montmorillonite reinforced nanocomposites containing Bis(4-N-trimellitylimido) diphenyl ether moiety in the main chain were synthesized by a convenient solution intercalation technique. Poly(amide-imide) (PAI) 4 was synthesized by the direct polycondensation reaction of Bis(4-N-trimellitylimido) diphenyl ether 3 with 4,4'-diamino diphenyl ether 2 in the presence of triphenyl phosphite (TPP), CaCl2, pyridine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Morphology and structure of the resulting PAI-nanocomposite films 4a and 4b with 10 and 20 mass% silicate particles respectively, were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The properties of nanocomposites films were investigated by using Uv-vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and water uptake measurements.

Atmospheric concentrations of halogenated flame retardants at two remote locations: The Canadian High Arctic and the Tibetan Plateau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Hang; Shen Li; Su, Yushan; Barresi, Enzo; DeJong, Maryl; Hung, Hayley; Lei, Ying-Duan; Wania, Frank; Reiner, Eric J.; Sverko, Ed; Kang, Shi-Chang

2012-01-01

Atmospheric concentrations of halogenated flame retardants (FRs) were monitored for approximately one year at two remote stations, namely Nam Co on the Tibetan Plateau and Alert in the Canadian High Arctic. BDE-47 and 99 were the dominant polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners at both sites. Atmospheric PBDE concentrations in Nam Co were generally lower than those at Alert. While significant seasonal variations were observed for PBDEs at Alert, the FR concentrations at Nam Co showed no significant seasonality, even though air masses originated from distinctly different regions during different seasons. This suggests that FRs in Tibet do not have regional sources, but are reflective of truly global background contamination. Three new FRs, namely 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), 2-ethyl-1-hexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EHTeBB) and bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) were detected at relatively high concentrations at both sites. This is the first report of these FRs in the remote global atmosphere and suggests significant potential for long-range atmospheric transport. - Highlights: ► First year-round measurements of FRs in the atmosphere of the Tibetan Plateau. ► PBDEs in Tibet are reflective of truly global background levels. ► Orographic precipitation limits the transport of particle-bound chemicals. ► First study of BTBPE, EHTeBB and TBPH in the Arctic and Tibetan air. ► These new FRs may have significant long-range atmospheric transport potential. - Several brominated flame retardants (BTBPE, EHTeBB, TBPH) were present in the atmosphere of the Arctic and the Tibetan Plateau at levels similar to those of the PBDEs.

Evaluation of long-range transport potential of selected brominated flame retardants with measured 1-octanol-air partition coefficients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyun Jeong; Kwon, Jung Hwan [Div. of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Various alternative flame retardants are used in many countries since polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, difficulties in the evaluation of the long-range transport potential (LRTP) of the alternatives are related to the lack of information on their physicochemical properties, which govern their environmental fates and transport. Based on the simulation of LRTP using OECD P{sub OV} and LRTP Screening Tool, five alternative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) (hexabromobenzene [HBB], 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromotoluene [PBT], 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromoethylbenzene [PBEB], 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate [TBB], and 1,2,4,5-tetrabromo-3,6-dimethylbenzene [TBX]), and 3 PBDEs (BDE-28, BDE-47, and BDE-99) were chosen to perform a refined assessment. This was done using an experimentally measured 1-octanol–air partition coefficient (K{sub OA}) for the calculation of the air–water partition coefficient (K{sub AW}) required for the model. The four selected alternative BFRs (HBB, PBT, PBEB, TBX) have K{sub OA} values close to the in silico estimation used in the screening evaluation. On the other hand, the measured K{sub OA} value for TBB was two orders of magnitude lower than the estimated value used in the screening simulation. The refined simulation showed that characteristic travel distance (CTD) and transfer efficiency (TE) for HBB, PBT, PBEB, and TBX were greater than those for BDE-28, whereas CTD and TE for TBB were lower than those for BDE-28. This suggested that TBB has a lower LRTP than BDE-28, considering the refined partition coefficients.

Perceptual-Motor Attributes of Mentally Retarded Youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Cratty, Bryant J.

To evaluate six perceptual-motor attributes of trainable and educable mentally retarded children, a battery of tests was constructed which included body perception, gross agility, balance, locomotor ability, throwing, and tracking; 83 retarded subjects provided reliability data, and their scores, with those of 120 additional subjects, provided…

Opioid system contribution to the antidepressant-like action of m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide in mice: A compound devoid of tolerance and withdrawal syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, Suzan G; Pesarico, Ana P; Tagliapietra, Carolina F; da Luz, Sônia Ca; Nogueira, Cristina W

2017-09-01

Animal and clinical researches indicate that the opioid system exerts a crucial role in the etiology of mood disorders and is a target for intervention in depression treatment. This study investigated the contribution of the opioid system to the antidepressant-like action of acute or repeated m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide administration to Swiss mice. m-Trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide (50 mg/kg, intragastric) produced an antidepressant-like action in the forced swimming test from 30 min to 24 h after treatment. This effect was blocked by the µ and δ-opioid receptor antagonists, naloxonazine (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and naltrindole (3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), and it was potentiated by a κ-opioid receptor antagonist, norbinaltrophimine (1 mg/kg, subcutaneously ). Combined treatment with subeffective doses of m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide (10 mg/kg, intragastric) and morphine (1 mg/kg, subcutaneously) resulted in a synergistic antidepressant-like effect. The opioid system contribution to the m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide antidepressant-like action was also demonstrated in the modified tail suspension test, decreasing mouse immobility and swinging time and increasing curling time, results similar to those observed using morphine, a positive control. Treatment with m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide induced neither tolerance to the antidepressant-like action nor physical signs of withdrawal, which could be associated with the fact that m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide did not change the mouse cortical and hippocampal glutamate uptake and release. m-Trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide treatments altered neither locomotor nor toxicological parameters in mice. These findings demonstrate that m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide elicited an antidepressant-like action by direct or indirect μ and δ-opioid receptor activation and the κ-opioid receptor blockade, without inducing tolerance, physical signs of withdrawal and

Brominated flame retardants and perfluorinated chemicals, two groups of persistent contaminants in Belgian human blood and milk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roosens, Laurence [Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); D' Hollander, Wendy; Bervoets, Lieven [Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Reynders, Hans; Van Campenhout, Karen [Environment and Health Unit, Department of Environment, Nature and Energy, Flemish Government - Koning Albert II-laan 20, Bus 8, 1000 Brussels (Belgium); Cornelis, Christa; Van Den Heuvel, Rosette; Koppen, Gudrun [Unit Environmental Risk and Health, Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); Covaci, Adrian, E-mail: adrian.covaci@ua.ac.b [Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2010-08-15

We assessed the exposure of the Flemish population to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) by analysis of pooled cord blood, adolescent and adult serum, and human milk. Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in blood (range 1.6-6.5 ng/g lipid weight, lw) and milk (range 2.0-6.4 ng/g lw) agreed with European data. Hexabromocyclododecane ranged between <2.1-5.7 ng/g lw in milk. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) dominated in blood and ranged between 1 and 171 ng/mL and <0.9-9.5 ng/mL, respectively. Total PFC levels in milk ranged between <0.5-29 ng/mL. A significant increase in PBDE concentrations was detected from newborns (median 2.1) to the adolescents and adults (medians 3.8 and 4.6 ng/g lw, respectively). An identical trend was observed for PFOS, but not for PFOA. We estimated that newborn exposure to BFRs and PFCs occurs predominantly post-natally, whereas placental transfer has a minor impact on the body burden. - The exposure to BFRs and PFCs of general Flemish population has been assessed throughout several age groups.

Crack retardation by load reduction during fatigue crack propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyun Soo; Nam, Ki Woo; Ahn, Seok Hwan; Do, Jae Yoon

2003-01-01

Fracture life and crack retardation behavior were examined experimentally using CT specimens of aluminum alloy 5083. Crack retardation life and fracture life were a wide difference between 0.8 and 0.6 in proportion to ratio of load reduction. The wheeler model retardation parameter was used successfully to predict crack growth behavior. By using a crack propagation rule, prediction of fracture life can be evaluated quantitatively. A statistical approach based on Weibull distribution was applied to the test data to evaluate the dispersion in the retardation life and fracture life by the change of load reduction

Exposure to organophosphate flame retardants of hotel room attendants in Wuhan City, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Yun; Shang, Yinzhu; Li, Jing; Feng, Jingwen; He, Zhenyu; Covaci, Adrian; Wang, Peng; Luo, Jing; Mao, Xiang; Shi, Bin; Hu, Liqin; Luo, Dan; Mei, Surong

2018-05-01

Indoor environments provide sources of exposure to organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), which are artificially synthesized fire-protecting agents used as additives in interior products. As public spaces, hotels are required to meet stricter fire-precaution criteria. As such, room attendants may be exposed to higher levels of PFRs. Our goal was to characterize the exposure of hotel room attendants to PFRs by measuring metabolites in their urine and the corresponding parent PFRs in dust and hand-wipes collected from 27 hotels located in Wuhan City, China. The exposure of the attendants was found to be omnipresent: urinary metabolites of PFRs, such as DPHP (diphenyl phosphate), BDCIPP (bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate), and DoCP (di-o-cresyl phosphate) & DpCP (di-p-cresyl phosphate) were detected with high frequency (87%, 79% and 87%, respectively). We observed that metabolites in post-shift urine were consistently present at higher levels than those in the first morning voids (p  7 stories) had significantly higher BDCIPP and DPHP concentrations than those from low-rise buildings. A possible reason is that high-rise buildings may use high-grade fireproof building materials to meet stricter fire restrictions. Overall, these results indicate that PFRs exposure in hotels is a contributor to the personal exposure of hotel room attendants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current levels and composition profiles of PBDEs and alternative flame retardants in surface sediments from the Pearl River Delta, southern China: Comparison with historical data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, She-Jun; Feng, An-Hong; He, Ming-Jing; Chen, Man-Ying; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Mai, Bi-Xian

2013-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative flame retardants were measured in surface sediments collected during 2009–2010 from the Pearl River Delta, southern China (a large manufacturing base for electronics/electrical products), to evaluate the influence of China's RoHS directive (adopted in 2006) on their environmental occurrence. The concentrations in sediments from different water systems ranged from 3.67 to 2520 ng/g (average of 17.1–588 ng/g) for PBDEs and from 0.22 to 5270 ng/g (average of 11.3–454 ng/g) for the alternative retardants. Although the PBDE levels have decreased significantly compared with those in sediments collected in 2002 in this region, the levels of alternative decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) have exceeded those of BDE209 (two predominant halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) in China) in the majority of sediments. This finding suggests a different contaminant pattern of HFRs in current sediments due to the replacement of the deca-BDE mixture with DBDPE in this region. In addition, sediment concentrations of discontinued PBDEs in the rural area are clearly elevated due to e-waste dismantling. The congener profiles of PBDEs in the current sediments (with more abundant lower-brominated congeners) differed substantially from those in 2002 and from the technical products, suggesting that biological or photolytic debromination of PBDEs may have occurred in the environment. - Highlights: ► PBDE levels in sediments have decreased substantially since China's RoHS directive. ► Contamination of novel DBDPE has exceeded that of deca-BDE in the PRD sediments. ► The congener profiles of PBDEs in the sediments have changed significantly. ► Significant biological or photolytic degradation of PBDEs may occur in the environment

The third international interlaboratory study on brominated flame retardants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boer, J. de [Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research, IJmuiden (Netherlands); Wells, D. [FRS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen (United Kingdom)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been produced as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) since the early 1970s and have been found in the aquatic environment since the late 1970s. However, as a result of their detection in sperm whales from deeper Atlantic waters and in human milk, many laboratories are now measuring PBDEs in environmental samples. A first international interlaboratory study (ILS) on the analysis of PBDEs, organised by the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF), Brussels, Belgium, in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (RIVO) was conducted in 1999-2000. The results showed that the 18 participating laboratories produced comparable results for BDE 47 in various matrices but had analytical difficulties for other BDEs, in particular for the BDEs 99 and 209. A second study was organised in 2001-2002 by BSEF, QUASIMEME and RIVO. That study showed improvement in comparability of the participating laboratories for BDE99 and some other BDEs. However, there was no improvement for BDE209. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) and the dimethyl derivative of TBBP-A (dimethyl TBBP-A) were included in the second study. However, it appeared that only two or three laboratories were able to analyse these determinands. Others laboratories were still in the development phase with their methods for these BFRs. This third study was organised as a development exercise by QUASIMEME, in collaboration with RIVO between September and December 2003. The BFRs selected were the same as in the second study. Two biota test materials, a harbor sediment, a sewage sludge, and two standard solutions were dispatched to the participants.

Fire retardant polyisocyanurate foam

Science.gov (United States)

Riccitiello, S. R.; Parker, J. A.

1972-01-01

Fire retardant properties of low density polymer foam are increased. Foam has pendant nitrile groups which form thermally-stable heterocyclic structures at temperature below degradation temperature of urethane linkages.

Occurrence and spatial distribution of organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers in 40 rivers draining into the Bohai Sea, north China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Runmei; Tang, Jianhui; Xie, Zhiyong; Mi, Wenying; Chen, Yingjun; Wolschke, Hendrik; Tian, Chongguo; Pan, Xiaohui; Luo, Yongming; Ebinghaus, Ralf

2015-01-01

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are alternatives to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, often used as flame-retardants and plasticizers. There are few reports of OPEs in river water. This study focused on the occurrence and spatial distribution of 11 OPE congeners and one synthetic intermediate triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) in 40 major rivers entering into the Bohai Sea. Total OPEs ranged from 9.6 to 1549 ng L −1 , with an average of 300 ng L −1 . Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) (4.6–921 ng L −1 , mean: 186 ng L −1 ) and tris(2-choroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) (1.3–268 ng L −1 , mean: 80.2 ng L −1 ) were the most abundant OPEs and their distribution patterns are similar, indicating the same source (r = 0.61, P < 0.05) and the influence of large production and consumption of chlorinated OPEs in the region. Priority should be given to TCPP, PCEP and TPPO due to their high concentrations in the rivers and potential threat to aquatic organisms. - Highlights: • High levels of OPEs have been determined in river waters around Bohai Sea. • Triphenylphosphine oxide presented very high concentrations in specific rivers. • The total riverine inputs of OPEs and TPPO were estimated. - Organophosphate ester flame-retardants and plasticizers are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and of concern as contaminants discharged into the coastal environment

Detection of novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs in the urban soils of Melbourne, Australia

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Thomas J. McGrath

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A range of brominated flame retardants (BFRs have been incorporated into polymeric materials like plastics, electronic equipment, foams and textiles to prevent fires. The most common of these, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, have been subject to legislated bans and voluntary withdrawal by manufacturers in North America, Europe and Australia over the past decade due to long-range atmospheric transport, persistence in the environment, and toxicity. Evidence has shown that replacement novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs are released to the environment by the same mechanisms as PBDEs and share similar hazardous properties. The objective of the current research was to characterize soil contamination by NBFRs in the urban soils of Melbourne, Australia. A variety of industrial and non-industrial land-uses were investigated with the secondary objective of determining likely point sources of pollution. Six NBFRs; pentabromotoluene (PBT, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB, hexabromobenzene (HBB, 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxyethane (BTBPE and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE were measured in 30 soil samples using selective pressurized liquid extraction (S-PLE and gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS. NBFRs were detected in 24/30 soil samples with Σ5NBFR concentrations ranging from nd-385 ng/g dw. HBB was the most frequently detected compound (14/30, while the highest concentrations were observed for DBDPE, followed by BTBPE. Electronic waste recycling and polymer manufacturing appear to be key contributors to NBFR soil contamination in the city of Melbourne. A significant positive correlation between Σ8PBDEs and Σ5NBFR soil concentrations was observed at waste disposal sites to suggest that both BFR classes are present in Melbourne's waste streams, while no association was determined among manufacturing sites. This research provides the first account of NBFRs

In vitro effects of selected brominated flame retardants on the adreno cortical enzyme (CYP17). A novel endocrine mechanism of action?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez Canton, R.; Sanderson, T.; Nijmeijer, S.; Berg, M. van den [Utrecht Univ. (NL). Inst. for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS); Berkman, Aa. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Environmental Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry

2004-09-15

Fire incidents have decreased over the last 20 years partly due to regulations requiring addition of flame retardants (FRs) to materials. These compounds can be divided into different chemical classes: inorganic, nitrogen, phosphorus and halogen containing flame retardants (usually brominated or chlorinated). Not surprisingly, the use of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in a variety of commercial and household products has increased over the years due to their low cost and high effectiveness. Consequence of the high production of BFRs is that these compounds are now readily detectable in air, water, birds, fish, marine mammals, and in human adipose tissue and blood. The five major BFRs are hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and three commercial mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (penta, octa, deca), which are extensively used as FRs at high production volume levels. In addition, concentrations of PBDEs concentration have been rapidly increasing during the last 10 years in human breast milk from European and American women and a number of endocrine (in vitro) effects have been reported. Consequently, the concern about BFRs and their metabolites with respect to their potential as endocrine disruptors (EDs) has been growing. Studies in our laboratory are focused on potential interactions of a wide range of BFRs with sex hormone synthesis and metabolism. Previous results from our research group, showed inhibitory and inductive effects on aromatase (CYP19) (the key enzyme that converts androgens to estrogens) by certain BFRs, in particular the hydroxylated PBDEs and several bromophenols. In the present study, the effects of ten of these BFRs on CYP17 activity were investigated. This enzyme also catalyzes an important step in the sex steroidogenesis and is responsible for the biosynthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA, produced in the adrenal gland, is the most abundant sex steroid hormone in human blood and has been

Referential first mention in narratives by mildly mentally retarded adults.

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Kernan, K T; Sabsay, S

1987-01-01

Referential first mentions in narrative reports of a short film by 40 mildly mentally retarded adults and 20 nonretarded adults were compared. The mentally retarded sample included equal numbers of male and female, and black and white speakers. The mentally retarded speakers made significantly fewer first mentions and significantly more errors in the form of the first mentions than did nonretarded speakers. A pattern of better performance by black males than by other mentally retarded speakers was found. It is suggested that task difficulty and incomplete mastery of the use of definite and indefinite forms for encoding old and new information, rather than some global type of egocentrism, accounted for the poorer performance by mentally retarded speakers.

Fire and smoke retardants

Science.gov (United States)

Drews, M. J.

Despite a reduction in Federal regulatory activity, research concerned with flame retardancy and smoke suppression in the private sector appears to be increasing. This trend seem related to the increased utilization of plastics for end uses which traditionally have employed metal or wood products. As a result, new markets have appeared for thermally stable and fire resistance thermoplastic materials, and this in turn has spurred research and development activity. In addition, public awareness of the dangers associated with fire has increased as a result of several highly publicized hotel and restaurant fires within the past two years. The consumers recognition of flammability characteristics as important materials property considerations has increased. The current status of fire and smoke retardant chemistry and research are summarized.

Moral reasoning of Piagetian-matched retarded and nonretarded children and adolescents.

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Kahn, J V

1983-09-01

The moral reasoning of four IQ/etiology groups was investigated: 19 organically abnormal moderately retarded, 19 organically abnormal mildly retarded, 19 mildly retarded due to psychosocial disadvantage, and 19 nonretarded individuals. In each group 12 Ss were preoperational and seven concrete operational. Moral reasoning was assessed by an instrument using moral dilemmas based on Kohlberg's procedures. The Slosson Intelligence Test was used to determine the IQs and mental ages of each S. Piagetian stage was determined with the standard conservation of number tasks. The findings indicated no overall significant differences between the mildly retarded and the nonretarded Ss or between the mildly retarded and the moderately retarded Ss, but differences were found between the moderately retarded and the nonretarded Ss. A significant interaction was found between the two independent variables, IQ/etiology and cognitive level. The results were discussed as supporting Zigler's development position and as damaging to Kohlberg's position.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in China: policies and recommendations for sound management of plastics from electronic wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Kun; Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Tieyu; Shi, Yajuan; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Xu, Li; Li, Qiushuang; Liu, Shijie

2013-01-30

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants (BFRs), are incorporated in plastics of most electronic equipment. Among BFR mixtures, deca-BDE is the most widely used commercial additive in the polymer industry and the use of deca-BDE is currently not subject to any restrictions in China. However, debate over environmental and health risks associated with deca-BDE still remains. Regulatory agencies in developed countries have adopted and/or established environmentally sound strategies for the management of potential threat posed by PBDEs to the environment and human health. No regulations or management policies for PBDEs currently exist in China at either central or provincial government levels. Large amounts of plastics containing PBDEs are still in use and must be disposed of after their lifetimes, creating outdoor reservoirs for the future dispersal of PBDEs into the environment. Concerted action is needed not only to regulate the production and use of PBDEs but also to find ways to effectively manage waste electrical and electronic products that contain PBDEs. This article is the first to investigate the policy issues and current problems related to the use of PBDEs in China. In addition, we estimate the mass flows of PBDEs contained in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in China. We suggest alternatives to PBDEs and sound management of plastics used in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that contain PBDEs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating A Novel Flame Retardant Known as V6: Measurements in Baby Products, House Dust and Car Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Mingliang; Webster, Thomas F.; Gooden, David; Cooper, Ellen M.; McClean, Michael D.; Carignan, Courtney; Makey, Colleen; Stapleton, Heather M.

2013-01-01

With the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, the use of new and alternate flame retardants has been increasing. 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyltetrakis(2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate, known as V6, is a flame retardant applied to polyurethane foam commonly found in furniture and automobile foam. However, to the authors’ knowledge, no research has been conducted on V6 levels in the environment. The intention of this study was to measure the concentration of V6 in foam collected from baby products where it was recently detected, and measure levels in dust samples collected from homes and automobiles in the Boston, MA area. To accomplish this a pure V6 commercial standard was purchased from a Chinese manufacturer and purified (> 98%). An analytical method to measure V6 in dust samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was developed. Extraction was conducted using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and extracts were purified using an ENVI-Florisil SPE column (500 mg, 3mL). V6 was measured in foam samples collected from baby products with a concentration ranging from 24,500,000 to 59,500,000 ng/g of foam (n = 12, average ± sd: 46,500,000 ± 12,000,000 ng/g; i.e., on average, 4.6 % of the foam mass was V6). V6 was also detected in 19 of 20 car dust samples and 14 of 20 house dust samples analyzed. The concentration of V6 in the house dust ranged from car dust with a median of 103.0 ng/g. Concentrations in car dust were significantly higher than the house dust, potentially indicating higher use of V6 in automobiles compared to products found in the home. Furthermore, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a known carcinogen, was found in the V6 commercial mixture (14% by weight) as an impurity and was consistently detected with V6 in the foam samples analyzed. A significant correlation was also observed between V6 and TCEP in the dust samples, suggesting that the use of V6 is a significant source of TCEP

Using disposable solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to determine the freely dissolved concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Fang; Cui Xinyi; Wang Wei; Delgado-Moreno, Laura; Gan, Jay

2012-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The ubiquity and persistence of PBDEs in sediment have raised concerns over their environmental fate and ecological risks. Due to strong affinity for sediment organic matter, environmental fate and bioavailability of PBDEs closely depend on their phase distribution. In this study, disposable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber was used to derive the freely dissolved concentration (C free ) of PBDEs in sediment porewater as a measurement of bioavailability. The PDMS-to-water partition coefficient (log K PDMS ) was 5.46–5.83 for BDE 47, 99, and 153. In sediments, PBDEs were predominantly sorbed to the sediment phase, with C free accounting for free of PBDEs decreased as their bromination or sediment organic carbon content increased. The strong association with dissolved organic matter (DOM) implies a potential for facilitated offsite transport and dispersion in the environment that depends closely on the stability of sediment aggregates. - Highlights: ► A disposable SPME method was developed for measuring C free of PBDEs in sediment. ► C free decreased with increasing congener bromination or sediment OC content. ► C free of PBDEs accounted for DOC values suggest a high probability for DOM-facilitated offsite transport. - A SPME method based on disposable PDMS fibers was developed for measuring the freely dissolved concentration of PBDEs (C free ) in sediment porewater.

Human exposure to brominated flame retardants through dust in different indoor environments: Identifying the sources of concentration differences in hair from men and women.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Junqi; Dong, Zheng; Wang, Ying; Bao, Junsong; Yan, Yijun; Liu, Anming; Jin, Jun

2018-08-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) can accumulate in humans and are associated with adverse health effects. The study was conducted to determine the differences in Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative brominated flame retardant (Alt-BFR) concentrations between men and women. We analyzed hair samples from 14 male and 20 female university students, paired dust samples from their dormitories (10 for males and 8 for females), and six dust samples from university teaching buildings. The total PBDE concentrations in hair from females were significantly (three times) higher (p = 0.012) than that from males (means 372 and 109 ng/g, respectively). The mean total PBDE concentrations in classroom and dormitory dust were 36100 and 2012 ng/g, respectively. The PBDE patterns were different in the male and female hair samples, as were the patterns in the classroom and dormitory dust. There are no reports concerning human exposure to BFRs through dust that was assessed considering academic and residential environments simultaneously. The differences between BFR exposure for males and females and the differences between BFR concentrations in hair samples from males and females were consistent for 71.4% of the compounds. However, using only dormitory dust in the calculations gave consistent differences only for 28.6% of the compounds, suggesting that the BFR concentration differences in hair were mainly because females spent much more time than males in classrooms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body Awareness in Children with Mental Retardation

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Johan; Dedroog, Inge

2009-01-01

The body awareness of 124 toddlers with mental retardation and of 124 children developing normally matched to them on age and gender was examined. Twenty-nine of the children with mental retardation were diagnosed as Down syndrome (DS). The "Pointing and Naming" Test of Berges and Lezine [Berges, J., & Lezine, I. (1978). "Test d'imitation de…

An Exposure Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers ...

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report, An Exposure Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the exposure of Americans to this class of persistent organic pollutants. Individual chapters in this document address: the production, use, and lifecycle of PBDEs; environmental fate; environmental levels; and human exposure. This final report addresses the exposure assessment needs identified in the OPBDE Workgroup project plan. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the exposure of Americans to this class of persistent organic pollutants. Individual chapters in this document address: the production, use, and lifecycle of PBDEs; environmental fate; environmental levels; and human exposure.

Role of Surface Interactions in the Synergizing Polymer/Clay Flame Retardant Properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pack, S.; Kashiwagi, T; Cao, C; Korach, C; Lewin, M; Rafailovich, M

2010-01-01

The absorption of resorcinol di(phenyl phosphate) (RDP) oligomers on clay surfaces has been studied in detail and is being proposed as an alternative method for producing functionalized clays for nanocomposite polymers. The ability of these clays to be exfoliated or intercalated in different homopolymers was investigated using both transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering results, compared with contact angle measurements on Langmuir-Blodgett clay monolayers, where the interfacial energies were used as predictors of the polymer/clay interactions. We found that the contact angle between PS/RDP clay monolayer substrates was {approx}2.5{sup o}, whereas the angle for polystyrene (PS)/Cloisite 20A clays substrates was {approx}32{sup o}, consistent with the large degree of exfoliation observed in PS for the RDP-coated clays. The interfacial activity of these clays was also measured, and we found that the RDP-coated clays segregated to the interfaces of PC/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) blends, while they segregated into the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) domain of PS/PMMA blends. This morphology was explained in terms of the relative energy advantage in placing the RDP versus the Cloisite clays at the interfaces. Finally, we demonstrated the effects of the relative surface energies of the clays in segregating to the blend air interface when heated to high temperatures. The segregation was shown to affect the composition and mechanical properties of the resulting chars, which in turn could determine their flame retardant response.

Flame retardancy and thermal properties of epoxy acrylate resin/alpha-zirconium phosphate nanocomposites used for UV-curing flame retardant films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Weiyi; Jie Ganxin; Song Lei; Wang Xin; Lv Xiaoqi; Hu Yuan

2011-01-01

This paper reported the UV-curing flame retardant film, which consisted of epoxy acrylate resin (EA) used as an oligomer, tri(acryloyloxyethyl) phosphate (TAEP) and triglycidyl isocyanurate acrylate (TGICA) used as flame retardant (FR). The flame retardancy and thermal properties of films were reinforced by using alpha-zirconium phosphate (α-Zr (HPO 4 ) 2 H 2 O, α-ZrP). The morphology of nanocomposite film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the organophilic α-ZrP (OZrP) layers were dispersed well in epoxy acrylate resin. Microscale Combustion Calorimeter (MCC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TGA-IR) were used to characterize the flame retardant property and thermal stability. It was found that the incorporation of TAEP and TGICA can reduce the flammability of EA. Moreover, further reductions were observed due to the addition of OZrP. The char residue for systems with or without OZrP was also explored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

[Clinical features of strabismus in psychomotor retardation].

Science.gov (United States)

Arias-Cabello, Belina; Arroyo-Yllanes, María Estela; Pérez-Pérez, José Fernando; Fonte-Vázquez, Anselmo

2016-01-01

In psychomotor retardation there is an abnormal development of mental, sensory and motor skills associated with ocular manifestations. There are biological and psychosocial risk factors that predispose an individual to neurological damage. From 50% to 80% of patients with strabismus retardation have special features that differentiate it from the rest of strabismus in healthy patients. To determine the most common type of strabismus in patients with psychomotor retardation and their clinical features. Patients with psychomotor retardation and strabismus were included. An ophthalmological examination was performed, as well as an evaluation of the characteristics of strabismus, including perinatal and post-natal history. Esotropia was the most frequent squint with 65.3%, followed by exotropia with 32.7%. The variability in the squint magnitude was 60% in both types, and 6 patients had dissociated vertical deviation. Most of the patients started to present strabismus since they were born. The most frequent perinatal risk factors were threatened miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, foetal distress, and hypoxia. Esotropia is the most common type of strabismus in psychomotor retardation. The variability of squint magnitude is a characteristic in these patients. The moderate variability is the most frequent in both esotropia and exotropia. The most common refractive error is hyperopic astigmatism in esotropia and the myopic kind in exotropia. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction with saponification (MAES) for the determination of polybrominated flame retardants in aquaculture samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Fajar, N M; Carro, A M; Lorenzo, R A; Fernandez, F; Cela, R

2008-08-01

The efficiency of microwave-assisted extraction with saponification (MAES) for the determination of seven polybrominated flame retardants (polybrominated biphenyls, PBBs; and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs) in aquaculture samples is described and compared with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Chemometric techniques based on experimental designs and desirability functions were used for simultaneous optimization of the operational parameters used in both MAES and MAE processes. Application of MAES to this group of contaminants in aquaculture samples, which had not been previously applied to this type of analytes, was shown to be superior to MAE in terms of extraction efficiency, extraction time and lipid content extracted from complex matrices (0.7% as against 18.0% for MAE extracts). PBBs and PBDEs were determined by gas chromatography with micro-electron capture detection (GC-muECD). The quantification limits for the analytes were 40-750 pg g(-1) (except for BB-15, which was 1.43 ng g(-1)). Precision for MAES-GC-muECD (%RSD < 11%) was significantly better than for MAE-GC-muECD (%RSD < 20%). The accuracy of both optimized methods was satisfactorily demonstrated by analysis of appropriate certified reference material (CRM), WMF-01.

Evaluation of diphenyl and dowtherm-A's thermal cross sections and their application to reactor calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florido, P.C.; Gillette, V.H.; Granada, J.R.; Patino, N.E.

1990-01-01

This work applies a scattering synthetic approximation to represent diphenyl and dowtherm-A dispersion laws on typical ranges of interest regarding temperature. The present formalism is based on a previous model of benzene molecule formerly validated. The results obtained from diphenyl agree with laboratory measurements, but those regarding dowtherm-A present some variations with respect to the available information. The result of the application of this model to the measurements made in Wrenlingen (Switzerland) to measure the vacuum coefficient of the cells charasteristic of high conversion reactors, are also presented, experimentally simulating said vacuum using dowtherm-A instead of H 2 O. (Author) [es

Photochemical Degradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Micro Photo-Reactor

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vajglová, Zuzana; Veselý, M.; Křišťál, Jiří; Vychodilová, Hana; Tříska, Jan; Jiřičný, Vladimír

2012-01-01

Roč. 42, SI (2012), s. 1378-1382 E-ISSN 1877-7058. [International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering CHISA 2012 and 15th Conference PRES 2012 /20./. Prague, 25.08.2012-29.08.2012] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/09/0880 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 ; RVO:67179843 Keywords : polybrominated diphenyl ethers * micro photo reactor * debromination Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering

Psychiatric Illness in Mentally Retarded Adolescents: Clinical Features.

Science.gov (United States)

Masi, Gabriele

1998-01-01

Describes the clinical features of the most important psychiatric disorders in mentally retarded adolescents: mood disorders, psychotic disorders, severe behavioral disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and attention-deficit The impact of mental retardation on personality development is confirmed by the high psychopathological…

The Van Hiele geometry thinking levels of mild mental retardation students

Science.gov (United States)

Shomad, Z. A.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi

2017-12-01

This research is to investigate the level of mild mental retardation geometry students thinking. This research focuses on the geometry thinking level based on Van Hiele theory. This study uses qualitative methods with case study strategy. Data obtained from observation and tests result. The subjects are 12 mental retardation students. The result show that ability of mild mental retardation students with each other is different but have same level of level thinking geometry. The geometry thinking level of mental retardation students was identified in level 1 of the Van Hiele theory. Based on the level thinking geometry of mental retardation students simplify geometry thinking teachers in selecting appropriate learning methods, choose the materials in accordance with ability, and can modify the material following the geometry thinking level of mental retardation students.

Experimental intrauterine growth retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

van Marthens, E; Harel, S; Zamenshof, S

1975-01-01

The effects of experimental intrauterine growth retardation on subsequent fetal development, especially with respect to brain development, were studied in a new animal model. The rabbit was chosen since it has a perinatal pattern of brain development similar to that of the human. Experimental ischemia was induced during the last trimester by ligation of spiral arterioles and the differential effects on fetal development at term (30th gestational day) are reported. Specific brain regions were examined for wet weight, total cell number (DNA) and total protein content. Highly significant decreases in all these parameters were found in both the cortex and cerebellum following experimental intrauterine growth retardation; these two organs were differentially affected. The prospects and advantages of using this animal model for the study of the postnatal "catch-up growth" are discussed.

Retarded Boson–Fermion interaction in atomic systems

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

The retardation effect arises from the finite speed of light, and the fact that a virtual photon is always in transit. By separating the center of mass motion, a wave equa- tion that looks like the effective equation for only one spin-1/2 fermion is derived in §3. The retardation ef- fect can now be calculated to all orders. Separation ...

Nonstatic one-boson-exchange potential with retardation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obinata, Toshio; Wada, Masanobu

1975-01-01

A one-boson-exchange potential (OBEP) with retardation represented in coordinate space is proposed, that produces a good fit to the experimental data such as the nuclear phase shifts, the deuteron properties and two-nucleon low-energy parameters. In addition to the scalar sigma 0 and Δ mesons, the well-established π, eta, ω and rho mesons have been exchanged in our OBEP. In the core region the hard core, Gaussian soft core and velocity-dependent core potentials are adopted. The characteristics of the retardation are discussed in detail as compared with those given in momentum space calculations. The OBEP's with and without retardation reproduce essentially the same phase shifts in spite of very different potential shapes, in particular in the central-to-tensor ratio. (auth.)

Piagetian Object Permanence in Severely Mentally Retarded Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Brekke, Beverly; And Others

The measurability of sensorimotor development in 60 severely retarded, institutionalized adults was studied, using the Piagetian concept of object permanence in a delayed recall paradigm that involved special apparatus. Results suggested, among other things, that severely retarded, institutionalized adults learn most efficiently when trained with…

Solvent effects on the kinetics of the chlorine isotopic exchange reaction between chloride ion and O,O-diphenyl phosphorochloridate or O,O-diphenyl phosphorchloridothioate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikolajczyk, M.; Slebocka-Tilk, H.; Reimschussel, W.

1982-01-01

The effect of solvent on the kinetics of the chlorine isotopic exchange reaction between 36 Cl- ions and O,O-diphenyl phosphorochloridate or O,O-diphenyl phosphorochloridothioate has been investigated in nitromethane, acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, benzonitrile, nitrobenzene, and hexamethyl-phosphoric triamide. The rate constants decrease with increasing electrophilicity of the solvent. A good correlation between the logarithm of the rate constants and acceptor number (AN) of the solvent was obtained with identical slopes for reactions with phosphoryl and thiophosporyl compounds. The slopes for the dependence of ΔH or TΔS vs. AN for chlorine isotopic exchange in (PHO) 2 pace are opposite those for the exchange reaction in (PHO) 2 PSCl, so a constant ratio of k/sub p=O//k/sub p=s/ is observed, resulting from compensation of ΔH by ΔS. The effect of solvent on the initial state (from solubility measurements) and the transition state of the reaction between (PhO) 2 PSCl and the Cl- ion was evaluated. Changes of solvation of (PHO) 2 PSCE have practically no effect on the kinetics of the reactions. Changes of solvation of the chloride ion and of the transition state primarily influence the rate constants and activation parameters of the investigated isotopic-exchange reaction

Fears of institutionalized mentally retarded adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sternlicht, M

1979-01-01

The patterns of fears of institutionalized mentally retarded adults were studied in a sample of i2 moderately retarded men and women between the ages of 21-49. The direct questioning method was employed. Two interviews were held, two weeks apart; the first interview elicited the Ss' fears, while the second concerned the fears of their friends. A total of 146 responses were obtained, and these were categorized according to the types of fears: supernatural-natural events, animals, physical injury, psychological stress, egocentric responses, and no fears. The Ss displayed a higher percentage of fears in the preoperational stage than in the concrete operational stage. In a comparison of male to female fears, only one category, that of fears of animals, reached significance. The study suggested that the same developmental trend of fears that appears in normal children appears in the retarded as well, and these fears follow Piaget's level of cognitive development, proceeding from egocentric perceptions of causality to realistic cause and effect thinking.

The difficulties of teacher in teaching geometry for mental retardation students

Science.gov (United States)

Shomad, Z. A.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi

2018-03-01

The purpose of this research is to find out the problems faced by teachers in teaching materials on mental retardation students. It focused on the difficulties faced by the teacher in teaching geometry. A qualitative method with field study approach used in this study. The subjects in this research are the teacher and mild mental retardation students. There are six teachers and six students involve as the subject which is chosen by purposive sampling. The data of this research is the observation and interview against teachers and mental retardation students. The data was analyzed qualitatively with Miles and Huberman steps. The results of this research show that mental retardation students have less attention to the materials, less special books or learning media props, difficult in the set the students, and the difficulty in choosing the material that suits the student needs and the condition of mental retardation students. There's not much pay attention to the children with special need, particularly mental retardation student. Thus, this study can help analyze the difficulties teachers so that learning math for mental retardation students more optimal.

Dysmorphology and mental retardation: molecular cytogenetic studies in dysmorphic mentally retarded patients.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buggenhout, G.J.C.M. van; Ravenswaaij-Arts, C.M.A. van; Mieloo, H.; Syrrou, M.; Hamel, B.C.J.; Brunner, H.G.; Fryns, J.P.

2001-01-01

In an institutionalised population of 471 mentally retarded adult residents (436 males and 35 females), 18 patients (16 males and 2 females) with dysmorphic features were selected to perform FISH studies by using subtelomeric probes to discover cryptic terminal deletions or duplications,

Crusted piloleiomyoma with mental retardation: A rare association

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamboj Sangeeta

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Piloleiomyoma is an uncommon benign smooth muscle neoplasm arising from arrector pili muscle. It is clinically defined by the presence of solitary or multiple reddish brown, dome-shaped, smooth papules or nodules, ranging in size from a few millimeters to a centimeter. The patients are otherwise healthy; but mental retardation developing in some patients with multiple Piloleiomyomas has been emerging as an intriguing matter for analysis by the scientists. In this case report, a mentally retarded patient with Piloleiomyoma is described, who, besides the characteristic smooth and dome-shaped lesions on the anterolateral aspect of the dorsum of the right foot, had developed crusting on one of the largest lesions. The histopathological features were consistent with Piloleiomyoma. The occurrence of Piloleiomyoma in a mentally retarded child and its unusual crusted nature has been rarely reported. The association between Piloleiomyoma and mental retardation is further stressed in this case report.

Flame Retardant Effect of Nano Fillers on Polydimethylsiloxane Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jagdale, Pravin; Salimpour, Samera; Islam, Md Hujjatul; Cuttica, Fabio; Hernandez, Francisco C Robles; Tagliaferro, Alberto; Frache, Alberto

2018-02-01

Polydimethylsiloxane has exceptional fire retardancy characteristics, which make it a popular polymer in flame retardancy applications. Flame retardancy of polydimethylsiloxane with different nano fillers was studied. Polydimethylsiloxane composite fire property varies because of the shape, size, density, and chemical nature of nano fillers. In house made carbon and bismuth oxide nano fillers were used in polydimethylsiloxane composite. Carbon from biochar (carbonised bamboo) and a carbon by-product (carbon soot) were selected. For comparative study of nano fillers, standard commercial multiwall carbon nano tubes (functionalised, graphitised and pristine) as nano fillers were selected. Nano fillers in polydimethylsiloxane positively affects their fire retardant properties such as total smoke release, peak heat release rate, and time to ignition. Charring and surface ceramization are the main reasons for such improvement. Nano fillers in polydimethylsiloxane may affect the thermal mobility of polymer chains, which can directly affect the time to ignition. The study concludes that the addition of pristine multiwall carbon nano tubes and bismuth oxide nano particles as filler in polydimethylsiloxane composite improves the fire retardant property.

Acute and Developmental Behavioral Effects of Flame ...

Science.gov (United States)

As polybrominated diphenyl ethers are phased out, numerous compounds are emerging as potential replacement flame retardants for use in consumer and electronic products. Little is known, however, about the neurobehavioral toxicity of these replacements. This study evaluated the neurobehavioral effects of acute or developmental exposure to t-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDP), 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP), isodecyl diphenyl phosphate (IDDP), isopropylated phenyl phosphate (IPP), tricresyl phosphate (TMPP; also abbreviated TCP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP; also abbreviated TPP), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris (1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP; also abbreviated TDCPP), tri-o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), and 2,2-,4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. Larvae (n≈24 per dose per compound) were exposed to test compounds (0.4 - 120 µM) at sub-teratogenic concentrations either developmentally or acutely, and locomotor activity was assessed at 6 days post fertilization. When given developmentally, all chemicals except BPDP, IDDP and TBBPA produced behavioral effects. When given acutely, all chemicals produced behavioral effects, with TPHP, TBBPA, EHDP, IPP, and BPDP eliciting the most effects at the most concentrations. The results indicate that these replacement flame retardants may have developmental or pharmacological effects on the vertebrate nervous system. This study

Autism and Mental Retardation of Young Children in China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XIN ZHANG; CHENG-YE JI

2005-01-01

Objective To understand the prevalence and rehabilitation status of autism and mental retardation in China. Methods Screening test and clinical assessment were conducted for the diagnosis of autism and mental retardation. The assessment included investigation of the histories of medical conditions and development of these two disorders, utilization and needs for the rehabilitation service, and related intellectual and behavioral appraisal. Results Among the 7345 children investigated, the prevalence of autism disorder was 1.10 cases per 1000 children aged 2-6 years (95% CI=0.34 to 2.54), and the prevalence of mental retardation was 10.76 cases per 1000 children (95% CI=8.40 to 13.12). All the children suffering from autistic disorder were intellectually disabled, whereas 31.0% of the non-autism mental retardates had other disabilities. The medical conditions prior to birth and perinatal period were important potential factors for autism. Half of the autistic children and 84% of the children with non-autism mental retardation had never received any rehabilitative service. Conclusions The prevalence of autistic disorder in children aged 2-6 years in Tianjin is rather high. It is urgent to improve the status of the autistic and intelligently disabled young children in China. In order to upgrade the level of early diagnostic and improve the intervention to autism and mental retardation, public awareness and training courses should be heightened.

A combined effect of polybrominated diphenyl ether and aquaculture effluent on growth and antioxidative response of mangrove plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Farzana, Shazia; Tam, Nora Fung Yee

2018-06-01

Mangrove wetland receives nutrient-rich aquaculture effluent (AE) from nearby farming activities and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from the production and usage of flame retardants. The effects of BDE-209 (the most common PBDE congener), AE and their combination on two true mangrove species, namely Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina, were compared in a 6-month microcosm study. Results showed that K. obovata was more sensitive to these contaminants than A. marina, as reflected by its enhanced production of leaf superoxide (O 2 -∗ ) by BDE-209 and root malondialdehyde (MDA) by the combined BDE-209 and AE treatment. The hormesis model showed that the combined effects of BDE-209 and AE on the production of MDA, O 2 -∗ and catalase (CAT) activity in K. obovata and A. marina were antagonistic except root O 2 -∗ in A. marina, but the effects on leaf superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in K. obovata, and root SOD and peroxidase (POD) activities in A. marina were synergistic. The defense mechanisms differed between treatment and species. The activities of SOD and POD were the main mechanisms to defend K. obovata and A. marina against BDE-209, but CAT in K. obovata and POD in A. marina were more important in defending the combined BDE-209 and AE treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iconic Memory Deficit of Mildly Mentally Retarded Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hornstein, Henry A.; Mosley, James L.

1987-01-01

Ten mildly retarded young adult males and nonretarded subjects matched for chronological age or mental age were required to recognize both verbal and nonverbal stimuli presented tachistoscopically. Results of a backward visual masking paradigm varying stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) indicated the retarded subjects performed poorer at the longest…

Risk Factors to Growth Retardation in Major Thalassemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riva Uda

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The increasing in the life span of patients with major thalassemia should be followed by increased quality of life. There are factors which can affect growth retardation in these patients. The aim of this study was to find out the risk factors for growth retardation in patients with major thalassemia. An analytical study with cross-sectional design was conducted at Pediatric Thalassemia Clinics of Dr.Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, in June to July 2006. The subjects of this study were patients with major thalassemia. Inclusion criteria’s were age under 14 years old, had no chronic diseases like tuberculosis, cerebral palsy with complete medical records. Risk factors were the timing of diagnosis, initial and dose of deferoxamine, volume of transfused blood, mean pretransfusion hemoglobin level, family income, and age. Antropometric measurement indices were used to assess the growth which expressed in Z score. Growth evaluated based on height/age (H/A and growth retardation if H/A <-2 SD. Risk factors for growth retardation were analyzed separately using chi-square test and odds ratio (OR with 95% confidence interval (CI. Then they were analyzed simultaneously with logistic regression method. Subjects consisted of 152 patients with major thalassemia. Seventy three thalassemia patients were stunted. Analysis showed that age (OR: 5.42, 95% CI:2.32–12.65, p <0.001, dosage of deferoxamine (OR: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.29–12.41, p: 0.016, and family income (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.06–5.06, p: 0.036 were risks factors for growth retardation. Conclusion, risk factors for growth retardation in major thalassemia are age, dosage of deferoxamine, and family income.

Dipropyl 3,6-diphenyl-1,2-dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine-1,2-dicarboxylate.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Guo-Wu; Hu, Wei-Xiao

2003-05-01

The title compound, C(22)H(24)N(4)O(4), was prepared from propyl chloroformate and 3,6-diphenyl-1,2-dihydro-s-tetrazine. This reaction yields the title compound rather than dipropyl 3,6-diphenyl-1,4-dihydro-s-tetrazine-1,4-dicarboxylate. The 2,3-diazabutadiene group in the central six-membered ring is not planar; the C=N double-bond length is 1.285 (2) A, and the average N-N single-bond length is 1.401 (3) A, indicating a lack of conjugation. The ring has a twist conformation, in which adjacent N atoms lie +/- 0.3268 (17) A from the plane of the ring. The molecule has twofold crystallographic symmetry.

Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and child attention problems at 3–7 years

Science.gov (United States)

Cowell, Whitney J.; Lederman, Sally A.; Sjödin, Andreas; Jones, Richard; Wang, Shuang; Perera, Frederica P.; Wang, Richard; Rauh, Virginia A.; Herbstman, Julie B.

2016-01-01

Introduction Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) comprise a class of halogenated compounds used extensively as flame retardant chemicals in consumer products resulting in nearly ubiquitous human exposure. Mounting evidence suggests that PBDEs are developmental neurotoxicants; however, associations between early life exposure and child behavior have been largely limited to a single developmental time point. Methods The study population consists primarily of white, black and Chinese women who were pregnant on 11 September 2001 and delivered at 1 of 3 downtown New York City hospitals. Maternal–child pairs were followed through age 7 years. Cord blood was collected at delivery and PBDE plasma levels for 210 samples were analyzed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Child Behavior Checklist, a validated maternal-report instrument used for assessing child behavior, was administered annually between the ages of 3 and 7 years. We analyzed the association between natural log-transformed and dichotomized (low vs. high) PBDEs and attention problems using multivariable adjusted negative binomial regression. Results We detected 4 PBDE congeners in more than 50% of samples, with concentrations highest for BDE-47 (median ± IQR: 11.2 ± 19.6 ng/g). In adjusted analyses, we detected associations between BDE-47 (1.21, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.47), and BDE-153 (1.18, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39) in cord plasma and increased attention problems among children at age 4 (n = 109) but not 6 (n = 107) years. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a positive trend between prenatal PBDE exposure and early childhood attention problems, and are consistent with previous research reporting associations between prenatal PBDE exposure and disrupted child behaviors. PMID:26344673

Occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in floor and elevated surface house dust from Shanghai, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Dong; Qiu, Yanling; Li, Li; Zhou, Yihui; Du, Xinyu; Zhu, Zhiliang; Chen, Ling; Lin, Zhifen

2018-04-24

House dust is the main source of human exposure to flame retardants by ingestion. This study investigated the occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in indoor dust from 22 houses in Shanghai, China. House dust was separately collected from the floor and elevated furnishings surface (mostly between 0.5 and 2 m height) for comparison. The concentrations of ∑ 22 PBDEs ranged from 19.4 to 3280 ng/g (with a geometric mean of 203 ng/g) and from 55.1 to 792 ng/g (with a geometric mean of 166 ng/g) in floor dust (FD) and elevated surface dust (ESD), respectively. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, accounting for about 73.1% of total PBDE burdens. In terms of congener profiles, the comparison of FD and ESD revealed no significant differences except for the ratio of BDE-47/BDE-99. ESD samples displayed a ratio of BDE-47/BDE-99 very similar to commercial penta-BDE products DE-71 while the ratio in FD was exceptionally higher. Significant correlation was found between concentrations of commercial penta-BDE compositions in FD and ESD (p house dust exhibited temporal stability. Human exposure to PBDEs via dust ingestion was estimated. The highest daily intake of PBDEs was for toddlers by using 95th percentile concentrations of PBDEs via high dust ingestion in FD (23.07 ng/kg bw/day). About 20-fold difference in exposure estimates between toddlers and adults supports that toddlers are facing greater risk from indoor floor dust. Expectedly, this study highlighted the point that residents in Shanghai were exposed to low doses of PBDEs in house dust.

Aryl Polyphosphonates: Useful Halogen-Free Flame Retardants for Polymers

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Li Chen

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Aryl polyphosphonates (ArPPN have been demonstrated to function in wide applications as flame retardants for different polymer materials, including thermosets, polycarbonate, polyesters and polyamides, particularly due to their satisfactory thermal stability compared to aliphatic flame retardants, and to their desirable flow behavior observed during the processing of polymeric materials. This paper provides a brief overview of the main developments in ArPPN and their derivatives for flame-retarding polymeric materials, primarily based on the authors’ research work and the literature published over the last two decades. The synthetic chemistry of these compounds is discussed along with their thermal stabilities and flame-retardant properties. The possible mechanisms of ArPPN and their derivatives containing hetero elements, which exhibit a synergistic effect with phosphorus, are also discussed.

Nonretarded and Mentally Retarded Children's Control over Syntax Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeavey, Breda C.; And Others

1982-01-01

Ten nonretarded preschoolers and 10 mildly mentally retarded children (mean age 8 years) were compared for control over various syntactic structures. The retarded children evidenced difficulties similar to those of younger nonretarded children. (Author/SB)

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental standard reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stapleton, Heather M.; Schantz, Michele M.; Wise, Stephen A. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Keller, Jennifer M.; Kucklick, John R. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC (United States); Leigh, Stefan D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Statistical Engineering Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

2007-04-15

Standard reference materials (SRMs) are valuable tools in developing and validating analytical methods to improve quality assurance standards. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a long history of providing environmental SRMs with certified concentrations of organic and inorganic contaminants. Here we report on new certified and reference concentrations for 27 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in seven different SRMs: cod-liver oil, whale blubber, fish tissue (two materials), mussel tissue and sediment (two materials). PBDEs were measured in these SRMs, with the lowest concentrations measured in mussel tissue (SRM 1974b) and the highest in sediment collected from the New York/New Jersey Waterway (SRM 1944). Comparing the relative PBDE congener concentrations within the samples, we found the biota SRMs contained primarily tetrabrominated and pentabrominated diphenyl ethers, whereas the sediment SRMs contained primarily decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209). The cod-liver oil (SRM 1588b) and whale blubber (SRM 1945) materials were also found to contain measurable concentrations of two methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs). Certified and reference concentrations are reported for 12 PBDE congeners measured in the biota SRMs and reference values are available for two MeO-BDEs. Results from a sediment interlaboratory comparison PBDE exercise are available for the two sediment SRMs (1941b and 1944). (orig.)

Parental Attitude Towards Mental Retardation

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LEOKADIA WIATROWSKA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available https://doaj.org/puChild's developmental retardation is an undoubted condition for the absence of educational attainment and its unpleasant mental state. Due to the nature of multidimensional state of that, parental attitudes become relevant, as they affect the acceleration or retardation of development. Positive parental attitudes are the strong weapon for the child and his struggles on the way to an equal start and equal development opportunities. For this reason you should emphasize those factors that build the structures supporting developmental progression.An ecosystem approach to human development emphasizes each factor as relevant component for growth and expansion, without denying its own human activity and his self-determination rightblisher/metadata

Brominated flame retardants in black plastic kitchen utensils: Concentrations and human exposure implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuang, Jiangmeng; Abdallah, Mohamed Abou-Elwafa; Harrad, Stuart

2018-01-01

Concerns exist that restricted brominated flame retardants (BFRs) present in waste polymers may have, as a result of recycling, inadvertently contaminated items not required to meet flame retardancy regulations (e.g. plastic kitchen utensils). To investigate the extent to which kitchen utensils are contaminated with BFRs and the potential for resultant human exposure, we collected 96 plastic kitchen utensils and screened for Br content using a hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. Only 3 out of 27 utensils purchased after 2011 contained detectable concentrations of Br (≥3μg/g). In contrast, Br was detected in 31 out of the 69 utensils purchased before 2011. Eighteen utensils with Br content higher than 100μg/g, and 12 new utensils were selected for GC-MS analysis of BFRs. BFRs targeted were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209, and novel BFRs (NBFRs) pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (BEH-TEBP) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE). The ability of XRF to act as a surrogate metric of BFR concentration was indicated by a significant (Spearman coefficient=0.493; p=0.006) positive relationship between Br and ΣBFR concentration. Measurements of ΣBFRs were always exceeded by those of Br. This may be due partly to the presence of BFRs not targeted in our study and also to reduced extraction efficiency of BFRs from utensils. Of our target BFRs, BDE-209 was the most abundant one in most samples, but an extremely high concentration (1000μg/g) of BTBPE was found in one utensil. Simulated cooking experiments were conducted to investigate BFR transfer from selected utensils (n=10) to hot cooking oil, with considerable transfer (20% on average) observed. Estimated median exposure via cooking with BFR contaminated utensils was 60ng/day for total BFRs. In contrast, estimated

Aryl- and alkyl-phosphorus-containing flame retardants induced mitochondrial impairment and cell death in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-k1) cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Chao; Li, Na; Yuan, Shengwu; Ji, Xiaoya; Ma, Mei; Rao, Kaifeng; Wang, Zijian

2017-01-01

Phosphorus-containing flame retardants (PFRs) are increasingly in demand worldwide as replacements for brominated flame retardants (BFRs), but insufficient available toxicological information on PFRs makes assessing their health risks challenging. Mitochondria are important targets of various environmental pollutants, and mitochondrial dysfunction may lead to many common diseases. In the present study, mitochondria impairment-related endpoints were measured by a high content screening (HCS) assay for 11 selected non-halogen PFRs in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-k1) cells. A cluster analysis was used to categorize these PFRs into three groups according to their structural characteristics and results from the HCS assay. Two groups, containing long-chain alkyl-PFRs and all aryl-PFRs, were found to cause mitochondrial impairment but showed different mechanisms of toxicity. Due to the high correlation between cell death and mitochondrial impairment, two PFRs with different structures, trihexyl phosphate (THP) and cresyl diphenyl phosphate (CDP), were selected and compared with chlorpyrifos (CPF) to elucidate their mechanism of inducing cell death. THP (an alkyl-PFR) was found to utilize a similar pathway as CPF to induce apoptosis. However, cell death induced by CDP (an aryl-PFR) was different from classical necrosis based on experiments to discriminate among the different modes of cell death. These results confirm that mitochondria might be important targets for some PFRs and that differently structured PFRs could function via distinct mechanisms of toxicity. - Highlights: • Mitochondrial impairment induced by PFRs was observed in CHO-k1 cells. • THP (an alkyl-PFR) induced a caspase-mediated apoptosis in CHO-k1 cells. • The cell death induced by CDP (an aryl-PFR) was not traditional apoptosis or necrosis.

Fast Removal of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers from Aqueous Solutions by Using Low-Cost Adsorbents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renin Chang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available 4-Dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE-3 and 4,4′-dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE-15 are two of the major polybrominated diphenyl ethers used as flame-retardant additives in computer main boards and in fireproof building materials. In this study, we evaluated the potential of three low-cost adsorbents, black tea, green tea, and coconut palm leaf powders, to adsorb BDE-3 and BDE-15 from aqueous solutions. The results showed that pressure steam washing of the adsorbents increased their capacities to adsorb BDE-3 and BDE-15. The maximum adsorption capacities of pressure steam–washed black tea, green tea, and coconut palm leaf powders were 21.85 mg·L−1, 14.56 mg·L−1 and 22.47 mg·L−1, respectively. The results also showed that the adsorption equilibrium (qe was achieved at 4 min. Moreover, 97.8% of BDE-3 and 98.5% of BDE-15 could be removed by adsorbents pretreated with pressure steam washing. The kinetic data fitted well with a pseudo-second-order equation. The adsorption rate constants (k2 of all pressure steam–washed adsorbents ranged from 8.16 × 10−3 to 6.61 × 10−2 g·(mg·L−1−1·s−1, and the amount adsorbed at qe by all pressure steam–washed adsorbents ranged from 4.21 to 4.78 mg·L−1. Green alga Chlorella vulgaris was used as the test organism and the median effective concentration values of BDE-3 and BDE-15 were 7.24 and 3.88 mg·L−1, respectively. After BDE-3 and BDE-15 were removed from the solution, their biotoxicities markedly decreased. These findings indicate that these low-cost adsorbents can be used to remove BDE-3 and BDE-15 from aqueous solutions and wastewater.

Development of low-smoke, flame-retarding cables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, H.; Kanemitsuya, K.; Furukawa, K.; Mio, K.

1983-01-01

A great deal of attention has been given to the potential fire hazard of combustion gases from organic materials. Although cable industries have developed flame-retarding organic materials for the insulation and jacketing of wires and cables, there was insufficient prevention of toxic gas formation during combustion. To cope with these problems associated with conventional PVC cables, the authors have directed to develop low-smoke, flame-retarding plasticized PVC formulations retaining the original mechanical, electrical and aging properties. A series of basic investigations on smoke suppression followed by an evaluation on practical cables could indicate some effective means to end these problems. This paper describes the results and discussion on smoke suppressing study of plasticized PVC as well as behavior and characteristics of the low-smoke, flame-retarding PVC wires and cables using these materials. (author)

Distal joint contractures, mental retardation, characteristic face and growth retardation: Chitayat syndrome revisited.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wortmann, S.B.; Rodenburg, R.J.T.; Schwahn, B.; Smeitink, J.A.M.; Morava, E.

2007-01-01

We report on a patient with congenital distal limb contractures, characteristic face, prominent metopic sutures, narrow forehead, severe psychomotor and growth retardation, white matter lesions and failure to thrive. The child has many overlapping features with those reported previously by Chitayat.

Epidemiology of Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Heber, Rick

Prevalence data on mental retardation is presented including international estimates on general prevalence, age directions, geographical variations within the United States, racial and ethnic variations, economic class distributions, family variations, and population distribution in institutions. Statistics are also provided in areas of specific…

Occurrences and inventories of heavy metals and brominated flame retardants in wastes from printed circuit board production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiaoyu; Guo, Jie; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Peng; Deng, Jingjing; Lin, Kuangfei

2014-09-01

Pollutants including heavy metals and brominated flame retardant were detected in 10 types of production wastes from a typical printed circuit board manufacturing plant, and their inventories were estimated. Rinsing water from etching process had the highest concentrations of copper (665.51 mg/L), lead (1.02 mg/L), nickel (3.60 mg/L), chromium (0.97 mg/L), and tin (1.79 mg/L). Powdered solid waste (SW) from the cut lamination process contained the highest tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) levels (49.86 mg/kg). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were absent in this plant, in agreement with the international regulations of PBDE phase out. The pollutant inventories in the wastes exhibited in the order of copper > > zinc > tin ≈ nickel > lead > chromium > > TBBPA. The potential environmental impact of pollutants in SW during production and disposal were further investigated. A high partitioning of pollutant concentration between the total suspended particle and SW (-0.10 < log K TS < 2.12) was observed for most pollutants, indicating the emission pathway from SW to the airborne atmosphere in the workshop. Although SW met the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, drilling powder with the smallest particle diameter still showed high leachabilities of lead and tin which may lead to a negative environmental impact during disposal.

Occurrence of halogenated flame retardants in sediment off an urbanized coastal zone: association with urbanization and industrialization.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui-Hui; Hu, Yuan-Jie; Luo, Pei; Bao, Lian-Jun; Qiu, Jian-Wen; Leung, Kenneth M Y; Zeng, Eddy Y

2014-01-01

To examine the impacts of urbanization and industrialization on the coastal environment, sediment samples were collected from an urbanized coastal zone (i.e., Daya Bay and Hong Kong waters of South China) and analyzed for 20 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 10 alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs). The sum concentration of PBDEs was in the range of 1.7-55 (mean: 17) ng g(-1), suggesting a moderate pollution level compared to the global range. The higher fractions of AHFRs (i.e., TBB+TBPH, BTBPE and DBDPE) than those of legacy PBDEs (i.e., penta-BDE, octa-BDE and deca-BDE) corresponded with the phasing out of PBDEs and increasing demand for AHFRs. Heavy contamination occurred at the estuary of Dan'ao River flowing through the Daya Bay Economic Zone, home to a variety of petrochemicals and electronics manufacturing facilities. The concentrations of HFRs in surface sediments of Hong Kong were the highest in Victoria Harbor, which receives around 1.4 million tons of primarily treated sewage daily, and a good relationship (r(2) = 0.80; p 0.73; p < 0.05) with the production volume of electronic devices, production value of electronic industries and population size, demonstrating the importance of industrializing and urbanizing processes in dictating the historical input patterns of AHFRs.

Determination of average molecular weights on organic reactor coolants. II.-Freezing point depression method for diphenyl-ether solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreira, M.

1965-01-01

In order to reduce limitations of solubility, the cryoscopic method developed for benzene solutions of polyphenyl mixtures has been extended to diphenyl-ether solutions by introducing some modifications imposed by the physico-chemical properties of this solvent. The Nernsto theory of Beckman's method has been revised, taking into account the heat-transfer characteristics of the system, and the results of that analysis have been used to fix upon the design parameters of a cryoscopic apparatus for measurements on diphenyl-ether solutions. (Author) 9 refs

An assessment of sources and pathways of human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson-Restrepo, Boris; Kannan, Kurunthachalam

2009-07-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous in the indoor environment, owing to their use in consumer products ranging from electronics to mattresses, furniture, and carpets. People are exposed to PBDEs through inhalation of indoor air and ingestion, and dermal absorption of dust particles present in the air. In this study, concentrations of PBDEs were determined in indoor air and house dust collected from homes in Albany, New York, USA. Based on the measured concentrations of PBDEs in indoor air and dust, we estimated daily exposure dose (DED) of PBDEs. In addition, we used previously published PBDE concentrations reported for breast milk from Massachusetts, USA [Johnson-Restrepo, B., Addink, R., Wong, C., Arcaro, K., Kannan, K., 2007. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and organochlorine pesticides in human breast milk from Massachusetts. USA. J. Environ. Monitor. 9, 1205-1212] and foodstuffs collected from Texas and Florida, USA [Schecter, A., Päpke, O., Harris, T.R., Tung, K.C., Musumba, A., Olson, J., Birnbaum, L., 2006. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels in an expanded market basket survey of U.S. food and estimated PBDE dietary intake by age and sex. Environ. Health Perspect. 114, 1515-1520, Johnson-Restrepo, B., Kannan, K., Addink, R., Adams, D.H., 2005b. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in a marine foodweb of coastal Florida. Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 8243-8250], in an estimation of dietary exposure to PBDEs. The exposure assessment was performed for five age groups: infants (accounting for, on average, 56-77% of the total PBDE intake.

Measurement and human exposure assessment of brominated flame retardants in household products from South China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shejun; Ma Yunjuan; Wang Jing; Tian Mi; Luo Xiaojun; Chen Da; Mai Bixian

2010-01-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were examined in household products in the Pearl River Delta, South China, including electronic appliances, furniture and upholstery, car interiors, and raw materials for electronics. The concentrations of PBDEs derived from penta-BDE mixture were much lower (<111 ng/g) than those for octa- and deca-BDE commercially derived PBDEs, with maximum values of 15,107 and 1,603,343 ng/g, respectively, in all the household products. Our findings suggest the recycling of old electronic products and their reuse might be also a potential important source of discontinued PBDEs to the environment. DBDPE was found in 20.0% of all the samples, ranging from 311 to 268,230 ng/g. PBDE congener profiles in both the household products and raw materials suggest that some less brominated BDEs in the environment may be derived from the decomposition of higher brominated PBDEs in PBDE-containing products in process of the manufacturing, use and/or recycling. Human exposure to PBDEs from household products via inhalation ranged from 175 to 612 pg/kg bw day, accounting for a small proportion of the total daily exposure via indoor inhalation. Despite the low deleterious risk associated with household products with regard to PBDEs, they are of special concern because of the relatively higher exposures observed for young children and further work is required.

Measurement and human exposure assessment of brominated flame retardants in household products from South China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Shejun [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Ma Yunjuan [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Zhuhai Environmental Moniorting Center, Zhuhai 519000 (China); Wang Jing; Tian Mi [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Luo Xiaojun [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Chen Da [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Mai Bixian, E-mail: nancymai@gig.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2010-04-15

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were examined in household products in the Pearl River Delta, South China, including electronic appliances, furniture and upholstery, car interiors, and raw materials for electronics. The concentrations of PBDEs derived from penta-BDE mixture were much lower (<111 ng/g) than those for octa- and deca-BDE commercially derived PBDEs, with maximum values of 15,107 and 1,603,343 ng/g, respectively, in all the household products. Our findings suggest the recycling of old electronic products and their reuse might be also a potential important source of discontinued PBDEs to the environment. DBDPE was found in 20.0% of all the samples, ranging from 311 to 268,230 ng/g. PBDE congener profiles in both the household products and raw materials suggest that some less brominated BDEs in the environment may be derived from the decomposition of higher brominated PBDEs in PBDE-containing products in process of the manufacturing, use and/or recycling. Human exposure to PBDEs from household products via inhalation ranged from 175 to 612 pg/kg bw day, accounting for a small proportion of the total daily exposure via indoor inhalation. Despite the low deleterious risk associated with household products with regard to PBDEs, they are of special concern because of the relatively higher exposures observed for young children and further work is required.

Remediation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil using Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles: Influencing factors, kinetics and mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Yingying; Fang, Zhanqiang; Cheng, Wen; Tsang, Pokeung Eric; Zhao, Dongye

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly used as additive flame retardants in all kinds of electronic products. PBDEs are now ubiquitous in the environment, with soil as a major sink, especially in e-waste recycling sites. This study investigated the degradation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) in a spiked soil using Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles. The results indicated that Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles are able to degrade BDE209 in soil at ambient temperature and the removal efficiency can reach 72% when an initial pH of 5.6 and at a Ni/Fe dosage of 0.03 g/g. A declining trend in degradation was noticed with decreasing Ni loading and increasing of initial BDE209 concentration. The degradation products of BDE209 were analyzed by GC-MS, which showed that the degradation of BDE209 was a process of stepwise debromination from nBr to (n − 1)Br. And a possible debromination pathway was proposed. At last, the degradation process was analyzed as two-step mechanism, mass transfer and reaction. This current study shows the potential ability of Ni/Fe nanoparticles to be used for removal of PBDEs in contaminated soil. - Highlights: • Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles could effectively degradate BDE209 in soil. • The effects of various factors on remediation of BDE209 in soil using Ni/Fe were considered. • The degradation of BDE209 was a process of stepwise debromination from nBr to (n − 1)Br. • A possible debromination pathway and mechanism about removal of BDE209 in soil were proposed

[Review on application of plant growth retardants in medicinal plants cultivation].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Yu-Yao; Guo, Bao-Lin; Cheng, Ming

2013-09-01

Plant growth retardants are widely used in cultivation of medicinal plant, but there is still lack of scientific guidance. In order to guide the use of plant growth retardants in medicinal plant cultivation efficiently and reasonably, this paper reviewed the mechanism, function characteristic, plant and soil residue of plant growth retardants, such as chlorocholine chloride, mepiquat chloride, paclobutrazol, unicnazle and succinic acid, and summarized the application of plant growth retardants in medicinal plants cultivation in recent years, with focus on the effect of growth and yield of the officinal organs and secondary metabolites.

Fire-retardant-treated strandboard : properties and fire performance

Science.gov (United States)

Jerrold Winandy; Qingwen Wang; Robert H. White

2008-01-01

This study evaluated a series of single-layer, randomly oriented strandboard panels made with one resin type, a single resin loading level, and four fire-retardant-treatment levels. The fire retardant (FR) evaluated was a pH-buffered combination of boric acid and organic phosphate. Siberian larch strands were separated into five batches. One batch of strands served as...

Growth retardation in children injected with 224Ra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiess, H.; Mays, C.W.; Spiess-Paulus, E.

1986-01-01

We have obtained the adult heights of 133 patients formerly injected with 224 Ra as juveniles. 224 Ra induced growth retardation was greatest in children injected at young ages and increased with dose. The growth retardation was well represented as a 2% decrease in potential growth post irradiation per 100 rads of calculated average skeletal dose. (orig.)

In vivo treatment with diphenyl ditelluride induces neurodegeneration in striatum of young rats: Implications of MAPK and Akt pathways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heimfarth, Luana; Loureiro, Samanta Oliveira; Dutra, Márcio Ferreira; Andrade, Cláudia; Pettenuzzo, Letícia; Guma, Fátima T. Costa Rodrigues; Gonçalves, Carlos Alberto Saraiva [Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Batista Teixeira da Rocha, João [Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS Brazil (Brazil); Pessoa-Pureur, Regina, E-mail: rpureur@ufrgs.br [Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2012-10-15

In the present report 15 day-old Wistar rats were injected with 0.3 μmol of diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe){sub 2}/kg body weight and parameters of neurodegeneration were analyzed in slices from striatum 6 days afterwards. We found hyperphosphorylation of intermediate filament (IF) proteins from astrocyte (glial fibrillary acidic protein—GFAP and vimentin) and from neuron (low-, medium- and high molecular weight neurofilament subunits: NF-L, NF-M and NF-H, respectively) and increased MAPK (Erk, JNK and p38MAPK) as well as PKA activities. The treatment induced reactive astrogliosis in the striatum, evidenced by increased GFAP and vimentin immunocontent as well as their mRNA overexpression. Also, (PhTe){sub 2} significantly increased the propidium iodide (PI) positive cells in NeuN positive population without altering PI incorporation into GFAP positive cells, indicating that in vivo exposure to (PhTe){sub 2} provoked neuronal damage. Immunohistochemistry showed a dramatic increase of GFAP staining characteristic of reactive astrogliosis. Moreover, increased caspase 3 in (PhTe){sub 2} treated striatal slices suggested apoptotic cell death. (PhTe){sub 2} exposure decreased Akt immunoreactivity, however phospho-GSK-3-β (Ser9) was unaltered, suggesting that this kinase is not directly implicated in the neurotoxicity of this compound. Therefore, the present results shed light into the mechanisms of (PhTe){sub 2}-induced neurodegeneration in rat striatum, evidencing a critical role for the MAPK and Akt signaling pathways and disruption of cytoskeletal homeostasis, which could be related with apoptotic neuronal death and astrogliosis. -- Highlights: ► Diphenyl ditelluride causes apoptotic neuronal death in the striatum of young rats. ► Diphenyl ditelluride causes reactive astrogliosis in the striatum of rats. ► Diphenyl ditelluride disrupts the homeostasis of the cytoskeleton of the striatum. ► The actions of diphenyl ditelluride are mediated by MAPK and Akt

Psychomotor Retardation in untreated depressed elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lieve Lia Beheydt

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Psychomotor retardation (PR is one of the core features in depression according to 17 DSM V1, but also aging in itself causes cognitive and psychomotor slowing. This is the first study 18 investigating psychomotor retardation in relation to cognitive functioning and to the concomitant 19 effect of depression and aging in a geriatric population ruling out contending effects of psychotropic 20 medication. Methods: A group of 28 non-demented depressed elderly is compared to a matched 21 control group of 20 healthy elderly. All participants underwent a test battery containing clinical 22 depression measures, cognitive measures of processing speed, executive function and memory, 23 clinical ratings of psychomotor retardation and objective computerized fine motor skill-tests. 24 Statistical analysis consisted of a General Linear Method (GLM multivariate analysis of variance to 25 compare the clinical, cognitive and psychomotor outcomes of the two groups. Results: Patients 26 performed worse on all clinical, cognitive and psychomotor retardation measures. Both groups 27 showed an effect of cognitive load on fine motor function but the influence was significantly larger 28 for patients than for healthy elderly except for the initiation time. Limitations: due to the restrictive 29 inclusion criteria, only a relatively limited sample size could be obtained. Conclusion: With a 30 medication free sample, an additive effect of depression and aging on cognition and PR in geriatric 31 patients was found,. As this effect was independent of demand of effort (by varying the cognitive 32 load, it was apparently not a motivational slowing effect of depression.

Characteristics of Those Persons with Mental Retardation Registered with the Mental Retardation Division.

Science.gov (United States)

Cocks, Errol; Ng, Pin Chee

1983-01-01

The paper discusses an analysis of a computerized data bank on the mentally retarded population in Victoria, Australia. Prevalence rates, severity of handicap, age, sex, and residence type are reviewed and implications for community vocational and residential services for adults are noted. (CL)

38 CFR 4.127 - Mental retardation and personality disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... AFFAIRS SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings Mental Disorders § 4.127 Mental retardation and personality disorders. Mental retardation and personality disorders are not diseases or injuries... from them may not be service-connected. However, disability resulting from a mental disorder that is...

Brominated flame retardants in mangrove sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, South China: spatial distribution, temporal trend and mass inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zai-Wang; Sun, Yu-Xin; Sun, Kai-Feng; Xu, Xiang-Rong; Yu, Shen; Zheng, Tian-Ling; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Tian, Yun; Hu, Yong-Xia; Diao, Zeng-Hui; Mai, Bi-Xian

2015-03-01

Sediments were collected from three mangrove wetlands in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) of South China to investigate spatial and temporal distributions of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE). Concentrations of ΣPBDEs, DBDPE and BTBPE in mangrove sediments of the PRE ranged from 1.25-206, 0.364-34.9, and not detected-0.794 ng g(-1) dry weight, respectively. The highest concentrations of ΣPBDEs, DBDPE and BTBPE were found at the mangrove wetland from Shenzhen, followed by Zhuhai and Guangzhou, showing the dependence on the proximity to urban areas. PBDEs were the predominant brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in mangrove sediments. The concentrations of ΣPBDEs, DBDPE and BTBPE in sediment cores showed an increasing trend from the bottom to top layers, reflecting the increasing usage of these BFRs. The inventories of ΣPBDEs, DBDPE and BTBPE in mangrove sediments were 1962, 245, and 4.10 ng cm(-2), respectively. This is the first study to report the occurrence of DBDPE and BTBPE in mangrove ecosystems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STRUCTURE OF BODY DEFORMATIES AMONG PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blagoja GESHOSKI

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to assess body structure deformities among people with mental retardation.Knowing the structure of people with mental retardation’s physical deformities is the starting basis of a quality program for preventive and corrective work. Also, it is a starting point in the process of special education and rehabilitation in regards to their removal and mitigation.The structure of the physical deformities among persons with mental retardation were analyzed in terms of age and degree of mental retardation in relation to everyday life activities.The inquiry covered 170 respondents with mental retardation in both sexes. All respondents were placed in an institution for treatment of persons with severe and profound mental retardation (Special Institute Deep River. On the basis of two criteria, participants are divided into groups. The first criterion forestablishing a group of level of mental retardation: Group I - severe mental retardation (TMR and Group II - profound mental retardation (DMR. A second criterion for establishing the age group of respondents: Group I - age 18 years; Group II- Age 19 - 30 years and Group III - over 31 years. The structure of the physical deformities was analyzed in terms of age and degree of mental retardation in relation to activities in everyday life.For the purposes of the planned research , an integral protocol is established for the evaluation of physical deformities among persons with disabilities, including: an application form for general information about the respondents, a questionnaire to assess somatic status, and a clinical sheet and test activities in everyday life (Test ASZH, Rusk, 1971. All data obtained by the research are expressed quantitatively and treated with the following statistical methods and procedures: number of repetitions, frequency and percentages, measure of central tendency, the arithmetic mean and standard deviation, χ2 and Fisher Exact - test

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) effects in rat neuronal cultures: 14C-PBDE accumulation, biological effect, and structure-activity relationships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kodavanti, P.R.; Ward, T. [Neurotoxicology Div., NHEERL/ORD, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Burka, T. [National Insts. of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Ludewig, G.; Robertson, L. [The Univ. of Iowa Coll. of Public Health, Iowa City, IA (United States); Birnbaum, L. [Experimental Toxicology Div., NHEERL/ORD, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame-retardants in many types of consumer products such as electrical equipment, plastics, and building materials. PBDEs are structurally similar to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PBDEs are now ubiquitous; they can be found in air, water, fish, birds, marine mammals, and humans, and in many cases, they are increasing over time. In spite of their widespread occurrence in the environment, only limited information is available on the toxicology of PBDEs. Recent studies showed that PBDE exposure caused aberrations in spontaneous behavior and reduced learning and memory in mice these effects are similar to those seen after exposure to DDT or PCBs. However, the mode of action for this group of chemicals remains unclear. Previously, we demonstrated that PCBs, which are known to cause neurotoxic effects, affected intracellular signaling pathways including [{sup 3}H]arachidonic acid ([{sup 3}H]AA) release, calcium homeostasis, and translocation of protein kinase C (PKC). Regarding PBDEs, we have reported that PBDEs altered [{sup 3}H]AA release in neuronal cultures like PCBs. These signaling pathways have been associated with learning and memory, and the development of the nervous system. The objectives of the present study were to test: (a) whether biologically relevant PBDE congeners affected PKC translocation in neuronal cultures in a similar way to those of other organohalogens; (b) compare the potency and efficacy of PBDE congeners with their 14C-accumulation; and (c) understand the structure-activity relationships among PBDE congeners.

A miniature bird-borne passive air sampler for monitoring halogenated flame retardants.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorais, Manon; Rezaei, Ali; Okeme, Joseph O; Diamond, Miriam L; Izquierdo, Ricardo; Giroux, Jean-François; Verreault, Jonathan

2017-12-01

Birds have been used intensively as biomonitors of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), and several studies have reported elevated tissue concentrations and inter-individual variability for these contaminants. While diet is known to be an important exposure pathway for HFRs in birds, it has been suggested that exposure through air may represent an underestimated source of HFRs for certain species. However, a method was not available for measuring the atmospheric exposure of individual birds to HFRs or other semi-volatile contaminants. The goal of this study was to develop a bird-borne passive air sampler (PAS) enabling the determination of individual atmospheric exposure to gas- and particle-phase HFRs using the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) nesting in the Montreal area (QC, Canada). The new miniaturized elliptical-shaped PAS (mean weight: 2.72g) was tested using two sorbent types during three exposure periods (one, two and three weeks). Results showed that PAS using polyurethane foam (PUF) combined with a glass fiber filter collected all major polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and exhibited better performance for collecting highly hydrophobic DecaBDE mixture congeners compared to the PAS using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Emerging HFRs including hexabromobenzene, Dechlorane 604 Component B, and Dechlorane plus (DP) isomers also were sampled by the PUF-based PAS. Sampling rates for most HFRs were comparable between the three exposure periods. This novel bird-borne PAS provides valuable information on the non-dietary exposure of free-ranging birds to HFRs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sex between persons with 'mental retardation': an ethical evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiecker, B.; Steutel, J.W.

2002-01-01

Is sex between people with "mental retardation" morally permissible and, if at all, under what conditions? This paper tries to answer this question, but only with regard to sex between biologically mature individuals with mild or moderate mental retardation. First, the concepts of "sexual activity"

Trace element analysis of hair of mentally retarded children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhandari, H.P.S.; Lal, G.; Sidhu, N.P.S.; Mittal, V.K.; Sahota, H.S.

1987-01-01

Unlike previously reported, Zn and Se levels were found to be the same in the hair of mentally retarded children and controls. Non-essential toxic Ag concentration was low whereas that of Hg, Au and Sc rather high in mentally retarded children. (author) 4 refs

Psychometric properties of ADHD rating scales among children with mental retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Michael L; Fee, Virginia E; Jones, Christie J

2004-01-01

The validity of hyperactivity rating scales in children with mental retardation was evaluated. Forty-eight children with mental retardation were rated by parents, teachers and teaching assistants on rating scales measuring Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as part of a related investigation. In addition, direct observations were conducted using the Abikoff Classroom Observation Code. The concurrent validity of each scale was examined. Scales completed by both teachers and teaching assistants were found to provide valid information for the assessment of ADHD in mentally retarded children. Results provided the best support for the ABC-C in the assessment of ADHD in mentally retarded children.

Improving free play skills of severely retarded children.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehman, P; Marchant, J A

1978-02-01

Severely and profoundly retarded children are usually deficient in play skills. Since play facilitates socialization, language, and motor development, it is a vitally improtant skill to acquire. This pilot study examined the effects of a behavioral training program on the autistic, independent, and social types of play of four severely and profoundly retarded children. The training program involved the use of instructions, modeling, physical guidance, and verbal reinforcement. Results indicated that a marked increase in independent and social play occurred with the introduction of the training program with all four children. Occupational therapists can play an increasingly important role in helping educators formulate relevant educational programs for severely retarded children, particularly in the areas of play and motor skill development.

Modeling and prediction of retardance in citric acid coated ferrofluid using artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Jing-Fung; Sheu, Jer-Jia

2016-01-01

Citric acid coated (citrate-stabilized) magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) magnetic nanoparticles have been conducted and applied in the biomedical fields. Using Taguchi-based measured retardances as the training data, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed for the prediction of retardance in citric acid (CA) coated ferrofluid (FF). According to the ANN simulation results in the training stage, the correlation coefficient between predicted retardances and measured retardances was found to be as high as 0.9999998. Based on the well-trained ANN model, the predicted retardance at excellent program from Taguchi method showed less error of 2.17% compared with a multiple regression (MR) analysis of statistical significance. Meanwhile, the parameter analysis at excellent program by the ANN model had the guiding significance to find out a possible program for the maximum retardance. It was concluded that the proposed ANN model had high ability for the prediction of retardance in CA coated FF. - Highlights: • The feedforward ANN is applied for modeling of retardance in CA coated FFs. • ANN can predict the retardance at excellent program with acceptable error to MR. • The proposed ANN has high ability for the prediction of retardance.

The RRP Project: investigating radionuclide retardation in the host rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, W.R.; Frieg, B.; Ota, K.; Bossart, P.

1996-01-01

The Radionuclide Retardation Project (RRP), which is a joint Nagra/PNC (Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp.) project, has two components: the first (the Excavation Project, EP) looks at the behaviour of radionuclides which are so strongly retarded in the experimental shear zone that they cannot pass through the zones in experimentally reasonable times. In order to determine where radionuclide retardation has occurred in the pore space, as well as the flowpath geometry in the shear zone, the entire injection zone has to be excavated and taken back to the laboratory for analysis of the sites of retardation of the radionuclides. This approach has the advantage of allowing a detailed 3D description of the experimental shear zone. The aim of the second component of the project (Connected Porosities, CP) is to examine the fate of those radionuclides which diffuse out of the main water-conducting features in the shear zone and into the pore spaces of the rock matrix, where they become trapped. This represents a potentially significant retardation mechanism in a repository host rock. (author) 8 figs., refs

Rapid sample preparation and fast GC-MS/MS for the analysis of pesticides and environmental contaminants in fish

Science.gov (United States)

A rapid high-throughput analytical method for the simultaneous determination of pesticides and environmental contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and flame retardants (FRs) in fish was developed and ...

Developmental toxicity of diphenyl ether herbicides in nestling American kestrels.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, D J; Spann, J W; LeCaptain, L J; Bunck, C M; Rattner, B A

1991-11-01

Beginning the day after hatching, American kestrel (Falco sparverius) nestlings were orally dosed for 10 consecutive days with 5 microliters/g of corn oil (controls) or one of the diphenyl ether herbicides (nitrofen, bifenox, or oxyfluorfen) at concentrations of 10, 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg in corn oil. At 500 mg/kg, nitrofen resulted in complete nestling mortality, bifenox in high (66%) mortality, and oxyfluorfen in no mortality. Nitrofen at 250 mg/kg reduced nestling growth as reflected by decreased body weight, crown-rump length, and bone lengths including humerus, radius-ulna, femur, and tibiotarsus. Bifenox at 250 mg/kg had less effect on growth than nitrofen, but crown-rump, humerus, radius-ulna, and femur were significantly shorter than controls. Liver weight as a percent of body weight increased with 50 and 250 mg/kg nitrofen. Other manifestations of impending hepatotoxicity following nitrofen ingestion included increased hepatic GSH peroxidase activity in all nitrofen-treated groups, and increased plasma enzyme activities for ALT, AST, and LDH-L in the 250-mg/kg group. Bifenox ingestion resulted in increased hepatic GSH peroxidase activity in the 50- and 250-mg/kg groups. Nitrofen exposure also resulted in an increase in total plasma thyroxine (T4) concentration. These findings suggest that altricial nestlings are more sensitive to diphenyl ether herbicides than young or adult birds of precocial species.

Brominated flame retardants: occurrence, dietary intake and risk assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Winter-Sorkina R de; Bakker MI; Wolterink G; Zeijlmaker MJ; SIR

2006-01-01

Brominated flame retardants have entered the human food chain. For the time being the occurrence of these chemicals in Dutch food does not pose a human health risk. However, this might easily change at increasing contents of flame retardants in Dutch food. The monitoring of brominated flame

Depth-resolved phase retardation measurements for laser-assisted non-ablative cartilage reshaping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Youn, Jong-In [Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine, CA 92612 (United States); Vargas, Gracie [Center for Bioengineering, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 (United States); Wong, Brian J F [Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine, CA 92612 (United States); Milner, Thomas E [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2005-05-07

Since polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is emerging as a new technique for determining phase retardation in biological materials, we measured phase retardation changes in cartilage during local laser heating for application to laser-assisted cartilage reshaping. Thermally-induced changes in phase retardation of nasal septal cartilage following Nd:YAG laser irradiation were investigated using a PS-OCT system. A PS-OCT system and infrared imaging radiometer were used to record, respectively, depth-resolved images of the Stokes parameters of light backscattered from ex vivo porcine nasal septal cartilage and radiometric temperature changes following laser irradiation. PS-OCT images of cartilage were recorded before (control), during and after laser irradiation. From the measured Stokes parameters (I, Q, U and V), an estimate of the relative phase retardation between two orthogonal polarizations was computed to determine birefringence in cartilage. Phase retardation images of light backscattered from cartilage show significant changes in retardation following laser irradiation. To investigate the origin of retardation changes in response to local heat generation, we differentiated two possible mechanisms: dehydration and thermal denaturation. PS-OCT images of cartilage were recorded after dehydration in glycerol and thermal denaturation in heated physiological saline. In our experiments, observed retardation changes in cartilage are primarily due to dehydration. Since dehydration is a principal source for retardation changes in cartilage over the range of heating profiles investigated, our studies suggest that the use of PS-OCT as a feedback control methodology for non-ablative cartilage reshaping requires further investigation.

Depth-resolved phase retardation measurements for laser-assisted non-ablative cartilage reshaping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youn, Jong-In; Vargas, Gracie; Wong, Brian J F; Milner, Thomas E

2005-01-01

Since polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is emerging as a new technique for determining phase retardation in biological materials, we measured phase retardation changes in cartilage during local laser heating for application to laser-assisted cartilage reshaping. Thermally-induced changes in phase retardation of nasal septal cartilage following Nd:YAG laser irradiation were investigated using a PS-OCT system. A PS-OCT system and infrared imaging radiometer were used to record, respectively, depth-resolved images of the Stokes parameters of light backscattered from ex vivo porcine nasal septal cartilage and radiometric temperature changes following laser irradiation. PS-OCT images of cartilage were recorded before (control), during and after laser irradiation. From the measured Stokes parameters (I, Q, U and V), an estimate of the relative phase retardation between two orthogonal polarizations was computed to determine birefringence in cartilage. Phase retardation images of light backscattered from cartilage show significant changes in retardation following laser irradiation. To investigate the origin of retardation changes in response to local heat generation, we differentiated two possible mechanisms: dehydration and thermal denaturation. PS-OCT images of cartilage were recorded after dehydration in glycerol and thermal denaturation in heated physiological saline. In our experiments, observed retardation changes in cartilage are primarily due to dehydration. Since dehydration is a principal source for retardation changes in cartilage over the range of heating profiles investigated, our studies suggest that the use of PS-OCT as a feedback control methodology for non-ablative cartilage reshaping requires further investigation

Investigating a novel flame retardant known as V6: measurements in baby products, house dust, and car dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Mingliang; Webster, Thomas F; Gooden, David; Cooper, Ellen M; McClean, Michael D; Carignan, Courtney; Makey, Colleen; Stapleton, Heather M

2013-05-07

With the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, the use of new and alternate flame retardants has been increasing. 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyltetrakis(2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate, known as V6, is a flame retardant applied to polyurethane foam commonly found in furniture and automobile foam. However, to the authors' knowledge, no research has been conducted on V6 levels in the environment. The intention of this study was to measure the concentration of V6 in foam collected from baby products where it was recently detected and measure levels in dust samples collected from homes and automobiles in the Boston, MA area. To accomplish this, a pure V6 commercial standard was purchased from a Chinese manufacturer and purified (>98%). An analytical method to measure V6 in dust samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was developed. Extraction was conducted using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and extracts were purified using an ENVI-Florisil SPE column (500 mg, 3 mL). V6 was measured in foam samples collected from baby products with a concentration ranging from 24,500,000 to 59,500,000 ng/g of foam (n = 12, average ± sd: 46,500,000 ± 12,000,000 ng/g; i.e., on average, 4.6% of the foam mass was V6). V6 was also detected in 19 of 20 car dust samples and 14 of 20 house dust samples analyzed. The concentration of V6 in the house dust ranged from <5 ng/g to 1110 ng/g with a median of 12.5 ng/g, and <5 ng/g to 6160 ng/g in the car dust with a median of 103.0 ng/g. Concentrations in car dust were significantly higher than in the house dust potentially indicating higher use of V6 in automobiles compared to products found in the home. Furthermore, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a known carcinogen, was found in the V6 commercial mixture (14% by weight) as an impurity and was consistently detected with V6 in the foam samples analyzed. A significant correlation was also observed between V6 and TCEP in

Five-year trends of selected halogenated flame retardants in the atmosphere of Northeast China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Wen-Long; Liu, Li-Yan; Song, Wei-Wei; Zhang, Zi-Feng; Qiao, Li-Na [International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Ma, Wan-Li, E-mail: mawanli002@163.com [International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Li, Yi-Fan, E-mail: ijrc_pts_paper@yahoo.com [International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); IJRC-PTS-NA, Toronto M2N 6X9 (Canada)

2016-01-01

This study collected 227 pairs of gas phase and particle phase air samples in a typical urban city of Northeast China from 2008 to 2013. Four alternative halogenated flame retardants for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed, namely 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EHTBB), bis (2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP), syn-dechlorane plus (syn-DP) and anti-dechlorane plus (anti-DP). The average concentrations for EHTBB and BEHTBP were 5.2 ± 20 and 30 ± 200 pg/m{sup 3}, respectively, while for syn-DP and anti-DP were 1.9 ± 5.1 and 5.8 ± 18 pg/m{sup 3}, respectively. Generally, they were frequently detected in the particle phase, and the gas/particle partitioning suggested they were the maximum partition chemicals. The fractional abundance of EHTBB (f{sub EHTBB}) and syn-DP (f{sub syn}) were comparable with those in other studies. Strong local sources were identified based on the air parcel backward trajectories and the potential source contribution function. The concentrations of these chemicals were significantly increased during this sampling campaign, possibly suggesting their increasing usages from 2008 to 2013 in China. - Highlights: • Five-year air samples were analyzed for four alternative HFRs. • BEHTBP and DP were frequently detected in the particle phase. • Local and nearby city sources of these HFRs were suggested. • Concentrations of these HFRs were significantly increased in the five-year period.

Labeling, Rehearsal, and Short-Term Memory in Retarded Children

Science.gov (United States)

Hagen, John W.; And Others

1974-01-01

A short-term memory task was used to explore the effects of verbal labeling and rehearsal on serial-position recall in mildly retarded 9-to 11-year-old children. Results support the view that verbal skills affect recall in mildly retarded children similarly to normal children. (Author/SDH)

Biological Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Organism and Human%多溴联苯醚的生物效应研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

齐彭德; 陆光华; 梁艳; 赵海洲

2011-01-01

多溴联苯醚(Polybrominatcd diphenyl ethers,PBDEs)由于其良好的阻燃性能被广泛应用于电子电器,家具,装饰材料及其他产品中.自使用以来,PBDEs在环境、生物体、人体中的污染水平快速增长,对生物体及人体的潜在危害日趋严重.国际社会已经认识到其危害性,部分PBDEs产品,如六溴联苯醚、七溴联苯醚、四溴联苯醚、五溴联苯醚已被列入禁用名单.文章概述PBDEs在生物体中的污染水平、生物累集效应以及PBDEs在生物体内的转化及代谢效应,着重阐述了PBDEs对神经系统、生物转化酶系统、抗氧化防御系统、生殖系统及内分泌系统的毒性效应,同时对PBDEs毒性作用机制及PBDEs环境相关污染浓度研究提出展望.%Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used in electronic appliances, furniture, decoration materials and other products due to its good performance of flame' retardant. PBDEs pollution level has increased rapidly in environment, organism and human, which cause seriously potential harm to the organism and human body. Their danger is recognized and several kinds of PBDEs have been added in the banned list, such as hexabromodiphenyl ether, heptabromodiphenyl ether, tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether. The pollution level and biological amplification of PBDEs was summarized, the degradation and metabolic effects of PBDEs in organism were introduced. Toxic effects of PBDEs on the nervous system, biotransformation enzymes, antioxidant defense system, reproductive system, immune system and endocrine system were analyzed, and toxic mechanism of PBDEs and research of environment correlative concentration of PBDEs were also proposed.

5-Imino-3,4-diphenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-one

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evgeny Bulatov

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The title compound, C16H12N2O, exists in the crystalline state as the 5-imino-3,4-diphenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-one tautomer. The dihedral angles between the pyrrole and phenyl rings are 35.3 (2 and 55.3 (2°. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H...N hydrogen bonds generate a graph-set motif of R22(8 via N—H...N hydrogen bonds.

Flexible PVC flame retarded with expandable graphite

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Focke, WW

2014-02-01

Full Text Available this outstanding fire resistance. Thus flame-retardant (FR) and smoke-suppressant (SS) additives must be incorporated in order to meet product test specifications such as oxygen index, heat release rate, smoke evolution, or the extent of burning [1]. Levchik... plot for the composites fabricated in this work. For a material to be effectively flame retarded both the fire load and the fire growth index should assume low values. Figure 11 shows a dramatic decrease for all the EG composites relative to the neat...

Metabolism of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and tetrabromobisphenol A by fish liver subcellular fractions in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Mengnan; Cheng, Jie; Wu, Ruohan; Zhang, Shenghu; Mao, Liang; Gao, Shixiang

2012-06-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are two major flame retardants that accumulate in fish tissues and are potentially toxic. Their debrominated and oxidated derivatives were also reported in fish tissues although the sources of theses derivatives were unidentified. Our study was to determine whether PBDEs and TBBPA could be metabolized by fish liver subcellular fractions in vitro and to identify what types of metabolites were formed. Liver microsomes and S9 fractions of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) were exposed to 4,4'-dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE 15), 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 47) or TBBPA solutions for 4h. Exposure of liver subcellular fractions to BDE 15 resulted in the formation of bromophenol and two monohydroxylated dibromodiphenyl ether metabolites. Neither in microsomes nor in S9 studies has revealed the presence of hydroxylated metabolites with BDE 47 exposure which indicated that the oxidation reactions in vitro were hindered by the increased number of bromine substituents on the PBDEs. TBBPA underwent an oxidative cleavage near the central carbon of the molecule, which led to the production of 2,6-dibromo-4-isopropyl-phenol and three unidentified metabolites. Another metabolite of TBBPA characterized as a hexa-brominated compound with three aromatic rings was also found in the liver subcellular fractions. These results suggest that the biotransformation of BDE 15 and TBBPA in fish liver is mediated by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, as revealed by the formation of hydroxylated metabolites and oxidative bond cleavage products. Moreover, further studies on the identification of specific CYP450 isozymes involved in the biotransformation revealed that CYP1A was the major enzyme responsible for the biotransformation of BDE 15 and TBBPA in fish liver subcellular fractions and CYP3A4 also played a major role in metabolism of TBBPA. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Representation of Motion in Individuals with Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Conners, Frances A.; Wyatt, Beverly S.; Dulaney, Cynthia L.

1998-01-01

Fifteen adolescents with and 15 without mental retardation were compared on their tendency to show the representational momentum effect when viewing a stimulus array that implied motion. Participants with mental retardation showed the representational momentum effects as did the others, although the magnitude of the memory shift was smaller.…

Short-Term Memory for Movement Duration in Mentally Retarded and Nonretarded Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Digby; Grundy, Stephen B.

1984-01-01

Both retarded and nonretarded adults (N=26) failed to benefit from opportunities to mentally rehearse their criterion movement over the retention interval, suggesting that strategic differences between the groups cannot explain the poorer performances of the retarded Ss. The retarded Ss appeared to have problems remembering the sensory…

Determination of Retardation Effects in the High Tc Cuprates from Sharvin Contact Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deutscher, G.

1995-01-01

It is well known that retardation effects are essential to allow the attractive part of the electron-electron interaction (for instance, phonon mediated) to overcome the Coulomb repulsion. In new superconductors such as the cuprates for which the interaction is a priori unknown, it is therefore essential to determine the retarded and non retarded parts of the interaction. We show how this can be achieved by an analysis of Sharvin contact measurements between a noble metal tip and a cuprate. It turns out that both the retarded and non retarded parts are large, the former being however larger than the later

Preparation of poly(trimethyl-2-methacroyloxyethylammonium chloride-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolith and its application in solid phase microextraction of brominated flame retardants.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ting-ting; Zhou, Lin-feng; Qiao, Jun-qin; Lian, Hong-zhen; Ge, Xin; Chen, Hong-yuan

2013-05-24

A capillary poly(trimethyl-2-methacroyloxyethylammonium chloride-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolith was in situ synthesized by thermally initiated free radical co-polymerization using trimethyl-2-methacroyloxyethylammonium chloride (MATE) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. N,N-dimethylformamide and polyethylene glycol 6000 were used as solvent and porogen, respectively. The morphology and porous structure of the resulting monoliths were assessed by scanning electron microscope. In order to prepare practically useful poly(MATE-co-EGDMA) monoliths with low flow resistance and good mechanical strength, some parameters such as PEG-6000 to DMF ratio, total monomer to porogen ratio, and crosslinker to monomer ratio were optimized systematically. Moreover, the extraction mechanism was evaluated using two series of compounds, alkylbenzenes and weak acids, as model compounds on poly(MATE-co-EGDMA) monoliths as liquid chromatographic stationary phase. Finally, the monoliths were applied as the solid phase microextraction medium, and a simple off-line method for simultaneous determination of three brominated flame retardants, 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and 4,4'-dibrominated diphenyl ether (DBDPE), in environmental waters was developed by coupling the polymer monolith microextraction to HPLC with UV detection. The regression equations for these three brominated flame retardants showed good linearity from their limit of quantification to 5000ng/mL. The limits of detection were 0.20, 0.15 and 0.10ng/mL for TBP, TBBPA and DBDPE, respectively. The recovery of the proposed method was 78.7-106.1% with intra-day relative standard deviation of 1.3-4.4%. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of auditory sensory memory of mentally retarded and nonretarded persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, E M; Meyer, P A

1981-07-01

Performance of mentally retarded and nonretarded persons was compared in two experiments designed to identify processes of auditory sensory memory. In one study backward masking of pure tones occurred for a group of retarded adolescents; however, no differences in masking functions were obtained for the retarded group and control groups of equal CA and MA. In the second study a gap-detection task was used as an apparent index of echoic trace durability. Since retarded persons were hypothesized to have a less durable echoic trace, the unique prediction was made that they would outperform control subjects on the task. The retarded group was significantly more accurate and exhibited a lower threshold than did the nonretarded, CA-matched control group. The applicability of these tasks for investigations of mental development was noted, and suggestions were made concerning improvements and extensions of the present research. A theoretical model was proposed to incorporate te current pattern of results.

Eggsposed : impact of maternally transferred POPs on fish early life development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Foekema, E.M.

2013-01-01

Persistent organic pollutants (POP), with well-known representatives as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and brominated flame retardants as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCD), are still globally present in the marine environment,

BDE-47 and 6-OH-BDE-47 modulate calcium homeostasis in primary fetal human neural progenitor cells via ryanodine receptor-independent mechanisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gassmann, Kathrin; Schreiber, Timm; Dingemans, Milou M L; Krause, Guido; Roderigo, Claudia; Giersiefer, Susanne; Schuwald, Janette; Moors, Michaela; Unfried, Klaus; Bergman, Åke; Westerink, Remco H S; Rose, Christine R.; Fritsche, Ellen

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are bioaccumulating flame retardants found in rising concentrations in human tissue. Epidemiological and animal studies have raised concern for their potential to induce developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Considering the essential role of calcium homeostasis in

Brominated dioxins/furans and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers: Occurrences in commercial 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol, and formation during synthesis of BTBPE.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Man; Zeng, Hao; Peng, Ping-An; Li, Hui-Ru; Tang, Cai-Ming; Hu, Jian-Fang

2017-07-01

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) can be formed from bromophenols (BPs) by thermal degradation, biosynthesis or phototransformation. However, it is unknown whether PBDDs and OH-PBDEs can be formed during the chemical production processes that utilize BPs as raw materials. 2,4,6-tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP) is an important raw material for the synthesis of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), a novel brominated flame retardant. In this study, PBDDs, polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs) and OH-PBDEs have been identified and quantified in commercially available BTBPE and 2,4,6-TBP. Furthermore, their formation as unintentional by-products during the laboratory synthesis of BTBPE from 2,4,6-TBP and 1,2-dibromoethane in the presence of sodium carbonate has also been investigated. 2,3,7,8-substituted PBDDs and PBDFs (2,3,7,8-PBDD/Fs) were undetectable in commercial samples of BTBPE and present in low levels (nanogram per gram) in 2,4,6-TBP. Two tetrabrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (TeBDDs), namely 1,3,6,8- and 1,3,7,9-TeBDD, and three hydroxylated pentabrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-pentaBDEs), namely 4'-OH-BDE121, 2'-OH-BDE121, and 6'-OH-BDE100, were identified or tentatively identified, and quantitatively estimated to be at concentrations in the range of undetectable to several thousands of nanograms per gram in commercial BTBPE and 2,4,6-TBP. TeBDDs and OH-pentaBDEs were formed as by-products from 2,4,6-TBP during BTBPE synthesis. Further studies need to be conducted in order to determine whether PBDD/Fs and OH-PBDEs are also formed during the industrial synthesis of other chemical compounds that utilize BPs as raw materials or intermediates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of new 3-alkyl/aryl-2-[((alpha,alpha-diphenyl-alpha-hydroxy)acetyl)hydrazono]-5-methyl-4-thiazolidinones.

Science.gov (United States)

Güzeldemirci, Nuray Ulusoy; Ilhan, Eser; Küçükbasmaci, Omer; Satana, Dilek

2010-01-01

New 4-thiazolidinone derivatives of benzilic acid (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-alpha-hydroxyacetic acid) have been synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities. The reaction of 1- (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-alpha-hydroxy)acetyl-4-alkyl/arylthiosemicarbazides with ethyl 2-bromopropionate gave 3-alkyl/aryl-2-[((alpha,alpha-diphenyl-alpha-hydroxy)acetyl)hydrazono]-5-methyl-4-thiazolidinone derivatives. Their antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated against S. aureus ATCC 29213, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, E. coli ATCC 25922, C. albicans ATCC 10231, C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019, C. krusei ATCC 6258, T. mentagrophytes var. erinacei NCPF 375, M. gypseum NCPF 580 and T. tonsurans NCPF 245. 3e, 3f, 3g and 3h showed the highest antibacterial activity. Particularly 3a and 3e showed the highest antifungal activities against C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019, T. tonsurans NCPF 245 and M. gypseum NCPF 580.

Distribution and accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Hong Kong mangrove sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Haowen; Wang, Ying; Wang, Xiaowei; Luan, Tiangang; Tam, Nora F Y

2014-01-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used extensively as brominated flame retardants in various polymers, and have become serious environmental contaminants, particularly in coastal sediments. Mangrove wetlands are important coastal ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions, and mangrove sediments are often the pollutant sinks due to their close proximity with human activities. In Hong Kong, sediment samples collected from five mangrove swamps were found to be contaminated with PBDEs and the eight measured BDE congeners, including BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, -183 and -209 were detected in all mangrove sediments, indicating that these pollutants were widespread in Hong Kong mangrove wetlands. Among the five swamps, relatively high concentrations of PBDEs were recorded in Mai Po mangrove swamp in the northwestern Hong Kong, which is part of the RAMSAR site but is severely influenced by the pollution from the Pearl River Delta. The depth profile of PBDEs in sediment cores collected from Mai Po also showed the inputs of PBDEs in this mangrove swamp increased year by year. In all sediments, the concentrations of BDE-209 were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the other congeners in the same sediment. The concentrations of BDE-209 and ∑PBDEs (defined as the sum of seven targeted BDE congeners except BDE-209) ranged from 1.53 to 75.9 ng g(-1) and from 0.57 to 14.4 ng g(-1), respectively. Among the targeted BDE congeners except BDE-209, slightly different composition was recorded among samples collected from different locations, with BDE-153 and -183 being the pre-dominated congeners. In all mangrove swamps, except Tai O in the southwest of Hong Kong, ∑PBDEs concentrations showed a common trend of landward>seaward>mudflat. The concentrations of ∑PBDEs were significantly correlated with total organic matter (TOM) content in sediments but not with the sediment particle sizes in each mangrove swamp. © 2013.

[Behavioral disorders and substance abuse in adolescents with mental retardation].

Science.gov (United States)

Papachristou, Ec; Anagnostopoulos, Dk

2014-01-01

The percentage of people with mental retardation in the general population is estimated at about 2.3%, with adolescence (15-20 years) constituting the development period during which a peak in rates of mental retardation is observed. The increased prevalence of adolescence may be explained from the fact that the specified requirements of the school initially, and society later, inevitably lead to comparative evaluation of the teen with mental retardation in relation to peers, thus making mental retardation more apparent. Adolescents with mental retardation face a number of physical and psychological needs which are not often distinguishable and as a consequence undergo the deterioration of their already burdened quality of life. In particular, mental health problems occur 3 to 4 times more often in adolescents with mental retardation compared with adolescents of the general population. This review presents the most recent epidemiological findings regarding the correlation between behavioral disorders, substance use and the possible comorbidity in adolescents with intellectual disability, both at community level and residential care level. Epidemiological data indicate that behavioral disorders are among the most common types of psychopathology in mentally retarded adolescents with the severity and symptoms varying depending on the personal characteristics of each adolescent. Regarding substance use, the available data show that the rates of substance use (alcohol, smoking, illicit drugs) are lower in this specific population group but the differences over the last years tend to be eliminated. Finally, according to the few surveys that were examined referring to the comorbidity of behavioral disorders and substance use in adolescents with intellectual disability, the results were contradictory. Specifically, while behavioral disorders continued to be one of the most common types of psychopathology, the related substances disorders indicated lower rates compared to

Acid-base synergistic flame retardant wood pulp paper with high thermal stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ning; Liu, Yuansen; Xu, Changan; Liu, Yuan; Wang, Qi

2017-12-15

Acid-catalytic degradation caused by acid source flame retardants is the main reason for a decline in thermal stability of flame-retarded lignocellulosic materials. In the present research, a guanidine phosphate (GP)/borax (BX) flame retardant system based on acid-base synergistic interaction was designed and used in wood pulp paper (WPP) to solve this problem. Results showed that the treated WPP obtained good flame retardancy with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 35.7%. As a basic flame retardant, borax could chemically combine with the acids released by guanidine phosphate, thus decreasing the acidity of the system in the initial heating stage. In this way, acid-catalytic degradation is greatly retarded on the lignocelluloses to improve thermal stability (the temperature of maximum degradation peak from 286°C to 314°C). Meanwhile, borax was also advantageous to form a denser and firmer condensed phase through reinforcement of the acid-base reaction product, borophosphates, allowing it to provide a protective barrier with higher quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IRIS Health Assessment of 2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-47) CASRN 5436-43-12,2',4,4',5-Pentabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-99) CASRN 60348-60-92,2',4,4',5,5'-Hexabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-153) CASRN 68631-49-22,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-Decabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-209) CASRN 1163-19-5

Science.gov (United States)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in furniture foam (pentaBDE), plastics for TV cabinets, consumer electronics, wire insulation, and backcoatings for draperies and upholstery (decaBDE), and plastics for personal computers and small appliances (oc...

Involvement of reactive oxygen species in brominated diphenyl ether-47-induced inflammatory cytokine release from human extravillous trophoblasts in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hae-Ryung; Kamau, Patricia W.; Loch-Caruso, Rita

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardant compounds. Brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-47 is one of the most prevalent PBDE congeners found in human breast milk, serum and placenta. Despite the presence of PBDEs in human placenta, effects of PBDEs on placental cell function are poorly understood. The present study investigated BDE-47-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and its role in BDE-47-stimulated proinflammatory cytokine release in a first trimester human extravillous trophoblast cell line, HTR-8/SVneo. Exposure of HTR-8/SVneo cells for 4 h to 20 μM BDE-47 increased ROS generation 1.7 fold as measured by the dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay. Likewise, superoxide anion production increased approximately 5 fold at 10 and 15 μM and 9 fold at 20 μM BDE-47 with a 1-h exposure, as measured by cytochrome c reduction. BDE-47 (10, 15 and 20 μM) decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential by 47–64.5% at 4, 8 and 24 h as assessed with the fluorescent probe Rh123. Treatment with 15 and 20 μM BDE-47 stimulated cellular release and mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-8 after 12 and 24-h exposures: the greatest increases were a 35-fold increased mRNA expression at 12 h and a 12-fold increased protein concentration at 24 h for IL-6. Antioxidant treatments (deferoxamine mesylate, (±)α-tocopherol, or tempol) suppressed BDE-47-stimulated IL-6 release by 54.1%, 56.3% and 37.7%, respectively, implicating a role for ROS in the regulation of inflammatory pathways in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Solvent (DMSO) controls exhibited statistically significantly decreased responses compared with non-treated controls for IL-6 release and IL-8 mRNA expression, but these responses were not consistent across experiments and times. Nonetheless, it is possible that DMSO (used to dissolve BDE-47) may have attenuated the stimulatory actions of BDE-47 on cytokine responses. Because abnormal activation of proinflammatory responses can disrupt trophoblast functions

Involvement of reactive oxygen species in brominated diphenyl ether-47-induced inflammatory cytokine release from human extravillous trophoblasts in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hae-Ryung, E-mail: heaven@umich.edu; Kamau, Patricia W.; Loch-Caruso, Rita

2014-01-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardant compounds. Brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-47 is one of the most prevalent PBDE congeners found in human breast milk, serum and placenta. Despite the presence of PBDEs in human placenta, effects of PBDEs on placental cell function are poorly understood. The present study investigated BDE-47-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and its role in BDE-47-stimulated proinflammatory cytokine release in a first trimester human extravillous trophoblast cell line, HTR-8/SVneo. Exposure of HTR-8/SVneo cells for 4 h to 20 μM BDE-47 increased ROS generation 1.7 fold as measured by the dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay. Likewise, superoxide anion production increased approximately 5 fold at 10 and 15 μM and 9 fold at 20 μM BDE-47 with a 1-h exposure, as measured by cytochrome c reduction. BDE-47 (10, 15 and 20 μM) decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential by 47–64.5% at 4, 8 and 24 h as assessed with the fluorescent probe Rh123. Treatment with 15 and 20 μM BDE-47 stimulated cellular release and mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-8 after 12 and 24-h exposures: the greatest increases were a 35-fold increased mRNA expression at 12 h and a 12-fold increased protein concentration at 24 h for IL-6. Antioxidant treatments (deferoxamine mesylate, (±)α-tocopherol, or tempol) suppressed BDE-47-stimulated IL-6 release by 54.1%, 56.3% and 37.7%, respectively, implicating a role for ROS in the regulation of inflammatory pathways in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Solvent (DMSO) controls exhibited statistically significantly decreased responses compared with non-treated controls for IL-6 release and IL-8 mRNA expression, but these responses were not consistent across experiments and times. Nonetheless, it is possible that DMSO (used to dissolve BDE-47) may have attenuated the stimulatory actions of BDE-47 on cytokine responses. Because abnormal activation of proinflammatory responses can disrupt trophoblast functions

Concentrations of legacy and novel brominated flame retardants in indoor dust in Melbourne, Australia: An assessment of human exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

McGrath, Thomas J; Morrison, Paul D; Ball, Andrew S; Clarke, Bradley O

2018-04-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFR) have been used in a range of polymers to inhibit the spread of fires but also have a propensity to migrate out of consumer materials and contaminate indoor dust. In this study, a total of 57 dust samples were collected from 12 homes, eight offices and eight vehicles in Melbourne, Australia and analysed for eight PBDEs (-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, -183 and -209) and seven NBFRs (PBT, PBEB, HBB, EH-TBB, BEH-TEBP, BTBPE and DBDPE) to determine human exposure risks from dust ingestion. Samples were analysed using selective pressurized liquid extraction (S-PLE) and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Legacy and replacement flame retardants were detected in all samples with overall ∑PBDE concentrations ranging from 120 to 1700,000 ng/g (median 2100 ng/g) and ∑NBFRs ranging from 1.1 to 10,000 ng/g (median 1800 ng/g). BDE-209 and DBDPE were the dominant compounds in dust samples, followed by congeners associated with commercial Penta-BDE formulations (-47, -99, -100, -153 and -154) and then EH-TBB of the FireMaster 550 and BZ-54 products. ∑Penta-BDE concentrations were elevated in office samples compared with homes and vehicles, while EH-TBB and BDE-209 measured higher concentrations in vehicles compared with their respective levels in homes and offices. Risk assessment estimates revealed the majority of exposure to occur in the home for both adults and toddlers in the City of Melbourne. Generally, body weight adjusted exposure to PBDEs and NBFRs was predicted to be 1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher for toddlers than adults. Estimated rates of BDE-47, -99, -153 and -209 ingestion were each 2 orders of magnitude or more below the USEPA's prescribed oral reference dose values (RfDs) for typical exposure scenarios. However, exposure rates for BDE-47 and -99 reached as high as 52 and 95% of RfDs, respectively, for adults and 4.4 and 7

Adoptive and Birth Family Adjustment to Rearing Retarded Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Glidden, Laraine Masters; Bush, Beverly A.

The study identified 81 families who adopted children with mental retardation or at risk for mental retardation, and compared them with 61 matched families with similar birth children. For birth families, the initial diagnosis was a time of crisis, with high depression scores, while scores at follow-up (an average of 5.3 years later) indicated no…

Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Selected Emerging Brominated Flame Retardants in Foods

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Surong; Niu, Yumin; Zhang, Jing; Shao, Bing; Du, Zhenxia

2017-03-01

Emerging brominated flame retardants (eBFRs) other than polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and their derivatives in foods have been in focus in recent years due to their increasing production volumes, indefinite information on toxicities and the lack of data on occurrence in environments, foods as well as humans. In this study, gas chromatography was coupled to an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS) for the analysis of six eBFRs in pork, chicken, egg, milk and fish. A short section of unpacked capillary column coupled to the end of the analytical column was applied to improve the chromatographic behaviors of high boiling point compounds. The method was comprehensively validated with method limit of quantification (mLOQ) lower than 8 pg/g wet weight (w.w.). Samples from Chinese Total Diet study were quantified following the validated APGC-MS/MS method. 2,3,4,5-pentabromo-6-ethylbenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromotoluene (PBT) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) were most frequently detected in samples. The highest concentration was found in fish with 351.9 pg/g w.w. of PBT. This is the first report on the presence of PBT in food samples with non-ignorable concentrations and detection rate.

Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Selected Emerging Brominated Flame Retardants in Foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Surong; Niu, Yumin; Zhang, Jing; Shao, Bing; Du, Zhenxia

2017-03-10

Emerging brominated flame retardants (eBFRs) other than polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and their derivatives in foods have been in focus in recent years due to their increasing production volumes, indefinite information on toxicities and the lack of data on occurrence in environments, foods as well as humans. In this study, gas chromatography was coupled to an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS) for the analysis of six eBFRs in pork, chicken, egg, milk and fish. A short section of unpacked capillary column coupled to the end of the analytical column was applied to improve the chromatographic behaviors of high boiling point compounds. The method was comprehensively validated with method limit of quantification (mLOQ) lower than 8 pg/g wet weight (w.w.). Samples from Chinese Total Diet study were quantified following the validated APGC-MS/MS method. 2,3,4,5-pentabromo-6-ethylbenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromotoluene (PBT) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) were most frequently detected in samples. The highest concentration was found in fish with 351.9 pg/g w.w. of PBT. This is the first report on the presence of PBT in food samples with non-ignorable concentrations and detection rate.

Life cycle assessment of flame retardants in an electronics application

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonkers, Niels; Krop, Hildo; van Ewijk, Harry; Leonards, Pim E.G.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Flame retardants are added to plastics and textiles to save lives. However, certain brominated flame retardants (BFRs) form an environmental hazard and should be replaced by less harmful alternatives. In the recently completed European research project ENFIRO, we examined which alternatives

Single-run determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) di- to deca-brominated in fish meal, fish oil and fish feed by isotope dilution: Application of automated sample purification and gas chromatography/ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC/ITMS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco, Sonia Lucia; Vieites, Juan M.

2010-01-01

The present paper describes the application of automated cleanup and fractionation procedures of the Power Prep system (Fluid Management Systems) for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in feeding stuffs and fish meal and oil. Gas chromatography (GC) separation followed by ion trap tandem mass spectrometry detection in EI mode (ITMS) allowed the analysis of di- to deca-BDEs in the samples matrices used in fish aquaculture. The method developed enabled the determination of 26 native PBDE congeners and 11 13 C 12 -labelled congeners, including deca-BDE 209, in a single-run analysis, using isotope dilution. The automated cleanup, consisting of a succession of multilayer silica and basic alumina columns previously applied by Wyrzykowska et al. (2009) in combustion flue gas, was succesfully applied in our complex matrices. The method allowed an increase in productivity, i.e. lower time was required to process samples, and simultaneous purification of several samples was achieved at a time, reducing analyst dedication and human error input. Average recoveries of 43-96% were obtained. GC/ITMS can overcome the complexity originating from the sample matrix, eliminating matrix effects by tandem MS, to enable the detection of congeners penta- to nona-BDEs where interferent masses were present. The provisional detection limits, estimated in the samples, were 5-30 pg for di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-BDEs, 20-65 pg for hexa-, hepta-, octa- and nona-BDEs, and 105 pg for deca-BDE. Reduction of deca-BDE 209 blank values is of concern to ongoing research. Good accuracy was obtained by application of the whole procedure, representing an efficient, low-cost and fast alternative for routine analyses.

Recycling of plastic waste: Screening for brominated flame retardants (BFRs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pivnenko, Kostyantyn; Granby, Kit; Eriksson, Eva

2017-01-01

,4,6-TBP)), hexabromocyclododecane stereoisomers (α-, β-, and γ-HBCD), as well as selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in samples of household waste plastics, virgin and recycled plastics. A considerable number of samples contained BFRs, with highest concentrations associated with acrylonitrile...

A National Probabilistic Study of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Fish from US Lakes and Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

National estimates were developed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in fish from lakes and reservoirs of the conterminous United States (excluding the Laurentian Great Lakes and Great Salt Lake) using an unequal probability design. Predator (fillet) and bottom-dweller (w...

Sorption-capacity limited retardation of radionuclides transport in water-saturated packing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pescatore, C.; Sullivan, T.

1984-01-01

Radionuclides breakthrough times as calculated through constant retardation factors obtained in dilute solutions are non-conservative. The constant retardation approach regards the solid as having infinite sorption capacity throughout the solid. However, as the solid become locally saturated, such as in the proximity of the waste form-packing materials interface, it will exhibit no retardation properties, and transport will take place as if the radionuclides were locally non-reactive. The magnitude of the effect of finite sorption capacity of the packing materials on radionuclide transport is discussed with reference to high-level waste package performance. An example based on literature sorption data indicated that the breakthrough time may be overpredicted by orders of magnitude using a constant retardation factor as compared to using the entire sorption isotherm to obtain a concentration-dependent retardation factor. 8 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Sorption-capacity limited retardation of radionuclides transport in water-saturated packing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pescatore, C.; Sullivan, T.

1984-01-01

Radionuclides breakthrough times as calculated through constant retardation factors obtained in dilute solutions are non-conservative. The constant retardation approach regards the solid as having infinite sorption capacity throughout the solid. However, as the solid becomes locally saturated, such as in the proximity of the waste form-packing materials interface, it will exhibit no retardation properties, and transport will take place as if the radionuclides were locally non-reactive. The magnitude of the effect of finite sorption capacity of the packing materials on radionuclide transport is discussed with reference to high-level waste package performance. An example based on literature sorption data indicates that the breakthrough time may be overpredicted by orders of magnitude using a constant retardation factor as compared to using the entire sorption isotherm to obtain a concentration-dependent retardation factor. 8 references, 3 figures, 3 tables

The self-esteem and anxiety of children with and without mentally retarded siblings.

Science.gov (United States)

Saban, Fatma; Arıkan, Duygu

2013-11-01

The study was carried out with the aim of determining the factors affecting and to evaluate anxiety situations and self-esteem of children with and without mentally retarded siblings. The sampling included 227 healthy children: 108 of them have mental retarded sibling and 119 of them do not have mental retarded sibling. The context of this study consisted of 15-18 year of age healthy children with mentally retarded siblings and 15-18 year of aged healthy children having at least one sibling between the dates February 15(st) and June 26(st) 2010. Personal Information Form, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Trait Anxiety Scale were used. It was found out that trait anxiety of 17-18 aged of children with mental retarded sibling (47.04 ± 7.3) was higher than that of the children without mental retarded siblings (44.05 ± 11.23) (P self-esteem of children with mentally retarded sibling was not affected from the handicap of their siblings (P > 0.05). Trait anxiety score averages of children with mentally retarded sibling and experience some difficulties due to his or her siblings's handicap (47.00 ± 7.76) were found higher than those of those of the children without any problem with the environment (42.61 ± 7.48) (P self-esteem in both groups were not significant different, score of trait anxiety for children with mentally disabled siblings was higher in comparison. It was concluded that anxiety of children with and without mentally retarded siblings increased as self-esteem of these children decreased.

Generation of Resistance to the Diphenyl Ether Herbicide, Oxyfluorfen, via Expression of the Bacillus subtilis Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase Gene in Transgenic Tobacco Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, K W; Han, O; Lee, H J; Yun, Y C; Moon, Y H; Kim, M; Kuk, Y I; Han, S U; Guh, J O

1998-01-01

In an effort to develop transgenic plants resistant to diphenyl ether herbicides, we introduced the protoporphyrinogen oxidase (EC 1.3.3.4) gene of Bacillus subtilis into tobacco plants. The results from a Northern analysis and leaf disc assay indicate that the expression of the B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen oxidase gene under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter generated resistance to the diphenyl ether herbicide, oxyfluorfen, in transgenic tobacco plants.

Flame retardants: Dust - and not food - might be the risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, J.; Ballesteros-Gomez, A.M.; Leslie, H.A.; Brandsma, S.H.; Leonards, P.E.G.

2016-01-01

Flame retardants (FRs) are used to delay ignition of materials such as furniture and electric and electronic instruments. Many FRs are persistent and end up in the environment. Environmental studies on flame retardants (FRs) took off in the late 1990s. Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) appeared

Soil contamination by brominated flame retardants in open waste dumping sites in Asian developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Eguchi, Akifimi; Isobe, Tomohiko; Ramu, Karri; Tue, Nguyen Minh; Sudaryanto, Agus; Devanathan, Gnanasekaran; Viet, Pham Hung; Tana, Rouch Seang; Takahashi, Shin; Subramanian, Annamalai; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2013-03-01

In Asian developing countries, large amounts of municipal wastes are dumped into open dumping sites each day without adequate management. This practice may cause several adverse environmental consequences and increase health risks to local communities. These dumping sites are contaminated with many chemicals including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs). BFRs may be released into the environment through production processes and through the disposal of plastics and electronic wastes that contain them. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the status of BFR pollution in municipal waste dumping sites in Asian developing countries. Soil samples were collected from six open waste dumping sites and five reference sites in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam from 1999 to 2007. The results suggest that PBDEs are the dominant contaminants in the dumping sites in Asian developing countries, whereas HBCD contamination remains low. Concentrations of PBDEs and HBCDs ranged from ND to 180 μg/kg dry wt and ND to 1.4 μg/kg dry wt, respectively, in the reference sites and from 0.20 to 430 μg/kg dry wt and ND to 2.5 μg/kg dry wt, respectively, in the dumping sites. Contamination levels of PBDEs in Asian municipal dumping sites were comparable with those reported from electronic waste dismantling areas in Pearl River delta, China. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Neurotoxicity of PBDE-99: Immediate and Concentration-Dependent Effects on Protein Expression in Cerebral Cortex Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alm, Henrik; Scholz, Birger; Kultima, Kim

2010-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly used flame retardants in various consumer products. Pre- and postnatal exposure to congeners of PBDEs disrupts normal brain development in rodents. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was used to analyze concentration...

Evaluating Thyroxine Metabolism and Transport in Primary Rat and Human Hepatocytes Following BDE 47 Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants used in various consumer products including polyurethane foam, electronics, and textile coating. 2,2’,4,4’-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 47) is the predominant PBDE congener accounting for half of...

A Sustainable Alternative to a U.S. Breast Milk Monitoring Program: Using NHANES Serum Data to Estimate Breast Milk PBDE Concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are high-production-volume chemicals that have been widely used as flame retardants in a variety of consumer products. PBDE concentrations in the environment, wildlife, and humans have been increasing for several decades. Concentrations in t...

A Sustainable Alternative to a Breast Milk Monitoring Program: Using NHANES Serum Data to Estimate Breast Milk PBDE Concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are high-production-volume chemicals that have been widely used as flame retardants in a variety of consumer products. PBDE concentrations in the environment, wildlife, and humans have been increasing for several decades. Concentrations in t...

Fire-retardant foams

Science.gov (United States)

Gagliani, J.

1978-01-01

Family of polyimide resins are being developed as foams with exceptional fire-retardant properties. Foams are potentially useful for seat cushions in aircraft and ground vehicles and for applications such as home furnishings and building-construction materials. Basic formulations can be modified with reinforcing fibers or fillers to produce celular materials for variety of applications. By selecting reactants, polymer structure can be modified to give foams with properties ranging from high resiliency and flexibility to brittleness and rigidity.

Determination of polyparameter linear free energy relationship (pp-LFER) substance descriptors for established and alternative flame retardants.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenzel, Angelika; Goss, Kai-Uwe; Endo, Satoshi

2013-02-05

Polyparameter linear free energy relationships (pp-LFERs) can predict partition coefficients for a multitude of environmental and biological phases with high accuracy. In this work, the pp-LFER substance descriptors of 40 established and alternative flame retardants (e.g., polybrominated diphenyl ethers, hexabromocyclododecane, bromobenzenes, trialkyl phosphates) were determined experimentally. In total, 251 data for gas-chromatographic (GC) retention times and liquid/liquid partition coefficients (K) were measured and used to calibrate the pp-LFER substance descriptors. Substance descriptors were validated through a comparison between predicted and experimental log K for the systems octanol/water (K(ow)), water/air (K(wa)), organic carbon/water (K(oc)) and liposome/water (K(lipw)), revealing a high reliability of pp-LFER predictions based on our descriptors. For instance, the difference between predicted and experimental log K(ow) was <0.3 log units for 17 out of 21 compounds for which experimental values were available. Moreover, we found an indication that the H-bond acceptor value (B) depends on the solvent for some compounds. Thus, for predicting environmentally relevant partition coefficients it is important to determine B values using measurements in aqueous systems. The pp-LFER descriptors calibrated in this study can be used to predict partition coefficients for which experimental data are unavailable, and the predicted values can serve as references for further experimental measurements.

Terminal elimination half-lives of the brominated flame retardants TBBPA, HBCD, and lower brominated PBDEs in humans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geyer, H.J.; Schramm, K.W.; Feicht, E.A.; Fried, K.W.; Henkelmann, B.; Lenoir, D. [GSF-National Research Center, Institute of Ecological Chemistry, Neuherberg (Germany); Darnerud, P.O.; Aune, M. [Swedish National Food Administration, Uppsala (Sweden); Schmid, P. [Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, EMPA Duebendorf (Switzerland); McDonald, T.A. [Office of Environmental Health Assessment, California EPA, Oakland, CA (United States)

2004-09-15

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are widely used in polymers and textiles and applied in electronic equipment, construction materials, and furniture for the purpose of fire prevention. BFRs with the highest production volume are tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), 1,2,5,6,9,10- hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs: {alpha}-HBCD + {beta}-HBCD + {gamma}-HBCD), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Several BFRs are highly lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which have been identified in the aquatic and terrestrial environment including wildlife and humans. In exposed organisms including humans toxic effects, bioaccumulation, metabolism, and pharmacokinetics (especially half-life t{sub 1/2}) are important criterions in the hazard assessment. The aim of the present study was to estimate the terminal elimination half-lives (t{sub 1/2H}) of the main BFRs from the whole body (also named body-burden half-life) and/or from the adipose tissue (fat) of adult humans. The t{sub 1/2H} data for the following BFRs were evaluated: TBBPA, HBCD, 2,2',4,4'- tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), 2,2',4,4',5-pentaBDE (BDE-99), 2,2',4,4',6-pentaBDE (BDE- 100), 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaBDE (BDE-153), and 2,2',4,4',5,6-hexaBDE (BDE-154).

Improved model of the retardance in citric acid coated ferrofluids using stepwise regression

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, J. F.; Qiu, X. R.

2017-06-01

Citric acid (CA) coated Fe3O4 ferrofluids (FFs) have been conducted for biomedical application. The magneto-optical retardance of CA coated FFs was measured by a Stokes polarimeter. Optimization and multiple regression of retardance in FFs were executed by Taguchi method and Microsoft Excel previously, and the F value of regression model was large enough. However, the model executed by Excel was not systematic. Instead we adopted the stepwise regression to model the retardance of CA coated FFs. From the results of stepwise regression by MATLAB, the developed model had highly predictable ability owing to F of 2.55897e+7 and correlation coefficient of one. The average absolute error of predicted retardances to measured retardances was just 0.0044%. Using the genetic algorithm (GA) in MATLAB, the optimized parametric combination was determined as [4.709 0.12 39.998 70.006] corresponding to the pH of suspension, molar ratio of CA to Fe3O4, CA volume, and coating temperature. The maximum retardance was found as 31.712°, close to that obtained by evolutionary solver in Excel and a relative error of -0.013%. Above all, the stepwise regression method was successfully used to model the retardance of CA coated FFs, and the maximum global retardance was determined by the use of GA.

Flame retardancy and thermal behavior of intumescent flame-retardant EVA composites with an efficient triazine-based charring agent

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Bo; Ma, Wen; Wu, Xiao; Qian, Lijun; Jiang, Shan

2018-04-01

Intumescent flame retardant (IFR) EVA composites were prepared based on a hyperbranched triazine charring-foaming agent (HTCFA) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). The synergistic effect of HTCFA and APP on the flame retardancy and thermal behavior of the composites were investigated through flammability tests, cone calorimeter measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) including evolved gas analysis (TG-IR) and residue analysis (Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS), x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)). The flammability test results showed HTCFA/APP (1/3) system presented the best synergistic effect in flame-retardant EVA composites with the highest LOI value and UL-94 V-0 rating. As for cone calorimeter results, IFR changed the combustion behavior of EVA and resulted in remarkable decrease of flammability and smoke product. TGA results showed the synergistic effect between APP and HTCFA could strengthen the char-forming ability of composites. TG-IR results indicated the melt viscosities and gas release with increasing temperature were well-correlated for EVA/IFR composite. The residue analysis results from SEM, LRS, FT-IR and XPS revealed IFR promoted forming more compact graphitic char layer, connected by rich P–O–C and P–N structures.

Environment-friendly, flame retardant thermoplastic elastomer-magnesium hydroxide composites

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Hao; Chen, Kunfeng; Li, Xiaonan; Ao, Man; Guo, Xinwen; Xue, Dongfeng

Halogen-free and environment-friendly magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) was synthesized to enhance the flame retardant properties of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). When the Mg(OH)2 content was optimized to 35wt.%, the TPE-Mg(OH)2 composites exhibited the best flame retardant properties. The results showed that there was a delay of ignition time of the samples containing Mg(OH)2; compared with the samples without Mg(OH)2, the heat release rate and total heat release decrease by 31.4% and 35.6%, while total smoke production and mass loss rate reduce by 56% and 34.2%, respectively. This work opens a door to manufacture fire-resistant polymer-based composites with environmental-friendly flame retardant additives by controllable crystallization and chemical strategies.

Moral and cognitive development in retarded and nonretarded children.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, J J; Achenbach, T M

1975-07-01

Subjects were 30 cultural-familially retarded and 30 nonretarded children matched for MA within 3 MA levels. The subjects were administered measures of moral judgement and cognitive operations hypothesized by Kohlberg to constitute necessary but not sufficient conditions for attainment of specific moral stages. Moral and cognitive performance improved with MA, but there were no differences between the MA-matched retarded and nonretarded children. Moral judgement related more strongly to MA then to any of the specific cognitive operations tested. The findings failed to support Kohlberg and Gilligan's (1971) hypothesis that the moral judgment of older individuals should be more advanced than that of younger individuals matched for cognitive level, but they were in accord with Zigler's (1969) "developmental" concept of cultural-familial retardation.

Effect of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) treatment on the composition and function of the bacterial community in the sponge Haliclona cymaeformis.

KAUST Repository

Tian, Ren-Mao

2014-01-01

Marine sponges play important roles in benthic environments and are sensitive to environmental stresses. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used as flame retardants since the 1970s and are cytotoxic and genotoxic to organisms. In the present study, we studied the short-period effect of PBDE-47 (2,2\\',4,4\\'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether) treatment on the community structure and functional gene composition of the bacterial community inhabiting the marine sponge Haliclona cymaeformis. Our results showed that the bacterial community shifted from an autotrophic bacteria-dominated community to a heterotrophic bacteria-dominated community in response to PBDE-47 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. A potentially symbiotic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium (SOB) was dominant (>80% in abundance) in the untreated sponge. However, exposure to a high concentration (1 μg/L) of PBDE-47 caused a substantial decrease in the potential symbiont and an enrichment of heterotrophic bacteria like Clostridium. A metagenomic analysis showed a selective effect of the high concentration treatment on the functional gene composition of the enriched heterotrophic bacteria, revealing an enrichment for the functions responsible for DNA repair, multidrug efflux pumping, and bacterial chemotaxis and motility. This study demonstrated that PBDE-47 induced a shift in the composition of the community and functional genes in the sponge-associated bacterial community, revealing the selective effect of PBDE-47 treatment on the functions of the bacterial community in the microenvironment of the sponge.

The Effect of Retardation on the Spontaneous Breaking of Chiral Symmetry in GCM

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

YANG Sheng-Dong; ZHAI Chen-Yang; ZHOU Zhi-Ning; YANG Ze-Sen

2001-01-01

An effective Hamiltonian including current-current coupling from the global color symmetry model is -R2 2derived.Retardation effects are introduced by the factor ( R/ ) e ,instead of δ (r) in the correlation kernel,from which the retardation gap equation with α-α coupling in the 3po vacuum is obtained,qq condensations of different retardation parameters R with or without the α-α term are calculated.The results show the effects of retardation,and indicate that the typical value of R is about 2 fm-1 at reasonable value of qq condensation.And while taking typical value 1 fm-1 of R,the condensation 1/3 is about 13% larger than that with no retardation effect.With the α-αterms,the condensation (qq) 1/3 is about 17%o larger than that without it for all values of the parameter R.This shows that the retardation effects and the α-α terms are important for further studying in the Iow-energy region.``

Emerging and legacy flame retardants in UK human milk and food suggest slow response to restrictions on use of PBDEs and HBCDD.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Fang; Abou-Elwafa Abdallah, Mohamed; Ashworth, Danielle C; Douglas, Philippa; Toledano, Mireille B; Harrad, Stuart

2017-08-01

The legacy flame retardants (LFRs) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), together with six emerging flame retardants (EFRs) were measured in United Kingdom (UK) human milk collected in 2010 (n=25) and 2014-15 (n=10). These data are the first report of the presence of EFRs in UK human milk. The most abundant EFR was β-tetrabromoethylcyclohexane (DBE-DBCH) (average=2.5ng/g lw; geometric mean=1.5ng/g lw), which is comparable to the concentrations of the most abundant LFRs i.e. BDE 47 and α-HBCDD at 2.8 and 2.1ng/g lw, respectively (geometric mean=2.1 and 1.7). The estimated median dietary intake of ΣEFRs by UK nursing infants was 18ng/kg bw/day. EFRs were also measured in UK foodstuffs with β-DBE-DBCH again the predominant compound detected, accounting - on average - for 64.5±23.4% of ΣEFRs. Average estimated dietary intakes of ∑EFRs in the UK were 89 and 26ng/day (1.3 and 2.6ng/body weight/day) for adults and toddlers, respectively. Concentrations of Σtri-hexa BDEs in our UK food samples exceeded those reported in UK samples from the same food categories collected in 2003-04 and 2006. Despite this and our recent report elsewhere of significant temporal declines in concentrations of BDE 209 in UK indoor dust (p0.05) were observed between concentrations of Σtri-hexa BDEs, BDE 209 and HBCDDs in human milk sampled in 2010 and those obtained in 2014-15. UK adult body burdens for EFRs were predicted via inhalation, diet and dust ingestion using a simple pharmacokinetic model. The predicted EFR body burdens compared well with observed concentrations in human milk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disruption of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase activity in cultured human glial cells by polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Simon C; Bianco, Antonio C; Stapleton, Heather M

2015-06-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants are endocrine disruptors and suspected neurodevelopmental toxicants. While the direct mechanisms of neurodevelopmental toxicity have not been fully elucidated, it is conceivable that alterations in thyroid hormone levels in the developing brain may contribute to these effects. Cells within the brain locally convert thyroxine (T4) to the biologically active triiodothyronine (T3) through the action of the selenodeiodinase type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO2). Previous studies have demonstrated that PBDEs can alter hepatic deiodinase activity both in vitro and in vivo; however, the effects of PBDEs on the deiodinase isoforms expressed in the brain are not well understood. Here, we studied the effects of several individual PBDEs and hydroxylated metabolites (OH-BDEs) on DIO2 activity in astrocytes, a specialized glial cell responsible for production of more than 50% of the T3 required by the brain. Primary human astrocytes and H4 glioma cells were exposed to individual PBDEs or OH-BDEs at concentrations up to 5 μM. BDE-99 decreased DIO2 activity by 50% in primary astrocyte cells and by up to 80% in the H4 cells at doses of ≥500 nM. 3-OH-BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47, and 5'-OH-BDE-99 also decreased DIO2 activity in cultured H4 glioma cells by 45-80% at doses of approximately 1-5 μM. Multiple mechanisms appear to contribute to the decreased DIO2 activity, including weakened expression of DIO2 mRNA, competitive inhibition of DIO2, and enhanced post-translational degradation of DIO2. We conclude that decreases in DIO2 activity caused by exposure to PBDEs may play a role in the neurodevelopmental deficits caused by these toxicants.

Flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance of silk fabric coated by graphene oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji Yi-Min

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Silk fabrics were coated by graphene oxide hydrosol in order to improve its flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance. In addition, montmorillonoid was doped into the graphene oxide hydrosol to further improve the flame retardancy of silk fabrics. The flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance were mainly characterized by limiting oxygen index, vertical flame test, smoke density test, and ultraviolet protection factor. The synergistic effect of graphene oxide and montmorillonoid on the thermal stabilization property of the treated silk fabrics was also investigated. The results show that the treated silk fabrics have excellent flame retardancy, thermal stability, smoke suppression, and ultraviolet resistance simultaneously.

Epilepsy and Comorbid Mental Retardation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Gordon Millichap

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Preventable and unpreventable causes of childhood-onset epilepsy associated with mental retardation were determined in 692 patients with epilepsy onset between 1977 and 1985 in a Nova Scotia population-based cohort studied in the Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.

Mental Retardation: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Poser, Charles M., Ed.

A collection of writings by 17 authors, the text includes the following discussions: general principles of diagnosis and management of mental retardation, neurologic evaluation of the infant and child, psychological evaluation, educational information, and treatment of pseudoretardation, communicative disorders, and metabolic and endocrine causes.…

Development of Halogen-free flame-retardant cable for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Nobuhisa; Morii, Akira; Fujimura, Shunichi

1992-01-01

Conventional flame-retardant cables release a large volume of corrosive and toxic gases as well as smoke while combusted. Cables covered with halogen-free flame-retardant material, containing no halogen in it, have been developed to reduce generation of such gases and smoke, and have already been used in telecommunication service, subway and shipboard applications. However, for cables for nuclear power plant, covering materials should also have radiation resistance and other properties, including long-term physical stability. We have developed halogen-free flame-retardant cables for BWR nuclear power plant with sufficient flame retardancy radiation resistance and environmental resistance including steam-exposure resistance all of which are in accordance with Japanese specifications for BWR nuclear cables and have such characteristics as low corrosiveness, low toxicity and low smoke emission. (author)

Development of halogen-free flame-retardant cable for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Nobuhisa; Morii, Akira; Fujimura, Shunichi

1991-01-01

Conventional flame-retardant cables release a large amount of corrosive and toxic gases and also smoke during combustion on fire. Cables covered with halogen-free flame-retardant material, containing no halogen in it, have been developed to reduce generation of such gases and smoke, and already used in telecommunication plant, subway and shipboard applications. In the case of nuclear power plant application, cable covering materials should also have radiation resistance and other properties including long-term physical stability. We have developed halogen-free flame-retardant cables for nuclear power plant with sufficient flame retardancy, radiation resistance, and environmental resistance including steam-exposure resistance, all of which are in accordance with Japanese specifications for nuclear cables, and with characteristics as low corrosiveness, low toxicity, and low smoke evolution. (author)

Theories on Criminality and Mental Retardation Project CAMIO, Volume 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Haskins, Jimmy R.; Friel, Charles M.

This historical review of theories on criminality and mental retardation is part of Project CAMIO (Correctional Administration and the Mentally Incompetent Offender), a Texas study to determine the incidence of criminal incarceration of the mentally retarded (MR) and to identify laws, procedures, and practices which affect the prosecution and…

Decision Making in Leisure. Empowerment for People with Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Charles C.; Mahon, Michael J.

1992-01-01

People with mental retardation have been overlooked in recreation/leisure and decision making, which are integral to full community participation. They must be provided with leisure education and decision-making skills. The article describes the Decision Making in Leisure model, explaining its use with individuals with mental retardation. (SM)

Values and Moral Foundations as a Basis for Attitude toward Mentally Retarded People in Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Олег Анатольевич Сычев

2018-12-01

Full Text Available An important factor of the successful integration of mentally retarded people is the readiness of the society to accept such people as equal members. In this study we tested the hypothesis that the attitude toward mentally retarded people depends on values and moral factors. The sample comprised 169 students of technical college and pedagogical university. The attitude toward mentally retarded people was measured using a modified version of Mental Retardation Attitude Inventory (MRAI-R by Antonak & Harth, values were tested using Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ-R2 by Schwartz, and moral foundations were measured using Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ by Graham et al.. We elaborated modified Russian version of MRAI-R, showed its factor structure and good psychometric properties. The main moral factor of the attitude toward mentally retarded people was the importance of fairness: the higher it is the higher is the readiness to diminish the social distance with the mentally retarded. The importance of authority was associated with the low approval of inclusive education for the mentally retarded. The most important predictor of the attitude toward mentally retarded people was gender: girls demonstrated a more positive attitude towards the mentally retarded.

Measurement of the specific heats of Santowax 'R', para-, meta- and ortho-terphenyl, diphenyl and dowtherm 'A'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowring, R.W.; Garton, D.A.; Norris, H.F.

1960-12-01

New absolute measurements have been made of the specific heats of Santowax 'R1, the terphenyl isomers, diphenyl and Dowtherm 'A'. An adiabatic calorimeter was used in which the sample was heated electrically while a surrounding jacket was maintained at the same temperature as the calorimeter. The specific heats of all materials tested were found to increase linearly with temperature, the slope being substantially the same for all the pure materials except para-terphenyl. The specific heat of Santowax 'R' was about 1/2% less than the weighted mean of its components. The probable accuracy of the measurements was ± 2% and this was confirmed by comparison with diphenyl ether. A summary of results is given in Table 1 and Figure 10. (author)

Research Progress in Monitoring of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in China%中国地区多溴联苯醚在不同环境介质中的监测进展

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

赵星华; 塔娜; 包晶; 刘薇薇; 王艳茹

2015-01-01

多溴联苯醚(Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs)为一类新型的溴代阻燃剂，广泛应用于塑料制品、纺织品、电路板和建筑材料等领域。随着生产量和使用量的增加，PBDEs已造成全球环境污染，其带来的环境问题已引起各国关注。同时PBDEs的长距离迁移性和难降解性，使其在环境介质中进行富集，从而加重污染。归纳了中国地区PBDEs的监测进展，分别从大气、水体、沉积物和土壤中PBDEs的污染水平以及原因进行了分析和探讨。在此基础上，对于我国PBDEs的研究方向提出了展望。%As a new type of flame retardants,polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely applied in the fields of plastics, textiles and building materials. With the increase in production and usage, more international attention is focused on environmental pollution caused by PBDEs. Due to the properties of the long distance transportation and the difficulty in degradability, PBDEs was accumulated in the environmental mediums, and aggravated the environmental pollution. This paper summarized the research progress in monitoring of PBDEs in environment of China. Furthermore, the concentration level and pollution source of PBDEs in atmosphere, water body, sediment and soil was discussed. Finally, the further research about PBDEs in China is proposed.

Mental retardation after prenatal exposure. Re-analysis indicated

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paile, W.

2000-01-01

The current risk assessment for severe mental retardation after prenatal exposure to the A-bomb radiation is based on 21 cases exposed to more than 0.005 Gy, of which 17 were exposed in the most sensitive period 8-15 weeks p.c. The latest analysis, applying the best fitting model, indicates a threshold with a lower 95% bound of 0.06-0.31 Gy, depending on whether 2 cases with Down's syndrome are included or not. The authors have interpreted this as suggesting a threshold in the low-dose region. In the dose group 0.10-0.49 Gy, except one case with Down's syndrome there is only one other case, exposed 8 weeks p.c. to 0.14 Gy. However, in a RERF report (TR 13-91) concerning brain abnormalities detected by MRI in retarded persons, the same case is described. According to this report he was actually exposed to 0.86 Gy. The distance was 1060 m, and his mother exhibited severe epilation. These details indicate that the higher dose is correct and the lower dose is erroneous. In a small material the misclassification of one case has a deep influence on the result of the data analysis. Reclassification of this case will lead to a considerable change in the estimated threshold, notably in the 95% lower bound of the threshold. There will be no indication of severe retardation after less than 0.5 Gy even in the most sensitive period. This does not preclude a milder effect on intelligence from lower doses. The fraction of severe retardation after exposure to 1 Sv in the period 8-15 weeks p.c. has been estimated at 40%. The effect on intelligence score has been estimated at 30 IQ units per Sv in the same period. These estimates have been combined in ICRP 60 to create a model, based on a presumed normal distribution of IQ scores, according to which the final outcome for an individual is determined by his expected IQ without exposure. Thus the dose required to make an otherwise normal individual retarded would be high, while a much lower dose would be enough to bring an individual

MEASUREMENTS OF PBDES IN CAT SERUM AND CAT FOOD: IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP WITH FELINE HYPERTHYROIDISM?

Science.gov (United States)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are an important group of flame retardants. They are used worldwide in a variety of consumer goods, including household products. Over the last 20 years, the con-centrations of PBDEs have rapidly increased in the environment (Hites, 2004; ...

Renal artery pulsatility index and renal volume: Normal fetuses versus growth-retarded fetuses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyung Soon; Woo, Bock Hi

2001-01-01

To evaluate the blood flow velocity waveform of the renal artery and renal volume of growth-retarded fetuses and to compare them with those of normal fetuses. Pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography were obtained from seventy eight normal fetuses at the gestational age from twenty five to thirty nine weeks and eighteen intrauterine growth retarded fetuses whose weight was below ten percentile at birth. We studied changes of the pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume according to the gestational age and compared with those of growth-retarded fetuses. Pulsatility index (PI) of the fetal renal artery decreased throughout the gestational period (r=0.703, p<0.0001). In growth-retarded fetuses, despite of abnormal doppler velocity waveform of the middle cerebral artery, which was showing fetal hypoxia, the renal PI was not increased significantly. The fetal renal volume increased throughout the gestational period (r=0.834, p<0.0001) whereas in growth-retarded fetuses, all renal volume was below fifth percentile of normal fetuses. In growth-retarded fetuses, fetal renal volume was decreased significantly without change of the renal vascular flow. Therefore, the fetal renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography may be a helpful parameter in the diagnosis of growth-retarded fetuses.

Renal artery pulsatility index and renal volume: Normal fetuses versus growth-retarded fetuses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyung Soon; Woo, Bock Hi [Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2001-06-15

To evaluate the blood flow velocity waveform of the renal artery and renal volume of growth-retarded fetuses and to compare them with those of normal fetuses. Pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography were obtained from seventy eight normal fetuses at the gestational age from twenty five to thirty nine weeks and eighteen intrauterine growth retarded fetuses whose weight was below ten percentile at birth. We studied changes of the pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume according to the gestational age and compared with those of growth-retarded fetuses. Pulsatility index (PI) of the fetal renal artery decreased throughout the gestational period (r=0.703, p<0.0001). In growth-retarded fetuses, despite of abnormal doppler velocity waveform of the middle cerebral artery, which was showing fetal hypoxia, the renal PI was not increased significantly. The fetal renal volume increased throughout the gestational period (r=0.834, p<0.0001) whereas in growth-retarded fetuses, all renal volume was below fifth percentile of normal fetuses. In growth-retarded fetuses, fetal renal volume was decreased significantly without change of the renal vascular flow. Therefore, the fetal renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography may be a helpful parameter in the diagnosis of growth-retarded fetuses.

Inherited retarded eruption in the permanent dentition.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, P; Kotsaki, A

1997-01-01

The term retarded eruption, may be used in cases where eruption is inhibited, causing an interruption in the coordination of tooth formation and tooth eruption. The phenomenon may be local or general, and several etiological factors for retarded eruption have been listed, comprising a lack of space, ankylosis, cysts, supernumerary teeth, hormone and vitamin deficiencies and several developmental disturbances and syndromes. The present paper describes several cases of retarded eruption where no factors other than inheritance have been evident. So far 14 cases have been evaluated, 9 boys and 5 girls. In addition several cases have been registered among parents and grandparents of the probands. Typical features are: retarded eruption, defined as more than 3 SD beyond mean eruption figures, comprises all teeth in the permanent dentition, and in 5 cases also second primary molars. The chronology of tooth formation are within normal limits. Consequently the teeth finish development still laying deeply buried in the jaws, often in aberrant positions and with curves or hooks on the roots. When the teeth finally get the "signal" for eruption, 5-15 years beyond normal eruption time, they move rather quickly into right positions, despite the long eruption paths and the hooked roots. Permanent teeth without, as well as with predecessors, are affected. Extraction of predecessors does not seem to provoke eruption. The main features in management are to take care of the primary teeth, to improve-esthetics, and offer surgery and orthodontics when needed. Analyses of pedigrees indicates that the genetic transmittance may be autosomal dominant as both sexes are affected, about half of the siblings show the trait, and the trait shows continuity through generations.

Flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance of silk fabric coated by graphene oxide

OpenAIRE

Ji Yi-Min; Cao Ying-Ying; Chen Guo-Qiang; Xing Tie-Ling

2017-01-01

Silk fabrics were coated by graphene oxide hydrosol in order to improve its flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance. In addition, montmorillonoid was doped into the graphene oxide hydrosol to further improve the flame retardancy of silk fabrics. The flame retardancy and ultraviolet resistance were mainly characterized by limiting oxygen index, vertical flame test, smoke density test, and ultraviolet protection factor. The synergistic effect of graphene oxide and montmorillonoid on the the...

Single-run determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) di- to deca-brominated in fish meal, fish oil and fish feed by isotope dilution: application of automated sample purification and gas chromatography/ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC/ITMS).

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Sonia Lucía; Vieites, Juan M

2010-07-05

The present paper describes the application of automated cleanup and fractionation procedures of the Power Prep system (Fluid Management Systems) for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in feeding stuffs and fish meal and oil. Gas chromatography (GC) separation followed by ion trap tandem mass spectrometry detection in EI mode (ITMS) allowed the analysis of di- to deca-BDEs in the samples matrices used in fish aquaculture. The method developed enabled the determination of 26 native PBDE congeners and 11 (13)C(12)-labelled congeners, including deca-BDE 209, in a single-run analysis, using isotope dilution. The automated cleanup, consisting of a succession of multilayer silica and basic alumina columns previously applied by Wyrzykowska et al. (2009) [28] in combustion flue gas, was successfully applied in our complex matrices. The method allowed an increase in productivity, i.e. lower time was required to process samples, and simultaneous purification of several samples was achieved at a time, reducing analyst dedication and human error input. Average recoveries of 43-96% were obtained. GC/ITMS can overcome the complexity originating from the sample matrix, eliminating matrix effects by tandem MS, to enable the detection of congeners penta- to nona-BDEs where interferent masses were present. The provisional detection limits, estimated in the samples, were 5-30 pg for di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-BDEs, 20-65 pg for hexa-, hepta-, octa- and nona-BDEs, and 105 pg for deca-BDE. Reduction of deca-BDE 209 blank values is of concern to ongoing research. Good accuracy was obtained by application of the whole procedure, representing an efficient, low-cost and fast alternative for routine analyses. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvement of flame resistance of non-flame retardant cables by applying fire protection measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takemura, Yujiro; Segoshi, Yoshinori; Jinno, Susumu; Mii, Kazuki

2017-01-01

The new regulatory requirements, which were put in force after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, impose the use of flame retardant cables on the plant components having safety functions for the purpose of fire protection. However, some Japanese nuclear power plants built in the early days use non-flame retardant cables that do not pass the demonstration test to check for the flame resistance. To cope with the new regulatory requirements, a fire protection measure for non-flame retardant cables was introduced to assure flame resistance of non-flame retardant cables equivalent to or higher than that of flame retardant cables. To illustrate the fire protection measure, both non-flame retardant cables and its cable tray are covered with fire protection sheet fabricated from incombustible material to form an assembly. Considering the demonstration test results, it can be concluded that flame resistance performance of non-flame retardant cables equivalent to or higher than that of flame retardant cables can be assured by forming the assembly even if an external fire outside the assembly and internal cable fire inside the assembly are assumed. This paper introduces the design of the assembly consisting of a bundle of cables and a cable tray and summarizes the results of demonstration tests. (author)

Synergistic Flame Retardancy of Aluminium Dipropylphosphinate and Melamine in Polyamide 6

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linsheng Tang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The synergistic flame retardancy of aluminium dipropylphosphinate (ADPP and melamine (ME in polyamide 6 (PA6 was studied by the limiting oxygen index (LOI measurement, the vertical burning test, and the cone calorimeter test, and the mechanism was also discussed by thermogravimetric and residual analyses. The experimental results indicated that there was obvious synergistic flame retardancy between ADPP and ME under their appropriate weight ratios. The thermogravimetric results and the analysis of the residues obtained in cone calorimeter test showed that ADPP and ADPP/ME played the role of flame retardance by gaseous- and condensed-phase mechanisms, where, on one hand, they were decomposed into nonvolatile aluminum phosphate and promoted the carbonization of PA6, and the formed intumescent layer resulted in flame retardancy by the barrier effect on heat, air, and decomposition products, and on the other hand, they were decomposed into volatile phosphorus compounds which bring about flame retardancy by flame inhibition. Using a combination of ADPP and ME improved charring of PA6 and raised the residual rate of P and Al, thus, improving the barrier effect in the condensed phase.

Some Thoughts on Counseling Parents of the Mentally Retarded. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Phelps, William R.

Discussed are techniques in counseling parents of retarded children. Suggested are ways to structure the interview as well as methods to help the parents deal with such problems as overprotection and initial reactions to the diagnosis of retardation. (CL)

Parenting Stress in Mothers of Mentally Retarded, Blind, Deaf and Physically Disabled Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Kazem Atefvahid

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Parents of children with disabilities are poorer physical and mental health and greater stress experience. This study was conducted to evaluate Parenting stress in mothers of mentally retarded, blind, deaf and physically disabled children.Materials and Methods: This study was causal-comparative. The study population included 310 mothers of exceptional children (mothers of children with mental retardation, blind, deaf and physical-motor disabilities 7 to 12 years of age enrolled in primary schools in the academic year 90-1389 exceptional Tehran. Multi-stage cluster sampling method was used. The data obtained from questionnaires parenting stress using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA were analyzed.Results: The results showed that parenting stress in mothers of blind with mentally retarded, deaf with mentally retarded, physically with blind and deaf children are significantly different. As well as, there was significant difference between the mean score of blind, physical disorders, mentally retarded and deaf groups in terms of distraction- hyperactivity subscale.Conclusion: Mothers of children with mental retardation, physical disorders, blind and deaf have most parenting stress respectively.

Psychomotor Retardation in Depression: A Systematic Review of Diagnostic, Pathophysiologic, and Therapeutic Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Djamila Bennabi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Psychomotor retardation is a central feature of depression which includes motor and cognitive impairments. Effective management may be useful to improve the classification of depressive subtypes and treatment selection, as well as prediction of outcome in patients with depression. The aim of this paper was to review the current status of knowledge regarding psychomotor retardation in depression, in order to clarify its role in the diagnostic management of mood disorders. Retardation modifies all the actions of the individual, including motility, mental activity, and speech. Objective assessments can highlight the diagnostic importance of psychomotor retardation, especially in melancholic and bipolar depression. Psychomotor retardation is also related to depression severity and therapeutic change and could be considered a good criterion for the prediction of therapeutic effect. The neurobiological process underlying the inhibition of activity includes functional deficits in the prefrontal cortex and abnormalities in dopamine neurotransmission. Future investigations of psychomotor retardation should help improve the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying mood disorders and contribute to improving their therapeutic management.

Genetic Counseling in Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Peter

The task of the genetic counselor who identifies genetic causes of mental retardation and assists families to understand risk of recurrence is described. Considered are chromosomal genetic disorders such as Down's syndrome, inherited disorders such as Tay-Sachs disease, identification by testing the amniotic fluid cells (amniocentresis) in time…

In vitro effects of brominated flame retardants and metabolites on CYP17 catalytic activity: A novel mechanism of action?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canton, Rocio F.; Sanderson, J. Thomas; Nijmeijer, Sandra; Bergman, Ake; Letcher, Robert J.; Berg, Martin van den

2006-01-01

Fire incidents have decreased significantly over the last 20 years due, in part, to regulations requiring addition of flame retardants (FRs) to consumer products. Five major classes of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are hexabromocyclododecane isomers (HBCDs), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and three commercial mixtures of penta-, octa- and deca-polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, which are used extensively as commercial FR additives. Furthermore, concentrations of PBDEs have been rapidly increasing during the 1999s in human breast milk and a number of endocrine effects have been reported. We used the H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line to assess possible effects of some of these BFRs (PBDEs and several of their hydroxylated (OH) and methoxylated (CH 3 O) metabolites or analogues), TBBPA and brominated phenols (BPs) on the combined 17α-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities of CYP17. CYP17 enzyme catalyzes an important step in sex steroidogenesis and is responsible for the biosynthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione in the adrenals. In order to study possible interactions with BFRs, a novel enzymatic method was developed. The precursor substrate of CYP17, pregnenolone, was added to control and exposed H295R cells, and enzymatic production of DHEA was measured using a radioimmunoassay. In order to avoid pregnenolone metabolism via different pathways, specific chemical inhibitor compounds were used. None of the parent/precursor BFRs had a significant effect (P 3 O group eliminated this cytotoxic effect, but CYP17 activity measured as DHEA production was still significantly inhibited. Other OH- or CH 3 O-PBDE analogues were used to elucidate possible structural properties behind this CYP17 inhibition and associated cytotoxicity, but no distinct structure activity relationship could be determined. These in vitro results indicate that OH and CH 3 O-PBDEs have potential to interfere with CYP17 activity for which the in vivo

Levels of brominated flame retardants and other pesistent organic pollutants in breast milk samples from Limpopo province, South Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darnerud, Per Ola, E-mail: poda@slv.se [Toxicology Division, National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala (Sweden); Aune, Marie; Larsson, Lotta [Chemistry Division 2, National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala (Sweden); Lignell, Sanna [Toxicology Division, National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala (Sweden); Mutshatshi, Tshinanne; Okonkwo, Jonathan; Botha, Ben [Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); Agyei, Nana [Department of Chemistry, Limpopo University, Medunsa (South Africa)

2011-09-01

The non-occupational exposure to brominated flame retardants, and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was studied by collecting human breast milk samples from mothers residing in Thohoyandou area, a rural district in the Limpopo Province, northern part of South Africa (SA). Of all collected samples to be analysed (n = 28), those with large enough milk volumes, (n = 14) were quantified for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (9 congeners: BDE-28, 47, 66, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154, and 183) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) on a GC equipped with dual capillary columns and dual electron-capture detectors (ECD). The levels of PBDE congeners (median sumBDE 1.3 ng/g of lipids) and of HBCD were not far from levels generally found in European studies, and this study may be the first report on the presence of PBDEs and HBCD in SA breast milk. On a congener basis, the finding of comparably high BDE-183 levels suggests a specific PBDE usage, or contamination situation in SA. Apart from BFRs, the high DDT levels found in the breast milk from this area (median and maximum sumDDT levels of about 4 600 and over 20 000 ng/g of lipids, respectively; n = 28) have earlier been reported. In addition, other POPs (PCBs, HCB and HCHs) were found in SA breast milk, at relatively low levels. To conclude, measurable levels of PBDEs and HBCD, and a specific BDE congener pattern, were found in breast milk from the Limpopo province, SA. A number of other POPs, including DDTs in high levels, were also present. - Highlights: {yields} Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were analysed in South African breast milk. {yields} Focus of interest were brominated flame retardants (BRFs). {yields} Sampling area was the rural Limpopo Province, northern SA. {yields} Probably the first reported African data on BFRs (PBDEs, HBCD) in breast milk. {yields} Reported BFR data similar to European levels.

Brominated diphenyl ethers in the sediments, porewater, and biota of the Chesapeake Bay, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, K.; Klosterhaus, S.; Liebert, D.; Stapleton, H. [Maryland Univ., Solomons, MD (United States)

2004-09-15

Levels of brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) are rapidly increasing in the environment, and in a short time these chemicals have evolved from 'emerging contaminants' to globally-distributed organic pollutants. Recent research demonstrates BDEs are sufficiently stable to be transported long distances in the environment and to accumulate in higher trophic levels. Photolysis and metabolism appear to be dominant loss processes for the parent compounds, generating a variety of lower brominated diphenyl ethers, hydroxylated metabolites, and other products. BDEs are hydrophobic, and therefore their transport in aquatic systems is likely controlled by sorption to sediments and perhaps exchange across the air-water interface. To date, few studies have examined the geochemistry of BDEs in natural waters. In this paper, we review our recent measurements of BDEs in the Chesapeake Bay, a shallow, productive estuary in eastern North America. We focus on the distribution of BDE congeners sediment, porewater, and in faunal benthos along a contamination gradient downstream from a wastewater treatment plant and on the spatial distribution of BDEs in bottom-feeding and pelagic fish species.

Visual evoked potentials of mildly mentally retarded and control children.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasser, T; Pietz, J; Schellberg, D; Köhler, W

1988-10-01

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded from 25 10- to 13-year-old mildly mentally retarded children and compared with those from 31 control children of the same age-range. Correlations of VEPs with age were weak, but a relationship between VEPs and IQ was demonstrated for the control group. The retarded group had significantly longer latencies and higher amplitude peaks than the control group, with the differences occurring primarily over non-specific cortex and for secondary components. Analysis also showed that the retarded group were neurophysiologically heterogeneous. Since the same children had been analyzed earlier by quantitative EEG methods, comparisons are made with respect to these two methods of investigating brain function.

Sexual self-esteem in mothers of normal and mentally-retarded children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavakolizadeh, Jahanshir; Amiri, Mostafa; Nejad, Fahimeh Rastgoo

2017-06-01

Sexual self-esteem is negatively influenced by the stressful experiences in lifetime. This study compared the sexual self-esteem and its components in mothers with normal and mentally-retarded children in Qaen city, in 2014. A total of 120 mothers were selected and assigned into two groups of 60 samples based on convenient sampling method and randomized multiple stage sampling. Both groups completed sexual self-esteem questionnaire. The data were analyzed employing t-test through SPSS software version15. The results showed that the rate of sexual self-esteem in mothers of mentally-retarded children decreased significantly compared with that of mothers with normal children (pself-esteem including skill and experience, attractiveness, control, moral judgment, and adaptiveness in mothers of mentally-retarded children were significantly less than those of mothers with normal children (p self-esteem, especially the sexual one, be taught to mothers of mentally-retarded children by specialists.

Fatigue crack growth retardation in spot heated mild steel sheet

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A fatigue crack can be effectively retarded by heating a spot near the crack tip under nil remote stress condition. The subcritical spot heating at a proper position modifies the crack growth behaviour in a way, more or less, similar to specimen subjected to overload spike. It is observed that the extent of crack growth retardation ...

Muscle Fatigue during Intermittent Exercise in Individuals with Mental Retardation

Science.gov (United States)

Zafeiridis, Andreas; Giagazoglou, Paraskevi; Dipla, Konstantina; Salonikidis, Konstantinos; Karra, Chrisanthi; Kellis, Eleftherios

2010-01-01

This study examined fatigue profile during intermittent exercise in 10 men with mild to moderate mental retardation (MR) and 10 men without mental retardation (C). They performed 4 x 30 s maximal knee extensions and flexions with 1-min rest on an isokinetic dynamometer. Peak torque of flexors (PTFL) and extensors (PTEX), total work (TW), and…

Flame retardancy of polyaniline-deposited paper composites prepared via in situ polymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xianna; Qian, Xueren; An, Xianhui

2013-01-30

Polyaniline-deposited paper composites doped with three inorganic acids were prepared via in situ polymerization, and their flame-retardant properties were investigated. Both the conductivity and flame retardancy of the composite increased with the increase of the amount of the polyaniline deposited. The doping acid played a very key role in both the conductivity and flame retardancy of the composite. The comprehensive properties of the composite could be improved when codoped with an equimolar mixture of H(3)PO(4) and H(2)SO(4) or H(3)PO(4) and HCl. The decay of the flame retardancy of the composite in atmosphere was due to the dedoping of the polyaniline deposited on cellulose fibers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of WEEE plastics in regards to brominated flame retardants using handheld XRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aldrian, Alexia, E-mail: alexia.aldrian@unileoben.ac.at [Chair of Waste Processing Technology and Waste Management, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz-Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben (Austria); Ledersteger, Alfred, E-mail: a.ledersteger@saubermacher.at [Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG, Hans-Roth-Straße 1, 8073 Feldkirchen bei Graz (Austria); Pomberger, Roland, E-mail: roland.pomberger@unileoben.ac.at [Chair of Waste Processing Technology and Waste Management, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz-Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben (Austria)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Specification of an empirical factor for conversion from bromine to PBB and PBDE. • The handheld XRF device was validated for this particular application. • A very large number of over 4600 pieces of monitor housings was analysed. • The recyclable fraction mounts up to 85% for TV but only 53% of PC waste plastics. • A high percentage of pieces with bromine contents of over 50,000 ppm was obtained. - Abstract: This contribution is focused on the on-site determination of the bromine content in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), in particular waste plastics from television sets (TV) and personal computer monitors (PC) using a handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device. The described approach allows the examination of samples in regards to the compliance with legal specifications for polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) directly after disassembling and facilitates the sorting out of plastics with high contents of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). In all, over 3000 pieces of black (TV) and 1600 pieces of grey (PC) plastic waste were analysed with handheld XRF technique for this study. Especially noticeable was the high percentage of pieces with a bromine content of over 50,000 ppm for TV (7%) and PC (39%) waste plastics. The applied method was validated by comparing the data of handheld XRF with results obtained by GC–MS. The results showed the expected and sufficiently accurate correlation between these two methods. It is shown that handheld XRF technique is an effective tool for fast monitoring of large volumes of WEEE plastics in regards to BFRs for on-site measurements.

Identification of Important Community Living Skills for Adults with Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovett, David L.; Harris, Mary B.

1987-01-01

Attempted to identify skills important for successful community living of adults with mental retardation. Individuals (N=73) who had significant contact with adults with mental retardation completed questionnaire on academic, leisure, personal, social, and vocational skills frequently taught to persons with mental handicaps. Subjects considered…

Possible mechanisms of thyroid hormone disruption in mice by BDE 47, a major polybrominated diphenyl ether congener

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, Vicki M.; Staskal, Daniele F.; Ross, David G.; Diliberto, Janet J.; DeVito, Michael J.; Birnbaum, Linda S.

2008-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of polyhalogenated aromatic compounds commercially used as fire retardants in consumer products. These compounds have been shown to decrease thyroid hormone concentrations in rodents after acute exposures. This study examines the ability of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 47) to decrease circulating thyroid hormone concentrations and pairs this with BDE 47-induced effects on genes involved in thyroid hormone homeostasis. Female C57BL/6 mice (9 weeks old) were orally administered 3, 10, or 100 mg/kg/day of BDE 47 for 4 days. Animals were euthanized 24 h after the final dose (day 5) and liver, kidney, and serum were collected for analysis. BDE 47 caused a significant 43% decrease at 100 mg/kg/day in serum total thyroxine (T 4 ) concentrations. There was no increase in hepatic T 4 -glucuronidation activity, but significant increases in hepatic Ugt1a1, Ugt1a7, and Ugt2b5 mRNA expression accompany significant decreases in T 4 concentrations at 100 mg/kg/day of BDE 47. Induction of PROD activity occurred at the lowest dose (3 mg/kg/day). Cyp2b10 mRNA expression also increased significantly at 10 and 100 mg/kg/day. These key findings show that BDE activates the nuclear receptor, CAR. Decreases in Mdr1a mRNA expression also occurred at the lowest dose administered (3 mg/kg/day BDE 47). BDE 47 exposure also decreased hepatic transthyretin and monocarboxylate transporter 8 (Mct8) mRNA expression, suggesting that while induction of UGTs may be partly responsible for T 4 decreases, other mechanisms are also involved. No effects were seen in the kidney. We conclude that changes in hepatic UGTs and transporters may be involved in decreases in circulating T 4 following BDE 47 exposure

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Surface Soils across Five Asian Countries: Levels, Spatial Distribution, and Source Contribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wen-Long; Ma, Wan-Li; Jia, Hong-Liang; Hong, Wen-Jun; Moon, Hyo-Bang; Nakata, Haruhiko; Minh, Nguyen Hung; Sinha, Ravindra Kumar; Chi, Kai Hsien; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Sverko, Ed; Li, Yi-Fan

2016-12-06

A total of 23 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were measured in soil samples collected in areas with no known point source [urban/rural/background (U/R/B) sites] and in areas with known point source [brominated flame retardant (BFR)-related industrial sites (F sites) and e-waste recycling sites (E sites)] across five Asian countries. The highest PBDE concentrations were found in BFR-related industrial and e-waste recycling sites. The concentrations of PBDEs in U/R/B sites decreased in the following order: urban > rural > background sites. Total PBDE concentrations were dominated by BDE-209, while BDE-17, -85, -138, -191, -204, and -205 were the least abundant compounds. In both urban sites and rural sites, the mean concentrations of total PBDEs (∑ 23 BDEs) in soils decreased in the following order: Japan > China > South Korea > India > Vietnam. The concentrations of PBDEs in soils were comparable with those reported in other studies. Among the three commercial PBDE mixtures, relatively large contributions of commercial penta-BDE were observed in Vietnam, whereas deca-BDE was the dominant form in mixtures contributing from 55.8 ± 2.5 to 100.0 ± 1.2% of the total PBDEs in soils collected from other four countries. Regression analysis suggested that local population density (PD) is a good indicator of PBDEs in soils of each country. Significant and positive correlation between soil organic content and PBDE level was observed in Chinese soil for most nondeca-BDE homologues with their usage stopped 10 years ago, indicating its important role in controlling the revolatilization of PBDEs from soil and changing the spatial trend of PBDE in soil from the primary distribution pattern to the secondary distribution pattern, especially when primary emission is ceased.

Recent Developments in Organophosphorus Flame Retardants Containing P-C Bond and Their Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Wendels

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Organophosphorus compounds containing P-C bonds are increasingly developed as flame retardant additives due to their excellent thermal and hydrolytic stability and ease of synthesis. The latest development (since 2010 in organophosphorus flame retardants containing P-C bonds summarized in this review. In this review, we have broadly classified such phosphorus compounds based on the carbon unit linked to the phosphorus atom i.e., could be a part of either an aliphatic or an aromatic unit. We have only considered those published literature where a P-C bond was created as a part of synthetic strategy to make either an intermediate or a final organophosphorus compound with an aim to use it as a flame retardant. General synthetic strategies to create P-C bonds are briefly discussed. Most popular synthetic strategies used for developing P-C containing phosphorus based flame retardants include Michael addition, Michaelis–Arbuzov, Friedels–Crafts and Grignard reactions. In general, most flame retardant derivatives discussed in this review have been prepared via a one- to two-step synthetic strategy with relatively high yields greater than 80%. Specific examples of P-C containing flame retardants synthesized via suitable synthetic strategy and their applications on various polymer systems are described in detail. Aliphatic phosphorus compounds being liquids or low melting solids are generally applied in polymers via coatings (cellulose or are incorporated in the bulk of the polymers (epoxy, polyurethanes during their polymerization as reactive or non-reactive additives. Substituents on the P atoms and the chemistry of the polymer matrix greatly influence the flame retardant behavior of these compounds (condensed phase vs. the gas phase. Recently, aromatic DOPO based phosphinate flame retardants have been developed with relatively higher thermal stabilities (>250 °C. Such compounds have potential as flame retardants for high temperature processable

The improvement for fire retardant and radiation resistance characteristics of chloroprene rubber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, K. Y.; Lee, C.; Kim, P. J.; Kim, J. H

2004-04-01

In the report, in order to improve the fire retardancy better Chloroprene Rubber (CR) after adding each fixed amount of inorganic metallic hydroxide, and then compared and assessed fire retardancy with electrical properties and mechanical properties we intended to choose the most excellent additives. Also according to Co{sup 60} {gamma}-ray irradiation, we compared electrical, echanical and fire retardant characteristics to analyse to have the additives of inorganic filler effect on CR's antirad characteristic. In result, CR containing inorganic additive, advanced considerably fire retardant characteristics, but seems to be tended to declined electrical and mechanical characteristics on the whole. In syntherically comparison, the specimen viewed the most excellent characteristics is CR containing Magnesium hydroxide. As to Co{sup 60} {gamma}-ray irradiated Chloroprene rubber containing inorganic additives, fire retardant characteristic are improved, but electrical and mechanical properties are deteriorated as a function of radiation dose. Comparing before irradiation and after irradiation, the best inorganic filler into CR consider Magnesium hydroxide. In this report, in case of adding 30 phr of inorganic filler to CR we observed fire retardancy and radiation resistance characteristics change in according to the kinds of additives, but the research for choosing the optimum amount of additives is considered to progress from now on as adjusting the amount of additives presented excellent characteristics.

多溴联苯醚健康效应的研究进展%Health Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers:a review of recent studies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张慧慧; 于国伟; 牛静萍

2011-01-01

多溴联苯醚是一种在消费品中广泛应用的溴系阻燃剂,由于其具有亲脂性、持久性、远距离迁移性和生物富集等特点,容易在环境和人体中聚积,对人产生健康危害,主要有肝脏毒性、内分泌干扰作用、生殖毒性、免疫毒性和神经毒性等.该文主要从实验研究和人群流行病学调查两方面对近年来国内外关于PBDEs健康效应研究进行综述.%Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used as flame retardant in various consumer products. They are easy to accumulate in the environment and human body due to their lipotropy, long half -life, long -range environmental transport and biomagnification. These compounds were found to induce toxicity to liver, endocrine system, reproduction, immune and nervous system. Based on the experimental studies and epidemiology surveys on PBDEs at home and abroad,this literature review summarized the research status of PBDEs' health effects in recent years.

Plasma-enhanced synthesis of green flame retardant cellulosic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Totolin, Vladimir

The natural fiber-containing fabrics and composites are more environmentally friendly, and are used in transportation (automobiles, aerospace), military applications, construction industries (ceiling paneling, partition boards), consumer products, etc. Therefore, the flammability characteristics of the composites based on polymers and natural fibers play an important role. This dissertation presents the development of plasma assisted - green flame retardant coatings for cellulosic substrates. The overall objective of this work was to generate durable flame retardant treatment on cellulosic materials. In the first approach sodium silicate layers were pre-deposited onto clean cotton substrates and cross linked using low pressure, non-equilibrium oxygen plasma. A statistical design of experiments was used to optimize the plasma parameters. The modified cotton samples were tested for flammability using an automatic 45° angle flammability test chamber. Aging tests were conducted to evaluate the coating resistance during the accelerated laundry technique. The samples revealed a high flame retardant behavior and good thermal stability proved by thermo-gravimetric analysis. In the second approach flame retardant cellulosic materials have been produced using a silicon dioxide (SiO2) network coating. SiO 2 network armor was prepared through hydrolysis and condensation of the precursor tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), prior coating the substrates, and was cross linked on the surface of the substrates using atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) technique. Due to protection effects of the SiO2 network armor, the cellulosic based fibers exhibit enhanced thermal properties and improved flame retardancy. In the third approach, the TEOS/APP treatments were extended to linen fabrics. The thermal analysis showed a higher char content and a strong endothermic process of the treated samples compared with control ones, indicating a good thermal stability. Also, the surface analysis proved

Assessing the Employment-Related Interpersonal Competence of Mildly Mentally Retarded Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullis, Michael; Foss, Gilbert

1986-01-01

The Test of Interpersonal Competence for Employment (TICE) designed to assess a mildly retarded worker's knowledge of interpersonal skills in the employment setting, was developed based on analysis of problems that mildly retarded workers experience and identification of correct responses to those problems by competitive employers. Initial…

Accelerated weathering of fire-retardant-treated wood for fire testing

Science.gov (United States)

Robert H. White

2009-01-01

Fire-retardant-treated products for exterior applications must be subjected to actual or accelerated weathering prior to fire testing. For fire-retardant-treated wood, the two accelerated weathering methods have been Method A and B of ASTM D 2898. The rain test is Method A of ASTM D 2898. Method B includes exposures to ultraviolet (UV) sunlamps in addition to water...

THERMAL DEGRADATION AND FLAME RETARDANCY OF CALCIUM ALGINATE FIBERS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

于建; 夏延致

2009-01-01

Calcium alginate fibers were prepared by wet spinning of sodium alginate into a coagulating bath containing calcium chloride.The thermal degradation and flame retardancy of calcium alginate fibers were investigated with thermal gravimetry(TG),X-ray diffraction(XRD),limiting oxygen index(LOI) and cone calorimeter(CONE).The results show that calcium alginate fibers are inherently flame retardant with a LOI value of 34,and the heat release rate(HRR),total heat release(THR),CO and CO_2 concentrations during ...

Studies on flame retardancy of radiation crosslinked PE foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huili; Yao Zhanhai; Xu Jun

1996-01-01

CPE, DBDPO and Sb 2 O 3 were used as flame-retardant of PE foam. Effect of CPE on PE foam under radiation and it's flame-retardancy were studied. The result showed that CPE can enhance radiation cross-linking of PE, and trinary of addition being made of CPE, DBDPO and Sb 2 O 3 made oxygen index of PE foam achieve over 30, and self-extinguish, it did not influence manufacture and mechanical properties of PE foam

A Case with Mental Retardation, Gynecomastia and Dysmorphic Features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozge Ozalp Yuregir

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The 17 years old boy was diagnosed as Borjeson Forsmann Lehmann Syndrome who was referred to our Genetic Diagnosis Center for his dysmorphic features, obesity, gynecomasty and mental retardation . There are so many diseases in differantial diagnosis of obesity and mental retardation that BFLS is a rare one of them. We aimed to discuss the findings of the patient clinically diagnosed as BFLS within the scope of literature. [Cukurova Med J 2012; 37(1: 60-63

Radiation and mental retardation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pochin, E.E.

1988-01-01

The editorial comments on a report published by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation in Hiroshima updating information on the induction of mental changes in the light of the revised and more detailed estimate of doses of radiation during pregnancies received by those exposed at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The estimated risks are little changed. The likelihood of a threshold for exposure during the 16th to 25th week is confirmed-at 700 mGy (with a lower 95% confidence interval of 200 mGy). For the more sensitive time between the eighth to 15th weeks a linear model with no threshold still gives a statistically adequate fit to the data. Now, however, if linear models are tested without the constraint of postulating a threshold of zero, fits are obtained indicating substantial thresholds below which mental retardation would not result. When data on all children are included the maximum likelihood threshold value averages about 250 mGy on the different criteria tested (with mean 95% confidence intervals of 0 and 550 mGy). Or if the analyses exclude five children with conditions that themselves sometimes cause mental retardation a threshold of about 400 mGy is indicated (with mean 95% confidence intervals of 150 and 600 mGy). (author)

Smoke suppression properties of ferrite yellow on flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane based on ammonium polyphosphate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xilei; Jiang, Yufeng; Jiao, Chuanmei

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Smoke suppression of FeOOH on flame retardant TPU composites has been investigated. • FeOOH has excellent smoke suppression abilities for flame retardant TPU composites. • FeOOH has good ability of char formation, hence improved smoke suppression property. -- Abstract: This article mainly studies smoke suppression properties and synergistic flame retardant effect of ferrite yellow (FeOOH) on flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites using ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a flame retardant agent. Smoke suppression properties and synergistic flame retardant effect of FeOOH on flame retardant TPU composites were intensively investigated by smoke density test (SDT), cone calorimeter test (CCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Remarkably, the SDT results show that FeOOH can effectively decrease the amount of smoke production with or without flame. On the other hand, the CCT data reveal that the addition of FeOOH can apparently reduce heat release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke release (TSR), etc. Here, FeOOH is considered to be an effective smoke suppression agent and a good synergism with APP in flame retardant TPU composites, which can greatly improve the structure of char residue realized by TGA and SEM results

Do temporal and geographical patterns of HBCD and PBDE flame retardants in U.S. fish reflect evolving industrial usage?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Da; La Guardia, Mark J; Luellen, Drew R; Harvey, Ellen; Mainor, T Matteson; Hale, Robert C

2011-10-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) are common flame retardants in polymers and textiles. Recognition of the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic properties of PBDEs has prompted reductions in their use. In contrast, HBCD has received less scrutiny. The U.S has historically been a dominant BFR consumer. However, the few publications on HBCD in wildlife here suggest modest levels compared to Asian and European studies. In contrast, the HBCD concentrations we detected in U.S. fish are among the highest reported in the world. The temporal trends observed suggest that HBCD use may have risen, and that of Penta-BDE declined, following the 2004 termination of its U.S. manufacture. For example, Hyco River carp collected in 1999-2002 exhibited a mean ∑HBCD (sum of α-, β- and γ-HBCD) concentration of only 13 ng/g (lipid weight basis), but was 4640 ng/g in fish collected in 2006-2007. In contrast, the mean ∑PBDE level in these same fish decreased from 40,700 ng/g in 1999-2002 to 9140 ng/g in 2006-2007. Concentrations of HBCD and PBDEs in several Hyco River fish species exceeded those from rivers less influenced by manufacturing outfalls. Results support the contention that textile-related production, relative to its BFR market share, may release disproportionately large amounts of HBCD to the environment.

Three decades (1983-2010) of contaminant trends in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Part 2: brominated flame retardants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietz, Rune; Rigét, Frank F; Sonne, Christian; Born, Erik W; Bechshøft, Thea; McKinney, Melissa A; Drimmie, Robert J; Muir, Derek C G; Letcher, Robert J

2013-09-01

Brominated flame retardants were determined in adipose tissues from 294 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sampled in East Greenland in 23 of the 28years between 1983 and 2010. Significant linear increases were found for sum polybrominated diphenyl ether (ΣPBDE), BDE100, BDE153, and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). Average increases of 5.0% per year (range: 2.9-7.6%/year) were found for the subadult polar bears. BDE47 and BDE99 concentrations did not show a significant linear trend over time, but rather a significant non-linear trend peaking between 2000 and 2004. The average ΣPBDE concentrations increased 2.3 fold from 25.0ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 15.3-34.7ng/g lw) in 1983-1986 to 58.5ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 43.6-73.4ng/g lw) in 2006-2010. Similar but fewer statistically significant trends were found for adult females and adult males likely due to smaller sample size and years. Analyses of δ(15)N and δ(13)C stable isotopes in hair revealed no clear linear temporal trends in trophic level or carbon source, respectively, and non-linear trends differed among sex and age groups. These increasing concentrations of organobromine contaminants contribute to complex organohalogen mixture, already causing health effects to the East Greenland polar bears. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants in workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Xiao; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Meihuan; Zheng, Jing; Xu, Rongfa; Zhuang, Xi; Lin, Ying; Ren, Mingzhong

2018-06-01

Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants (PFRs) were determined in workers from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site and an incineration plant, in order to assess the PFR exposure risks of workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) were the most frequently detected chemicals (82-93%). The median concentrations of BCEP, BDCIPP, and DPHP were 1.77, 0.23, and 0.70 ng/mL, and 1.44, 0.22, and 0.11 ng/mL in samples from the e-waste site and the incineration plant, respectively. Dibutyl phosphate (DBP) was detected in all samples from the incineration plant, with a median level of 0.30 ng/mL. The concentrations of BDCIPP (r = -0.31, p waste site. Negative and significant correlations were also observed between the concentrations of BCEP (r = -0.42, p incineration plant. No gender differences were observed in levels of PFR metabolites in urine samples (p > 0.05). Concentrations of BDCIPP in female were significantly correlated with occupational exposure time (r = -0.507, p  0.05). Overall, the workers with occupational exposure to PFRs had different profiles of urinary PFR metabolites. The age, occupational exposure time, and gender seemed not to be main factors mediating the exposure to PFRs for workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Retardation of Uranium in the KURT Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baik, Min Hoon; Shin, Joo Do; Park, Tae Jin

2016-01-01

One of possibilities resolving this issue is to study the migration and retardation processes of radionuclides in the subsurface environments by using naturally occurring radionuclides as analogues of radioactive waste. To date, however, the long-term behavior of radionuclides in a granitic groundwater system is not yet fully understood. The ubiquitous presence of uranium (U) in rocks makes it an ideal natural analogue for studying the behaviors of radionuclides in a deep geological repository for the final disposal of HLW. In this study, long-term retardation behavior of natural uranium was investigated using granite rock samples taken from the KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel), located in Daejeon city. The distribution of uranium and its binding mechanism in granite samples were investigated using the sequential chemical extraction (SCE) technique combined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ICP-MS methods. In this study, the long-term retardation of uranium in the KURT environment was investigated using SCE and EPMA techniques combined with ICP-MS and XRD. Results showed that long-term interaction of rock with groundwater can change U species and mineralize dissolved U, which can consequently contribute to the retardation of U in the fractured granitic rock environment. This study will help us to understand the long-term behavior of radionuclides migrating through the fractured granite rock and then enhance the reliability of the safety assessment for a HLW repository

Workability enhancement of geopolymer concrete through the use of retarder

Science.gov (United States)

Umniati, B. Sri; Risdanareni, Puput; Zein, Fahmi Tarmizi Zulfikar

2017-09-01

Geopolymer concrete is a type of concrete manufactured without the addition of cement. In geopolymer concrete, along with an activator, cement as the concrete binder can be replaced by the fly ash. This will reduce global demand on cement, and therefore will reduce CO2 emission due to cement production. Thus, geopolymer concrete is commonly known as an eco-friendly concrete. Geopolymer concrete also offers a solution concerning with the utilization of the fly ash waste. However, despite of its environmental advantages, geopolymer concrete has a drawback, namelygeopolymer concrete set quickly, thus reducing its workability. This research aimed to increase the workability of geopolymer concrete by using retarder admixture (Plastocrete RT6 Plus). Retarder used varies within 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% of fly ash mass. As a control, geopolymer concrete without retarder (0%) were also made. Activator used in this research was Na2SiO3 mixed with NaOH 10 M solution, with ratio of 1:5. The results showed an optimum composition of geopolymer concrete with 0.6% retarder, where initial setting time occured after 6.75 hours, and the final setting time reached after 9.5 hours. Moreover, the slump of the geopolymer concrete was 8.8 cm, and the slump flow was 24 cm. The compressive strength of the geopolymer concrete at 28 days was 47.21 MPa. The experiment showed that the more retarder added, the setting time of the geopolymer concrete will be increased, thus increasing its workability.

Environmental analysis of higher brominated diphenyl ethers and decabromodiphenyl ethane.

Science.gov (United States)

Kierkegaard, Amelie; Sellström, Ulla; McLachlan, Michael S

2009-01-16

Methods for environmental analysis of higher brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in particular decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209), and the recently discovered environmental contaminant decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) are reviewed. The extensive literature on analysis of BDE209 has identified several critical issues, including contamination of the sample, degradation of the analyte during sample preparation and GC analysis, and the selection of appropriate detection methods and surrogate standards. The limited experience with the analysis of deBDethane suggests that there are many commonalities with BDE209. The experience garnered from the analysis of BDE209 over the last 15 years will greatly facilitate progress in the analysis of deBDethane.

Exciplex or electroplex emissions from the interface between aromatic diamine and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Haina; Xu, Zheng; Zhang, Fujun; Zhao, Suling; Song, Dandan

2008-06-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been fabricated which consist of N, N'-diphenyl- N, N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine) (TPD), 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP), and tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq 3). Four emission peaks located at about 401 nm, 425 nm, 452 nm and 480 nm have been obtained in the electroluminescence (EL) spectra of these devices. The former two emissions originate from the exciton emission of TPD molecular. The last two emissions could be attributed to local (LOC) exiplex emission and charge transfer (CT) exiplex emission at the interface between TPD and BCP layers, respectively.

A Case with Mental Retardation, Gynecomastia and Dysmorphic Features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozge Ozalp Yuregir

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The 17 years old boy was diagnosed as Borjeson Forsmann Lehmann Syndrome who was referred to our Genetic Diagnosis Center for his dysmorphic features, obesity, gynecomasty and mental retardation . There are so many diseases in differantial diagnosis of obesity and mental retardation that BFLS is a rare one of them. We aimed to discuss the findings of the patient clinically diagnosed as BFLS within the scope of literature. [Cukurova Med J 2012; 37(1.000: 60-63

Brominated flame retardants and endocrine disruption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, J.G.; Becher, G.; Berg, van den M.; Boer, de J.; Leonards, P.E.G.

2003-01-01

From an environmental point of view, an increasing important group of organohalogen compounds are the brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which are widely used in polymers and textiles and applied in construction materials, furniture, and electronic equipment. BFRs with the highest production volume

Brominated flame retardants and endocrine disruption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, Joseph G.; Becher, Georg; Van Den Berg, Martin; Leonards, Pim E G

2003-01-01

From an environmental point of view, an increasing important group of organo-halogen compounds are the brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which are widely used in polymers and textiles and applied in construction materials, furniture, and electronic equipment. BFRs with the highest production

Equally unequal: gender discrimination in the workplace among adults with mental retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Julius, Elona; Wolfson, Hagit; Yalon-Chamovitz, Shira

2003-01-01

Gender discrimination in the work place has been widely reported. Women are usually discriminated against both with respect to level of occupation and salary. The current study explored the correlation between gender and employment among adults with mental retardation, specifically, whether gender discrimination in the work place is as prominent among people with mental retardation as in the general population. Level of occupation and salary earned were studied in 227 adults with mild and moderate mental retardation residing in institutions, hostels, and sheltered homes in Israel. The findings suggest a correlation between gender and employment similar to that in the general population. Women were found to be employed mainly in sheltered workshops and lower levels of occupation, and to earn significantly less than the men. However, closer examination of each work place revealed that within each level of occupation there were no significant gender differences in salary. The finding suggests that while women with mental retardation earn lower salaries than men, this is mainly the result of their lower level of occupation. Rehabilitation efforts should therefore be directed toward ensuring higher levels of occupation as well as community employment among women with mental retardation.

Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): Changes in thyroid, vitamin A, glutathione homeostasis, and oxidative stress in American kestrels (Falco sparverius)

Science.gov (United States)

Fernie, K.J.; Shutt, J.L.; Mayne, G.; Hoffman, D.; Letcher, R.J.; Drouillard, K.G.; Ritchie, I.J.

2005-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of additive flame retardants, are temporally increasing in wildlife tissues and capable of disrupting normal endocrine function. We determined whether in ovo and post-hatch exposure of captive American kestrels (Falco sparverius) to environmentally relevant PBDEs alter thyroid, retinol, and oxidative stress measures. Control eggs were injected with safflower oil and subsequent nestlings fed the same vehicle; dosed eggs received PBDE congeners (BDE-47, -99, -100, -153), which mainly comprise the Penta-BDE commercial mixture, dissolved in safflower oil at concentrations (1500 ng/g total [Sigma] PBDEs) approximating those in Great Lakes gull eggs. Nestlings hatching from dosed eggs were orally exposed for 29 days to variable Sigma PBDE concentrations that are similar to levels reported in tissues of Great Lakes trout (100 ng/g). Treatment kestrels had lower plasma thyroxine (T-4), plasma retinol, and hepatic retinol and retinyl palmitate concentrations, but unaltered triiodothyronine (T-3) concentrations and thyroid glandular structure. BDE-47, -100, and -99 were negatively associated with plasma T-4, plasma retinol (BDE-100, -99) and hepatic retinol (BDE-47). Despite an antioxidant-rich diet, PBDE exposure induced hepatic oxidative stress, particularly in females, with an increased hepatic GSSG:GSH ratio, a marginal increase in lipid peroxidation, and increased oxidized glutathione. Positive associations were found between concentrations of BDE-183 and thiols and, in males, between BDE-99 and reduced GSH, but a negative association occurred between BDE-99 and TBARS. Subsequently, concentrations of PBDE congeners in wild birds may alter thyroid hormone and vitamin A concentrations, glutathione metabolism and oxidative stress.

Oxidation Reactivity Channels for 2-(Pyridin-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-acetamides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pailloux, Sylvie [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Binyamin, Iris [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Kim, Sung-jun [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Deck, Lorraine M. [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Rapko, Brian M. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Hay, Benjamin [ORNL; Duesler, Eileen N. [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Paine, Robert T. [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

2007-11-01

Synthetic routes to 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-N,N-diphenylacetamide and 2-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-acetamide are described along with results from the chemical oxidation of these compounds with peracetic acid, m-chloroperbenzoic acid, and OXONE. In each case, oxidations generate four products in varying amounts depending on the oxidant and reaction conditions. Each product has been characterized by spectroscopic methods and the molecular structures of several of the new compounds have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

Retardation effects on the dispersion and propagation of plasmons in metallic nanoparticle chains

Science.gov (United States)

Downing, Charles A.; Mariani, Eros; Weick, Guillaume

2018-01-01

We consider a chain of regularly-spaced spherical metallic nanoparticles, where each particle supports three degenerate localized surface plasmons. Due to the dipolar interaction between the nanoparticles, the localized plasmons couple to form extended collective modes. Using an open quantum system approach in which the collective plasmons are interacting with vacuum electromagnetic modes and which, importantly, readily incorporates retardation via the light-matter coupling, we analytically evaluate the resulting radiative frequency shifts of the plasmonic bandstructure. For subwavelength-sized nanoparticles, our analytical treatment provides an excellent quantitative agreement with the results stemming from laborious numerical calculations based on fully-retarded solutions to Maxwell’s equations. Indeed, the explicit expressions for the plasmonic spectrum which we provide showcase how including retardation gives rise to a logarithmic singularity in the bandstructure of transverse-polarized plasmons. We further study the impact of retardation effects on the propagation of plasmonic excitations along the chain. While for the longitudinal modes, retardation has a negligible effect, we find that the retarded dipolar interaction can significantly modify the plasmon propagation in the case of transverse-polarized modes. Moreover, our results elucidate the analogy between radiative effects in nanoplasmonic systems and the cooperative Lamb shift in atomic physics.

Using Fluorescence XANES Measurement to Correct the Content of Hexavalent Chromium in Chromate Conversion Coatings Determined by Diphenyl Carbazide Color Test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Junichi; Ofuchi, Hironori; Taniguchi, Yosuke; Honma, Tetsuo; Sekikawa, Toshikazu; Otani, Haruka; Bando, Akio

2007-01-01

The Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive will take effect on July 1 of this year. From that date, the use of chromate conversion coatings containing hexavalent chromium will not be permitted. By comparing the concentration of Cr6+ determined by the diphenyl carbazide color test and by fluorescence XANES (X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) measurement, we can correct for the Cr6+ content of the color test. This will enable the use of the diphenyl carbazide color test to check product shipments in compliance with the RoHS directive

Comparative Studies on Thermal, Mechanical, and Flame Retardant Properties of PBT Nanocomposites via Different Oxidation State Phosphorus-Containing Agents Modified Amino-CNTs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, San-E; Wang, Li-Li; Chen, Hao; Yang, Wei; Yuen, Anthony Chun-Yin; Chen, Timothy Bo-Yuan; Luo, Cheng; Bi, Wen-Mei; Hu, En-Zhu; Zhang, Jian; Si, Jing-Yu; Lu, Hong-Dian; Hu, Kun-Hong; Chan, Qing Nian; Yeoh, Guan Heng

2018-01-26

High-performance poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (PBT) nanocomposites have been developed via the consideration of phosphorus-containing agents and amino-carbon nanotube (A-CNT). One-pot functionalization method has been adopted to prepare functionalized CNTs via the reaction between A-CNT and different oxidation state phosphorus-containing agents, including chlorodiphenylphosphine (DPP-Cl), diphenylphosphinic chloride (DPP(O)-Cl), and diphenyl phosphoryl chloride (DPP(O₃)-Cl). These functionalized CNTs, DPP(O x )-A-CNTs ( x = 0, 1, 3), were, respectively, mixed with PBT to obtain the CNT-based polymer nanocomposites through a melt blending method. Scanning electron microscope observations demonstrated that DPP(O x )-A-CNT nanoadditives were homogeneously distributed within PBT matrix compared to A-CNT. The incorporation of DPP(O x )-A-CNT improved the thermal stability of PBT. Moreover, PBT/DPP(O₃)-A-CNT showed the highest crystallization temperature and tensile strength, due to the superior dispersion and interfacial interactions between DPP(O₃)-A-CNT and PBT. PBT/DPP(O)-A-CNT exhibited the best flame retardancy resulting from the excellent carbonization effect. The radicals generated from decomposed polymer were effectively trapped by DPP(O)-A-CNT, leading to the reduction of heat release rate, smoke production rate, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide release during cone calorimeter tests.

Cadmium zinc telluride as a mid-infrared variable retarder

Science.gov (United States)

FitzGerald, William; Taherion, Saeid; Kumar, F. Joseph; Giles, David; Hore, Dennis

2018-04-01

The electro-optic behavior of cadmium zinc telluride is examined in the mid-infrared region between 3 and 11 μm, for applied DC field strengths of up to 106 V/m. The measurements performed here include full characterization of the polarization state of the transmitted light by means of the Stokes vector. We demonstrate the suitability of this material for DC variable retarder applications such as those achieved by quarter- or half-wave retardation. A comparison of two different metallic coatings for electrodes, gold and indium, reveals important differences in performance that are attributed to the homogeneity of the field through the bulk of the crystal. We illustrate that, in the case of both metals, the same electro-optic coefficients are measured, but regions of higher and lower retardation result in significant depolarization in the case of gold. Such depolarization may adversely affect the contrast ratio in a light valve, or increase the voltage necessary for the operation of an arbitrary polarization state generator.

Autosomal recessive intestinal lymphangiectasia and lymphedema, with facial anomalies and mental retardation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hennekam, R. C.; Geerdink, R. A.; Hamel, B. C.; Hennekam, F. A.; Kraus, P.; Rammeloo, J. A.; Tillemans, A. A.

1989-01-01

We report on two male and two female relatives with intestinal lymphangiectasia; severe lymphedema of limbs, genitalia, and face; facial anomalies; seizures; mild growth retardation; and moderate mental retardation. Main facial anomalies are a flat face, flat nasal bridge, hypertelorism, small

Determination and prediction of octanol-air partition coefficients of hydroxylated and methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hongxia; Xie, Qing; Tan, Feng; Chen, Jingwen; Quan, Xie; Qu, Baocheng; Zhang, Xin; Li, Xiaona

2010-07-01

The octanol-air partition coefficient (K(OA)) of 19 hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) and 10 methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) were measured as a function of temperature using a gas chromatographic retention time technique. At room temperature (298.15K), log K(OA) ranged from 8.30 for monobrominated OH/MeO-PBDEs to 13.29 for hexabrominated OH/MeO-PBDEs. The internal energies of phase change from octanol to air (Delta(OA)U) for 29 OH/MeO-PBDE congeners ranged from 72 to 126 kJ mol(-1). Using partial least-squares (PLS) analysis, a statistically quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) model for logK(OA) of OH/MeO-PBDE congeners was developed based on the 16 fundamental quantum chemical descriptors computed by PM3 Hamiltonian, for which the Q(cum)(2) was about 0.937. The molecular weight (Mw) and energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E(LUMO)) were found to be main factors governing the log K(OA). 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aluminum hypophosphite microencapsulated to improve its safety and application to flame retardant polyamide 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ge, Hua; Tang, Gang; Hu, Wei-Zhao; Wang, Bi-Bo; Pan, Ying; Song, Lei; Hu, Yuan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • MCAHP was prepared and applied in polyamide 6. • MCA as the capsule material can improve the fire safety of AHP. • Flame retardant polyamide 6 composites with MCAHP show good flame retardancy. - Abstract: Aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) is an effective phosphorus-containing flame retardant. But AHP also has fire risk that it will decompose and release phosphine which is spontaneously flammable in air and even can form explosive mixtures with air in extreme cases. In this paper, AHP has been microencapsulated by melamine cyanurate (MCA) to prepare microencapsulated aluminum hypophosphite (MCAHP) with the aim of enhancing the fire safety in the procedure of production, storage and use. Meanwhile, MCA was a nitrogen-containing flame retardant that can work with AHP via the nitrogen-phosphorus synergistic effect to show improved flame-retardant property than other capsule materials. After microencapsulation, MCA presented as a protection layer inhibit the degradation of AHP and postpone the generation of phosphine. Furthermore, the phosphine concentration could be effectively diluted by inert decomposition products of MCA. These nonflammable decomposition products of MCA could separate phosphine from air delay the oxidizing reaction with oxygen and decrease the heat release rate, which imply that the fire safety of AHP has been improved. Furthermore, MCAHP was added into polyamide 6 to prepare flame retardant polyamide 6 composites (FR-PA6) which show good flame retardancy

Aluminum hypophosphite microencapsulated to improve its safety and application to flame retardant polyamide 6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ge, Hua [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Tang, Gang [School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, 59 Hudong Road, Ma’anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Hu, Wei-Zhao; Wang, Bi-Bo; Pan, Ying [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Song, Lei, E-mail: leisong@ustc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Hu, Yuan, E-mail: yuanhu@ustc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Suzhou Key Laboratory of Urban Public Safety, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, 166 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China)

2015-08-30

Highlights: • MCAHP was prepared and applied in polyamide 6. • MCA as the capsule material can improve the fire safety of AHP. • Flame retardant polyamide 6 composites with MCAHP show good flame retardancy. - Abstract: Aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) is an effective phosphorus-containing flame retardant. But AHP also has fire risk that it will decompose and release phosphine which is spontaneously flammable in air and even can form explosive mixtures with air in extreme cases. In this paper, AHP has been microencapsulated by melamine cyanurate (MCA) to prepare microencapsulated aluminum hypophosphite (MCAHP) with the aim of enhancing the fire safety in the procedure of production, storage and use. Meanwhile, MCA was a nitrogen-containing flame retardant that can work with AHP via the nitrogen-phosphorus synergistic effect to show improved flame-retardant property than other capsule materials. After microencapsulation, MCA presented as a protection layer inhibit the degradation of AHP and postpone the generation of phosphine. Furthermore, the phosphine concentration could be effectively diluted by inert decomposition products of MCA. These nonflammable decomposition products of MCA could separate phosphine from air delay the oxidizing reaction with oxygen and decrease the heat release rate, which imply that the fire safety of AHP has been improved. Furthermore, MCAHP was added into polyamide 6 to prepare flame retardant polyamide 6 composites (FR-PA6) which show good flame retardancy.

Development of new radiation resistant, fire-retardant cables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagiwara, Ko; Morita, Yosuke; Udagawa, Takashi; Fujimura, Shun-ichi; Oda, Eisuke.

1982-01-01

For the cables for nuclear facilities, radiation resistance and fire-retardation are severely required. The authors took note of the fact that even in the existing cables for nuclear power plants, their mechanical properties are greatly degraded by the exposure to large dose (for example, 200 Mrad in PWR testing conditions), and attempted the improvement. They employed a new additive, bromated acenaphthylene condensate (con-BACN), which effectively gives radiation resistance and also is a good flame retarder, to be compounded to an insulation material, and examined the characteristics. In this paper, the features of con-BACN and the investigation of fire-retardant EPDM composition are described. As an initial composition, a small amount of zinc white, sulphur, stearic acid, noclac 224 (Ouchi-Shinko Chemicals, Co.), and antimony trioxide, 100 parts of tale and 45 parts of con-BACN were added to 100 parts of EPDM (propylene content 34 %, Japan Synthetic Rubber Co.). As the antiaging agent, it was decided to use phenol series No. 3 as a result of test. The fire-retardant EP rubber-composed cable was produced for trial, its insulation being fabricated, using a Furukawa's pressurized salt bath continuous vulcanizer. The tests of γ-irradiation, simulated LOCA and combustion were carried out, and the test results are reported. It was indicated that the cable resisted against high dose several times as much as 200 Mrad, and was suitable for the applications, in which the mechanical properties such as bending are required to be maintained after radiation exposure. It was also found that con-BACN was safe, and its properties of decomposition, concentration and acute toxicity were all very low. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Methods for determining radionuclide retardation factors: status report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Relyea, J.F.; Serne, R.J.; Rai, D.

1980-04-01

This report identifies a number of mechanisms that retard radionuclide migration, and describes the static and dynamic methods that are used to study such retardation phenomena. Both static and dynamic methods are needed for reliable safety assessments of underground nuclear-waste repositories. This report also evaluates the extent to which the two methods may be used to diagnose radionuclide migration through various types of geologic media, among them unconsolidated, crushed, intact, and fractured rocks. Adsorption is one mechanism that can control radionuclide concentrations in solution and therefore impede radionuclide migration. Other mechanisms that control a solution's radionuclide concentration and radionuclide migration are precipitation of hydroxides and oxides, oxidation-reduction reactions, and the formation of minerals that might include the radionuclide as a structural element. The retardation mechanisms mentioned above are controlled by such factors as surface area, cation exchange capacity, solution pH, chemical composition of the rock and of the solution, oxidation-reduction potential, and radionuclide concentration. Rocks and ground waters used in determining retardation factors should represent the expected equilibrium conditions in the geologic system under investigation. Static test methods can be used to rapidly screen the effects of the factors mentioned above. Dynamic (or column) testing, is needed to assess the effects of hydrodynamics and the interaction of hydrodynamics with the other important parameters. This paper proposes both a standard method for conducting batch Kd determinations, and a standard format for organizing and reporting data. Dynamic testing methods are not presently developed to the point that a standard methodology can be proposed. Normal procedures are outlined for column experimentation and the data that are needed to analyze a column experiment are identified

EVALUASI RENCANA KINERJA KOLAM RETENSI (RETARDING BASIN DALAM UPAYA PENGENDALIAN BANJIR TUKAD MATI DI KOTA DENPASAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I G. Suryadinata P

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Tukad Mati is one of the rivers in the province of Bali that unfolds and flows in Badung regency and Denpasar. Inundation due to flooding is a problem that often occurs in this region during the rainy season. In an effort to overcome problems of flooding have been many studies carried out so as to produce flood control alternatives such as normalization, diversion channels and retarding basins. Retarding basin is one of flood control alternative that has not been much studied. In this study conducted a simulation of flood prevention alternative with retarding basin at Tukad Mati, by the hydrology approach method and hydraulics using HEC-RAS 4.0 program applications. Simulations performed on the current river flow conditions (existing condition and to the existing conditions with the retarding basin, according to the detail design of retarding basin in the city of Denpasar and evaluate the effectiveness of the retarding basin in the river basin flood control of Tukad Mati. Flood control by retarding basin based on simulations with the 2 (two years flood return period, resulting in a reduction of water level by an average of 0.42 meters or an average of 12% of the maximum water level in the conditions without retarding basin, which occurred in along the grooves on the lower reaches of the retarding basin and inundation waters still occur in some places, particularly in the downstream of Umadui Dam. Economic analysis of both the analysis of Benefits/Cost produces a parameter of BCR, NPV and IRR are not meet the feasibility requirements. The effective retention of retarding basin based on simulation results are 282,630.00 m3 with the ability to flood accommodate for 3-4 hours. In terms of economic development retarding basin is not feasible in terms of comparative costs and benefits

EVALUASI RENCANA KINERJA KOLAM RETENSI (RETARDING BASIN DALAM UPAYA PENGENDALIAN BANJIR TUKAD MATI DI KOTA DENPASAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I G. Suryadinata P

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Tukad Mati is one of the rivers in the province of Bali that unfolds and flows in Badung regency and Denpasar. Inundation due to flooding is a problem that often occurs in this region during the rainy season. In an effort to overcome problems of flooding have been many studies carried out so as to produce flood control alternatives such as normalization, diversion channels and retarding basins. Retarding basin is one of flood control alternative that has not been much studied. In this study conducted a simulation of flood prevention alternative with retarding basin at Tukad Mati, by the hydrology approach method and hydraulics using HEC-RAS 4.0 program applications. Simulations performed on the current river flow conditions (existing condition and to the existing conditions with the retarding basin, according to the detail design of retarding basin in the city of Denpasar and evaluate the effectiveness of the retarding basin in the river basin flood control of Tukad Mati. Flood control by retarding basin based on simulations with the 2 (two years flood return period, resulting in a reduction of water level by an average of 0.42 meters or an average of 12% of the maximum water level in the conditions without retarding basin, which occurred in along the grooves on the lower reaches of the retarding basin and inundation waters still occur in some places, particularly in the downstream of Umadui Dam. Economic analysis of both the analysis of Benefits/Cost produces a parameter of BCR, NPV and IRR are not meet the feasibility requirements. The effective retention of retarding basin based on simulation results are 282,630.00 m3 with the ability to flood accommodate for 3-4 hours. In terms of economic development retarding basin is not feasible in terms of comparative costs and benefits

Role of microRNA Pathway in Mental Retardation

Science.gov (United States)

Qurashi, Abrar; Chang, Shuang; Jin, Peng

2007-01-01

Deficits in cognitive functions lead to mental retardation (MR). Understanding the genetic basis of inherited MR has provided insights into the pathogenesis of MR. Fragile X syndrome is one of the most common forms of inherited MR, caused by the loss of functional Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, single-stranded RNAs between 18 and 25 nucleotides in length, which have been implicated in diversified biological pathways. Recent studies have linked the miRNA pathway to fragile X syndrome. Here we review the role of the miRNA pathway in fragile X syndrome and discuss its implication in MR in general. PMID:17982588

Absorption and translocation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by plants from contaminated sewage sludge

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vrkoslavová, J.; Demnerová, K.; Macková, M.; Zemanová, T.; Macek, Tomáš; Hajšlová, J.; Pulkrabová, J.; Hrádková, P.; Stiborová, H.

2010-01-01

Roč. 81, č. 3 (2010), s. 381-386 ISSN 0045-6535 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06151 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GP104/08/P188 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : polybrominated diphenyl ethers * contaminated sewage sludge * plant uptake * bioconcentration factors * Nicotiana tabacum Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 3.155, year: 2010

Flame retardation of cellulose-rich fabrics via a simplified layer-by-layer assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun-Chi; Liao, Wang; Deng, Shi-Bi; Cao, Zhi-Jie; Wang, Yu-Zhong

2016-10-20

Due to the high cellulose content of cotton (88.0-96.5%), the flame retardation of cotton fabrics can be achieved via an approach for the flame retardation of cellulose. In this work, a facile water-based flame retardant coating was deposited on cotton fabrics by a 'simplified' layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. The novel coating solution was based on a mild reaction between ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI), and the reaction mechanism was studied. TGA results showed that the char residues of coated fabrics were remarkably increased. The fabric with only 5wt% coating showed self-extinguishing in the horizontal flame test, and the peak heat release rate (pHRR) in cone calorimeter test decreased by 51%. Furthermore, this coating overcame a general drawback of flame-retardant LbL assembly which was easily washed away. Therefore, the simplified LbL method provides a fast, low-cost, eco-friendly and wash-durable flame-retardant finishing for the cellulose-rich cotton fabrics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Osteochondromas and growth retardation secondary to externally or internally administered radiation in childhood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marcovici, Peter A. [UCSD Medical Center, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Berdon, Walter E. [Morgan Stanley Children' s Hospital of New York, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Liebling, Melissa S. [Hackensack University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Hackensack, NJ (United States)

2007-03-15

For over five decades, osteochondromas (exostoses) and associated growth retardation have been known to be caused by radiation damage to the growing skeleton.Patients can be divided into three exposure groups. Group I received external beam radiation therapy primarily for the treatment of childhood cancers (typical dose 3,500 cGy), and 6-20% developed osteochondromas and growth retardation within the radiation portal. Group II consists of recently described patients who received total body irradiation in preparation for bone marrow transplant (typical dose: 800-1,200 cGy), and about 20% developed osteochondromas and growth retardation. Group III consists of 206 German children who in the 1940s and early 1950s received intravenous radioactive Peteosthor (Ra-224) to treat bone tuberculosis (estimated typical dose: 1,000-2,000 cGy), and 14% developed osteochondromas and growth retardation, among other benign and malignant sequelae. Combining these three exposure groups, osteochondromas and growth retardation develop in at least 6-20% of children who receive therapeutic radiation to their growing skeletons. (orig.)

Preparation and photoelectronic and electrochemical properties of oligo [(1,1-diisopropyl-3,4-diphenyl-2,5-silolene)-co-(alkylphenylsilylene)]s

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Young Min; Park, Young Tae [Dept. of Chemistry, Keimyung University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Baek, Seong Ho [Div. of Green Energy Research, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

We oligomerized 2,5-dibromo-1,1-diisopropyl-3,4-diphenyl-2,5-silole with dichloroalkylphenylsilanes utilizing n-BuLi to yield conjugated oligo [(1,1-diisopropyl-3,4-diphenyl-2,5-silolene)-co-(alkylphenylsilylene)]s. Gel permeation chromatography measurements confirm that the synthesized materials are oligomeric. In addition, the prepared oligomers show characteristic diene stretching bands at 1579–1599 cm{sup −1} in their FT-IR spectra. Furthermore, the oligomers are highly soluble in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran and chloroform. In tetrahydrofuran, the oligomers show strong maximum electronic absorption bands at 253–292 nm with molar absorptivities of 1.61 × 10{sup 2} to 2.57 × 10{sup 4} /cm M in their UV–vis electronic absorption spectra, indicating that the maxima are red-shifted by 5–8 nm compared to the 2,5-dibromo-1,1-diisopropyl-3,4-diphenyl-2,5-silole monomer, strong maximum electronic excitation bands at 292–312 nm, and strong maxima electronic emission bands at 385–396 nm in the emission fluorescence spectra. The emission and absorption spectra strongly suggest that the prepared silole-containing oligomers may be conjugated through the oligomer backbone. In particular, cyclic voltammetry measurements of oligo[(1,1-diisopropyl-3,4-diphenyl-2,5-silolene)-co-(diphenylsilylene)] deposited on a glassy carbon electrode in 1.0 M aqueous hydrogen chloride show two oxidation potentials at 0.98 and 1.61 V vs. Ag/Ag{sup +}, and two reduction potentials at 0.00 and −1.93 V vs. Ag/Ag{sup +}. The oligomers were stable on heating to 200 °C under nitrogen, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis, losing between 4% and 23% of their starting weights.

Obstetric interventions and perinatal asphyxia in growth retarded term infants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langhoff-Roos, J; Lindmark, G

1997-01-01

BACKGROUND: The monitoring of fetal growth during pregnancy is usually justified because of the increased perinatal risk of these babies. METHODS: In 1552 infants from the Scandinavian Small for Gestational Age Study the need for obstetric interventions, risk of fetal asphyxia and immediate...... neonatal outcome at term have been studied in relation to different types of fetal growth retardation, including sub-groups with low ponderal index or low amount of subcutaneous fat. RESULTS: The need for obstetric intervention indicated by suspected fetal asphyxia before or during labor was increased 3......-fold (6-8%) for growth retarded infants both in SGA infants in general and infants with asymmetric body proportions. The immediate perinatal outcome, however, was favorable with Apgar below 8 at 5 min in only 2% irrespective of the type of growth retardation, in spite of the fact that less than 25...

Exploring the Modes of Action of Phosphorus-Based Flame Retardants in Polymeric Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Rabe

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Phosphorus-based flame retardants were incorporated into different, easily preparable matrices, such as polymeric thermoset resins and paraffin as a proposed model for polyolefins and investigated for their flame retardancy performance. The favored mode of action of each flame retardant was identified in each respective system and at each respective concentration. Thermogravimetric analysis was used in combination with infrared spectroscopy of the evolved gas to determine the pyrolysis behavior, residue formation and the release of phosphorus species. Forced flaming tests in the cone calorimeter provided insight into burning behavior and macroscopic residue effects. The results were put into relation to the phosphorus content to reveal correlations between phosphorus concentration in the gas phase and flame inhibition performance, as well as phosphorus concentration in the residue and condensed phase activity. Total heat evolved (fire load and peak heat release rate were calculated based on changes in the effective heat of combustion and residue, and then compared with the measured values to address the modes of action of the flame retardants quantitatively. The quantification of flame inhibition, charring, and the protective layer effect measure the non-linear flame retardancy effects as functions of the phosphorus concentration. Overall, this screening approach using easily preparable polymer systems provides great insight into the effect of phosphorus in different flame retarded polymers, with regard to polymer structure, phosphorus concentration, and phosphorus species.

Reduction of Diphenyl Diselenide and Analogs by Mammalian Thioredoxin Reductase Is Independent of Their Gluthathione Peroxidase-Like Activity: A Possible Novel Pathway for Their Antioxidant Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Batista Teixeira Rocha

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Since the successful use of the organoselenium drug ebselen in clinical trials for the treatment of neuropathological conditions associated with oxidative stress, there have been concerted efforts geared towards understanding the precise mechanism of action of ebselen and other organoselenium compounds, especially the diorganyl diselenides such as diphenyl diselenide, and its analogs. Although the mechanism of action of ebselen and other organoselenium compounds has been shown to be related to their ability to generally mimic native glutathione peroxidase (GPx, only ebselen however has been shown to serve as a substrate for the mammalian thioredoxin reductase (TrxR, demonstrating another component of its pharmacological mechanisms. In fact, there is a dearth of information on the ability of other organoselenium compounds, especially diphenyl diselenide and its analogs, to serve as substrates for the mammalian enzyme thioredoxin reductase. Interestingly, diphenyl diselenide shares several antioxidant and neuroprotective properties with ebselen. Hence in the present study, we tested the hypothesis that diphenyl diselenide and some of its analogs (4,4’-bistrifluoromethyldiphenyl diselenide, 4,4’-bismethoxy-diphenyl diselenide, 4.4’-biscarboxydiphenyl diselenide, 4,4’-bischlorodiphenyl diselenide, 2,4,6,2’,4’,6’-hexamethyldiphenyl diselenide could also be substrates for rat hepatic TrxR. Here we show for the first time that diselenides are good substrates for mammalian TrxR, but not necessarily good mimetics of GPx, and vice versa. For instance, bis-methoxydiphenyl diselenide had no GPx activity, whereas it was a good substrate for reduction by TrxR. Our experimental observations indicate a possible dissociation between the two pathways for peroxide degradation (either via substrate for TrxR or as a mimic of GPx. Consequently, the antioxidant activity of diphenyl diselenide and analogs can be attributed to their capacity to be

Influence of Flame Retardants on the Melt Dripping Behaviour of Thermoplastic Polymers

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Melissa Matzen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Melt flow and dripping of the pyrolysing polymer melt can be both a benefit and a detriment during a fire. In several small-scale fire tests addressing the ignition of a defined specimen with a small ignition source, well-adjusted melt flow and dripping are usually beneficial to pass the test. The presence of flame retardants often changes the melt viscosity crucially. The influence of certain flame retardants on the dripping behaviour of four commercial polymers, poly(butylene terephthalate (PBT, polypropylene (PP, polypropylene modified with ethylene-propylene rubber (PP-EP and polyamide 6 (PA 6, is analysed based on an experimental monitoring of the mass loss due to melt dripping, drop size and drop temperature as a function of the furnace temperature applied to a rod-shaped specimen. Investigating the thermal transition (DSC, thermal and thermo-oxidative decomposition, as well as the viscosity of the polymer and collected drops completes the investigation. Different mechanisms of the flame retardants are associated with their influence on the dripping behaviour in the UL 94 test. Reduction in decomposition temperature and changed viscosity play a major role. A flow limit in flame-retarded PBT, enhanced decomposition of flame-retarded PP and PP-EP and the promotion of dripping in PA 6 are the salient features discussed.

Determining trace element in hair of children with mental retardation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhilan; Gu Bomei; Jia Meixiang

1992-01-01

Seven trace elements in the hair come from 29 mental retardation children and 29 normal children have been analysed by INAA and XRF. There are significant differences for Fe and Sc between the two groups. The average value of Pb in the hair of the mental retardation children is higher than that of the normal children. Although Zn is very important for children growing, there is no significant difference between two children groups

Classical many-body theory with retarded interactions: Dynamical irreversibility and determinism without probabilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakharov, A.Yu., E-mail: Anatoly.Zakharov@novsu.ru; Zakharov, M.A., E-mail: ma_zakharov@list.ru

2016-01-28

The exact equations of motion for microscopic density of classical many-body system with account of inter-particle retarded interactions is derived. It is shown that interactions retardation leads to irreversible behavior of many-body systems. - Highlights: • A new form of equation of motion of classical many-body system is proposed. • Interactions retardation as one of the mechanisms of many-body system irreversibility. • Irreversibility and determinism without probabilities. • The possible way to microscopic foundation of thermodynamics.

SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF NOVOLAC-BASED CHAR FORMER WITH A PHOSPHORUS/NITROGEN-CONTAINING FLAME RETARDANT IN POLYAMIDE 6

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wei-cheng Xiong; Li Chen; De-yi Wang; Fei Song; Yu-zhong Wang

2012-01-01

The synergistic effect of phosphorus oxynitride (PON) with a novolac-based char former modified by salification (NA-metal salt) on the flame retardance of polyamide 6 (PA6) was investigated.For this purpose,various flame-retardant PA6 systems were melt-compounded with PON,PON/NA,PON/NA-V2O5 and PON/NA-Fe2O3,and their flame retardance was evaluated by measuring the limiting oxygen index (LOI) values and UL-94 vertical burning ratings.The results showed that,compared with the PA6/PON/NA system,the combination of two char formers (NA-V2O5,NA-Fe2O3) with PON could obviously improve the char formation and flame retardance of PA6.The flame retardance and cone calorimetric analyses showed the stronger synergism as well as the better flame retardant performance of PON/NA-Fe2O3 flame retardant system.The effects of different char formers on the flame retardance and thermal stability of this system were also discussed.

Understanding the interactions of phosphonate-based flame-retarding additives with graphitic anode for lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Jinkui; Ma, Peng; Yang, Hanxi; Lu, Li

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Diethyl ethylphosphonate (DEEP) and dimethyl methylphosphonate are tested as flame retardants for lithium ion batteries. •The DMMP shows a destructive reaction with graphitic anode while DEEP shows a self-reduction mechanism. •DEEP is reported for the first time as flame-retardant additive for lithium ion batteries and demonstrates a much better compatibility with graphitic anode. -- Abstract: The compatibility with graphitic anode has been one key problem in developing flame-retarding additives for lithium ion batteries. To understand the interactions between flame-retarding additives and graphitic anode, two phosphonate esters (dimethyl methylphosphonate DMMP and diethyl ethylphosphonate DEEP) are selected and characterized as flame retardant addtives. DEEP is reported as a flame-retarding additive for the first time. Their interactions with graphite anode are characterized via current-static charge–discharge, ex-situ XRD, FE-SEM and AC impedance. The results reveal that the two phosphonate esters demonstrate different reaction mechanisms with graphitic anode, which result in different anode compatibility. These findings may be useful for designing better flame-retarding additives for lithium ion batteries

Contamination of U.S. butter with polybrominated diphenyl ethers from wrapping paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Schecter, Arnold; Smith, Sarah; Colacino, Justin; Malik, Noor; Opel, Matthias; Paepke, Olaf; Birnbaum, Linda

2011-02-01

Our aim was to report the first known incidence of U.S. butter contamination with extremely high levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Ten butter samples were individually analyzed for PBDEs. One of the samples and its paper wrapper contained very high levels of higher-brominated PBDEs. Dietary estimates were calculated using the 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture Loss-Adjusted Food Availability data, excluding the elevated sample. The highly contaminated butter sample had a total upper bound PBDE level of 42,252 pg/g wet weight (ww). Levels of brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-206, -207, and -209 were 2,000, 2,290, and 37,600 pg/g ww, respectively. Its wrapping paper contained a total upper-bound PBDE concentration of 804,751 pg/g ww, with levels of BDE-206, -207, and -209 of 51,000, 11,700, and 614,000 pg/g, respectively. Total PBDE levels in the remaining nine butter samples ranged from 180 to 1,212 pg/g, with geometric mean of 483 and median of 284 pg/g. Excluding the outlier, total PBDE daily intake from all food was 22,764 pg/day, lower than some previous U.S. dietary intake estimates. Higher-brominated PBDE congeners were likely transferred from contaminated wrapping paper to butter. A larger representative survey may help determine how frequently PBDE contamination occurs. Sampling at various stages in food production may identify contamination sources and reduce risk.

The extraction of trace amounts of gold from different aqueous mineral acid solutions by diphenyl-2-pyridylmethane dissolved in chloroform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, M.; Ejaz, M.; Chaudhri, S.A.; Zamiruddin

1978-01-01

Diphenyl-2-pyridylmethane, a high-molecular-weight substituted pyridine has been examined. Its behaviour is similar to that of amines in that it forms salts with mineral acids. The acid ionization constant (pKsub(BHsup(+)) is 4.4+-0.06 at 25 deg C. A study of the partition behaviour of trace amounts of gold between mineral acid solutions and 0.1 M diphenyl-2-pyridylmethane dissolved in chloroform indicates that the metal can be quantitatively extracted from dilute mineral acid solutions and also from concentrated hydrochloric acid media in a single extraction. Common anions have little effect on extraction in concentrations up to 1 M. Separation factors of a number of metal ions relative to gold are reported for three mineral acid systems. Gold has been estimated in some synthetic samples using a neutron-activation technique by prior extraction with 0.1 M solution of diphenyl-2-pyridylmethane dissolved in chloroform. Distribution of the test elements between aqueous and organic phase was followed radiometrically. The solutions (usually 1 cm 3 ) were shaken in stoppered vials for 5 minutes using a mechanical shaker. After separation of the layers, 500 μl of each phase were taken for radiochemical analysis. The standard deviation did not exceed 1%. (T.G.)

Analysis of trace elements in scalp hair of mentally retarded children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Man, C.K.; Zheng, Y.H.

2002-01-01

Hair samples of mildly mentally retarded (LR), moderately mentally retarded (MR), severely mentally retarded (SR) and normal children were collected and measured, using neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence to determine the concentrations of Al, Sb, As, Ca, Cu, I, Fe Pb, Mg, Mn, Hg, K, Sr, S, V and Zn. The groups of children were of ages between 5 and 13. Difference in the mean concentration of each element between groups was tested by Student's t-test. No trend, either decreasing or increasing, has been established as the degree of severity increased from normal to SR children, except for the case of Cu. The present work may shed some light in the interpretation of findings on the effects of trace elements on neurobehavioral functions. (author)

Electrodisintegration of the deuteron near threshold with allowance for meson exchange currents. Retardation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burov, V.V.; Sus'kov, S.Eh.

1992-01-01

The electrodisintegration of the deuteron near threshold with allowance for retardation effects in meson exchange currents (MEC) has been investigated depending on vertex form factors and cut-off parameters. It is shown that the retardation effects should be taken into account in MEC at large transfer momenta (t>12 fm -2 ). It is found for the differential cross section that the contribution of MEC is strongly dependent on the vertex form factors and cut-off parameters. The role of p-meson contribution in MEC with allowance for retardation effects has been investigated. It is shown that the inclusion of retardation effects leads to the decrease of the p-meson influence at large transfer momenta. The radial dependence of the matrix elements with allowance for retardation effects has been studied. It was shown that the inclusion of meson exchange currents is essentially important in the range of r=1-1.5 fm when t -2 . 34 refs.; 12 figs

Malnutrition as a cause of mental retardation: A population-based study from Sub-Himalayan India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil Kumar Raina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Mental retardation is one of the most common disabilities of childhood. The research on childhood malnutrition and its relationship with cognitive functioning suggests that malnutrition alone does not cause mental retardation. Objective: To identify the relation between malnutrition and cognition among children from a Sub-Himalayan state in North India. Materials and Methods: A two-phase cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural, urban, and slum area of district Kangra. A 30-cluster sampling technique was used to screen a population of children 1–10 years of age from five randomly selected panchayats (village government units of district Kangra. The screening was based on a modified version of the ten questions screen, adapted to the local population. In the first phase, a door-to-door survey was done to identify suspects of mental retardation. In the second phase, the children found positive in the first phase were called for clinical examination to confirm mental retardation. Anthropometric assessment of all study children was done by measuring weight and height. The nutritional assessment was done by categorizing them according to Waterlow classification for malnutrition. Results: Out of the total 5300 children, 1.7% were diagnosed as mentally retarded. No positive association was reported with different types of malnutrition and mental retardation. A weakly positive association existed between nutritional status and mental retardation (correlation coefficient-0.04. Children who were both wasted and stunted had the highest risk (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval - 5.57, 2.29–10.36 of mental retardation as compared to normal. Conclusion: Malnutrition may be one of the causes but certainly not the only cause of mental retardation. Other causes may be contributing more significantly toward it.

Trial manufacture of flame retardant and radiation resistant cables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oshima, Yunosuke; Hagiwara, Miyuki (Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma. Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment); Oda, Eisuke

1983-04-01

High radiation resistance as well as incombustibility is required for the wires and cables used for nuclear facilities such as nuclear power stations. In order to give such performance to general purpose insulation materials such as ethylene-propylene copolymerized rubber, acenaphthylene bromide condensation product was developed anew. Moreover, by the use of this agent, the new flame retardant and radiation resistant cables were manufactured for trial, which are not different from ordinary plastic rubber cables in the handling such as flexibility, and withstand the radiation nearly up to 1000 Mrad. The requirement for the agent giving flame retardant and radiation resistant properties is explained. The synthesis of acenaphthylene bromide and its condensation product and the effect of giving flame retardant and radiation resistant properties are described. The test resultd of the prevention of spread of flame, the endurance in LOCA-simulating environment, and radiation resistance for the cables manufactured for trial are reported. It was confirmed that the cables of this type are suitable to the use in which the maintenance of mechanical properties after radiation exposure is required.

The Political Values of Mentally Retarded Citizens.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Barbara B.; Klein, Nancy K.

1980-01-01

The findings indicated that the retarded are affected by the process of political socialization much like their nonretarded peers. In forming a ranking of goal-values, age and socioeconomic status outweighed differences in cognitive ability. (Author/DLS)

Flame Retardant and Antimicrobial Jute Textile Using Sodium Metasilicate Nonahydrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basak S.

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Flame retardant and antimicrobial functionalities were imparted in jute textile using sodium metasilicate nonahydrate (SMSN, commonly known as “water glass”. Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate (SMSN was applied in jute fabric in different concentration by padding method followed by drying. Flame retardancy of the fabric was evaluated by Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI and burning behaviour under vertical flammability tester including the char length. Burning rate was found to decrease by almost 10 times after an application of 2% SMSN compared to the control sample. Thermogravimetry (TG and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC analysis of both the control and treated jute fabrics were utilized to understand the mechanism of developed flame retardance in jute fabric. It was observed that the SMSN treated samples showed excellent antimicrobial property against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Antimicrobial properties of both the control and treated jute fabrics were also measured quantitatively.

Mental retardation in children exposed in utero to the atomic bomb - Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood, J W; Johnson, K G; Omori, Yoshiaki; Kawamoto, Sadahisa; Keehn, R J

1966-05-19

Subjects who were exposed in utero to the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, along with suitable controls, are examined annually at ABCC. Of the 1613 subjects in the study sample, 30 have gross mental retardation. Within 1500 m from the hypocenter the prevalence of mental retardation is 5 times as high as for the more distal subjects, and 6 to 15 weeks gestation was the most sensitive period. Even when subjects with possible explanations for their retardation are excluded the pattern of differences remains the same. All but two of the retarded subjects had a smaller than average head and for those who were within 1500 m this effect is accentuated. 17 references, 2 figures, 8 tables.

International Directory of Mental Retardation Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Dybwad, Rosemary F., Ed.

The directory lists and describes governmental and voluntary agencies, research, and other resources in the field of mental retardation in foreign countries. The first section, on international organizations, gives names, addresses, names of directors, and one or more paragraphs of description for the United Nations and its specialized agencies,…

Efficient composite broadband polarization retarders and polarization filters

Science.gov (United States)

Dimova, E.; Ivanov, S. S.; Popkirov, G.; Vitanov, N. V.

2014-12-01

A new type of broadband polarization half-wave retarder and narrowband polarization filters are described and experimentally tested. Both, the retarders and the filters are designed as composite stacks of standard optical half-wave plates, each of them twisted at specific angles. The theoretical background of the proposed optical devices was obtained by analogy with the method of composite pulses, known from the nuclear and quantum physics. We show that combining two composite filters built from different numbers and types of waveplates, the transmission spectrum is reduced from about 700 nm to about 10 nm width.We experimentally demonstrate that this method can be applied to different types of waveplates (broadband, zero-order, multiple order, etc.).

Environmental Impact of Flame Retardants (Persistence and Biodegradability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asher Brenner

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Flame-retardants (FR are a group of anthropogenic environmental contaminants used at relatively high concentrations in many applications. Currently, the largest market group of FRs is the brominated flame retardants (BFRs. Many of the BFRs are considered toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative. Bioremediation of contaminated water, soil and sediments is a possible solution for the problem. However, the main problem with this approach is the lack of knowledge concerning appropriate microorganisms, biochemical pathways and operational conditions facilitating degradation of these chemicals at an acceptable rate. This paper reviews and discusses current knowledge and recent developments related to the environmental fate and impact of FRs in natural systems and in engineered treatment processes.

[Clinical genealogical and molecular genetic study of patients with mental retardation].

Science.gov (United States)

Hryshchenko, N V; B'ichkova, A M; Lyvshyts, A B; Kravchenko, S A; Pampukha, V N; Solov'ev, A A; Kucherenko, A M; Tatarskiĭ, P F; Afanas'eva, N A; Dubrovskaia, E V; Patskun, Ie Y; Zymak-Zakutnaia, N O; Nykytchina, T V; Lohysh, S Iu; Lyvshyts, L A

2012-01-01

The results of clinical, genealogical, cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies of 113 patients from 96 families with different forms of mental retardation from Ukraine are presented. This study was held as part of the CHERISH project of the 7-th Framework Program. The aim of the project is to improve diagnostics of mental retardation in children in Eastern Europe and Central Asia through detailed analysis of known chromosomal and gene's aberrations and to find the new gene-candidates that cause mental retardation. All patients have normal chromosome number (46XY or 46XX). The cases with fragile-X syndrome were eliminated using molecular genetic methods. Genome rearrangements were found among 28 patients using cytogenetic analysis, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA analysis) ofsubtelomeric regions and array-based comparative genomic hybridisation (array CGH screening). In 10 cases known pathogenic CNV's were identified, 11 cases are unknown aberrations; their pathogenicity is being determined. The rest cases are known nonpathogenic gene rearrangements. Obtained results show the strong genetic heterogeneity of hereditary forms of mental retardation. The further studies will allow to identificate genes candidates and certain mutations in these genes that may be associated with this pathology.

Design, synthesis, and application of novel flame retardants derived from biomass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Liu

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Biomass represents an abundant and relatively low cost carbon resource that can be utilized to produce platform chemicals such as levulinic acid. Novel oligomeric flame retardants, the poly(MDP-PDCP-MAs (PMPMs, were designed and synthesized using diphenolic acid as one of the raw materials, which is derived from levulinic acid. To change the molar ratio of reactants, a series of PMPM samples with different nitrogen contents were obtained and characterized by FTIR and solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. The solubility test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA indicated a good solvent-resistant property and thermal stability. The flame retardancy and thermal behavior of ABS with 30% loading of different PMPM samples were investigated by limiting oxygen index test (LOI, TGA, and microscale combustion colorimeter (MCC. The results showed that PMPMs are effective charring agents that can increase the thermal stability and flame retardancy of ABS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM observations of the residue of ABS/PMPM blends indicated the compact charred layer formed was responsible for improving the thermal stability and char yield of ABS with low nitrogen content in PMPM-1 flame retardant.

Diagnostic test for prenatal identification of Down's syndrome and mental retardation and gene therapy therefor

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Desmond J.; Rubin, Edward M.

2000-01-01

A a diagnostic test useful for prenatal identification of Down syndrome and mental retardation. A method for gene therapy for correction and treatment of Down syndrome. DYRK gene involved in the ability to learn. A method for diagnosing Down's syndrome and mental retardation and an assay therefor. A pharmaceutical composition for treatment of Down's syndrome mental retardation.

Retroreflective Phase Retardation Prisms.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-06-01

resonant cavity of a 1.064 Mm laser. This report shows that it is possible to coat the reflecting surfaces of a porro prism so that incident plane...with controlled phase retardation can be made by coating each reflecting surface of a porro prism with a single dielectric film. The amount of phase...of angle of incidence (n, < n2) S. Phase change on reflection as a function of angle of incidence (n" n ) [RL-0202-’R 6. Porro prism 7. Phase change

Preparation, characterization of microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate and its flame retardancy in polyurethane composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Ming-Yuan; Chen, Wei-Jen [Department of Aviation Mechanical Engineering, China University of Science and Technology, Hsinchu County, 303, Taiwan (China); Kuan, Chen-Feng; Kuan, Hsu-Chiang [Department of Computer Application Engineering, Far East University, Tainan, 744, Taiwan (China); Yang, Jia-Ming [Green Flame Retardant Material Research Laboratory, Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung, 433, Taiwan (China); Chiang, Chin-Lung, E-mail: dragon@sunrise.hk.edu.tw [Green Flame Retardant Material Research Laboratory, Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung, 433, Taiwan (China)

2016-04-15

In this study, a novel microencapsulated flame retardant containing ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and an 4,4′-oxydianiline-formaldehyde (OF) resin as the core and shell material was synthesized using in situ polymerization technology. The structure and performance of OF microencapsulated APP (OFAPP) were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties of OFAPP were systematically analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis. Flame retardancy tests, such as limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL-94, were conducted to evaluate the effect of varying the composition of APP and OFAPP in silanol-terminated polyurethane (Si-PU) composites. The results indicated that the microencapsulation of APP with the OF resin resulted in improved hydrophobicity. The results also revealed that the flame retardancy of the Si-PU/OFAPP composite (LOI = 37%) was higher than that of the Si-PU/APP composite (LOI = 23%) at the same additive loading. - Highlights: • A novel microencapsulated flame retardant was synthesized using in situ polymerization technology. • The microencapsulation of ammonium polyphosphate with the polymer resin resulted in improved hydrophobicity. • Polyurethane composites have excellent thermal stability and flame retardance.

Preparation, characterization of microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate and its flame retardancy in polyurethane composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Ming-Yuan; Chen, Wei-Jen; Kuan, Chen-Feng; Kuan, Hsu-Chiang; Yang, Jia-Ming; Chiang, Chin-Lung

2016-01-01

In this study, a novel microencapsulated flame retardant containing ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and an 4,4′-oxydianiline-formaldehyde (OF) resin as the core and shell material was synthesized using in situ polymerization technology. The structure and performance of OF microencapsulated APP (OFAPP) were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties of OFAPP were systematically analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis. Flame retardancy tests, such as limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL-94, were conducted to evaluate the effect of varying the composition of APP and OFAPP in silanol-terminated polyurethane (Si-PU) composites. The results indicated that the microencapsulation of APP with the OF resin resulted in improved hydrophobicity. The results also revealed that the flame retardancy of the Si-PU/OFAPP composite (LOI = 37%) was higher than that of the Si-PU/APP composite (LOI = 23%) at the same additive loading. - Highlights: • A novel microencapsulated flame retardant was synthesized using in situ polymerization technology. • The microencapsulation of ammonium polyphosphate with the polymer resin resulted in improved hydrophobicity. • Polyurethane composites have excellent thermal stability and flame retardance.

Haloperidol Treatment of Trichotillomania in a Boy with Autism and Mental Retardation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaziuddin, M.; And Others

1991-01-01

The report describes the successful treatment of trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) in a mentally retarded 11-year-old boy with autism and severe mental retardation. Administration of haloperidol resulted in complete cessation of hair pulling which reappeared when the dosage was decreased and ceased again when dosage was reestablished. (DB)

In-line phase retarder and polarimeter for conversion of linear to circular polarization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kortright, J.B.; Smith, N.V.; Denlinger, J.D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)] [and others

1997-04-01

An in-line polarimeter including phase retarder and linear polarizer was designed and commissioned on undulator beamline 7.0 for the purpose of converting linear to circular polarization for experiments downstream. In commissioning studies, Mo/Si multilayers at 95 eV were used both as the upstream, freestanding phase retarder and the downstream linear polarized. The polarization properties of the phase retarder were characterized by direct polarimetry and by collecting MCD spectra in photoemission from Gd and other magnetic surfaces. The resonant birefringence of transmission multilayers results from differing distributions of s- and p-component wave fields in the multilayer when operating near a structural (Bragg) interference condition. The resulting phase retardation is especially strong when the interference is at or near the Brewster angle, which is roughly 45{degrees} in the EUV and soft x-ray ranges.

PROBLEM OF RESEARCH OF EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN IN FOREIGN PSYCHOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larisa Valentinovna Shipova

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The review of psychology and pedagogical researches of the mentally retarded children devoted to studying of a problem of emotional development in foreign science and practice is presented in article. Various approaches to an assessment of the importance of violations of the emotional sphere of the personality at mentally retarded children for all mental development of the child are considered, need of the accounting of emotional frustration of mentally retarded children for their education and education, and also social adaptation and integration into sociocultural and educational space is discussed. Research of emotional development of mentally retarded children in the course of training is important for development of programs of psychology and pedagogical diagnostics and correction of emotional violations at this category of school students, formation of their self-control, development of the emotional relations.

Neurological impairments and sleep-wake behaviour among the mentally retarded.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindblom, N; Heiskala, H; Kaski, M; Leinonen, L; Nevanlinna, A; Iivanainen, M; Laakso, M L

2001-12-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the sleep-wake behaviour and neurological impairments among mentally retarded people. The sleep-wake behaviour of 293 mentally retarded subjects living in a rehabilitation center was studied by a standardized observation protocol carried out by trained staff members. The protocol consisted of brief check-ups of the subjects' sleep-wake status at 20-min intervals for five randomly chosen 24-h periods during 4 months. From the raw data five sleep-wake behaviour variables were formed. The data concerning the subject characteristics (age, body mass index (BMI), gender, degree of mental retardation, presence of locomotor disability, that of epilepsy, blindness or deafness and the usage of psychotropic medications) were collected from the medical records. Two main findings emerged: (1) severe locomotor disability, blindness and active epilepsy were found to be independent predictors of increased daytime sleep and increased number of wake-sleep transitions and (2) the subjects with a combination of two or all three of these impairments had a significantly more fragmented and abnormally distributed sleep than those with none or milder forms of these impairments. Age, BMI, degree of mental retardation and the studied medications played a minor role in the sleep disturbances of the study population. Finally, deafness was not found to be associated with any of the measured sleep-wake variables.

Global assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in farmed and wild salmom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hites, R. [Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States); Foran, J. [Midwest Center for Environmental Science, Milwaukee, WI (United States); Schwager, S.; Knuth, B. [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States); Hamilton, C. [AXYS Analytical, Sydney (Australia); Carpenter, D. [Albany Univ., NY (United States)

2004-09-15

Despite their societal benefits, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) seem to be migrating from the products in which they are used and entering the environment and people. PBDEs are now ubiquitous; they can be found in air, water, fish, birds, marine mammals, and people, and in most cases, the concentrations of these compounds have increased dramatically over the last 20 years. One source of PBDEs in people is their food supply, and an increasingly important food is salmon, which is nutritious and high in beneficial fats. Between 1987 and 1999, salmon consumption increased annually at a rate of 10-20%. Currently, over half the salmon sold globally is farm-raised in Northern Europe, Chile, Canada, and the United States, and the annual global production of farmed salmon (predominantly Atlantic salmon) has risen from {proportional_to}27,000 to over 1 million metric tons during the past two decades. The health benefits of eating fish such as salmon have been well documented. However, salmon are relatively fatty, carnivorous fish that feed high in the food web, and as such, they bioaccumulate contaminants. In a previous study, we reported that levels of persistent, bioaccumulative contaminants (such as PCBs, dioxins, and several chlorinated pesticides) are significantly higher in farm-raised salmon than in wild salmon and that salmon raised on European farms have significantly greater toxic contaminant loads than those raised on North and South American farms. In this report, we provide results on polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations in salmon purchased from farms in eight major salmon farming regions, in five species of wild Pacific salmon, and in salmon fillets purchased at supermarkets in North America and Europe.

Brominated flame retardants in the Arctic environment--trends and new candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

de Wit, Cynthia A; Herzke, Dorte; Vorkamp, Katrin

2010-07-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) containing two to 10 bromines are ubiquitous in the Arctic, in both abiotic and biotic samples. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is also ubiquitous in the Arctic, with the gamma-HBCD isomer predominating in air, the alpha-HBCD isomer predominating in biota and similar concentrations of alpha-, beta- and gamma-HBCD found in marine sediments. Other brominated flame retardants (BFRs) found in some Arctic samples are polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), hexabromobenzene (HxBBz), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), and 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH). Temporal trends of tetra- to heptaBDEs and HBCD show increasing concentrations or a tendency to levelling off depending on the matrix (air, sediment, biota) and location, but no uniform picture for the Arctic emerges. BDE-209 concentrations are increasing in air. PBDEs and HBCD spatial trends in seabirds and marine mammals are similar to those seen previously for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with highest concentrations found in organisms from East Greenland and Svalbard. These trends indicate western Europe and eastern North America as important source regions of these compounds via long range atmospheric transport and ocean currents. Latitudinal trends showed lower concentrations and fluxes of PBDEs at higher latitudes. The tetra-hexaBDEs and alpha-HBCD biomagnify in Arctic food webs. Results for BDE-209 are more conflicting, showing either only low or no biomagnification potential. PBDE and HBCD concentrations are lower in terrestrial organisms and higher in marine top predators such as some killer whale populations in Alaska and glaucous gulls from the Barents Sea area. Higher concentrations are seen near populated areas indicating local sources. Findings of BTBPE, HxBBz, PBEB, PBT and TBECH in seabirds and/or marine mammals indicate that these compounds reach the

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Mississippi River suspended sediment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raff, J.; Hites, R. [Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)

2004-09-15

The Mississippi River Basin drains water from 41% of the conterminous U.S. and is a valuable resource that supplies food, transportation, and irrigation to more than 95 million people of the region. Discharge and runoff from industry, agriculture, and population centers have increased the loads of anthropogenic organic compounds in the river. There has been growing concern over the rising levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in air, sediment, biota, and humans, but there have been no studies to measure the concentrations of these chemicals in North America's largest river system. The goal of this study was to investigate the occurrence of PBDEs (15 congeners including BDE-209) and to identify possible sources within the Mississippi River Basin. We found PBDEs to be widespread throughout the region, rivaling PCBs in their extent and magnitude of contamination. We have also calculated the total amount of PBDEs released to the Gulf of Mexico in 2002.

Presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Spanish sewage sludges. Important contribution of deca-BDE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabrellas, B.; Larrazabal, D.; Martinez, M.A. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Eljarrat, E.; Barcelo, D. [I.I.Q.A.B., C.S.I.C, Barcelona (Spain)

2004-09-15

Introduction Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are a family of synthetic chemicals widely used in industry to delay, inhibit or even suppress combustion process in manufactured items. Flame retardant products are frequently added into plastic, electronic, paint and textile materials to reduce the risk of ignition. During last years, increasing levels of PBDE have been detected in the environment, suggesting release from the treated surface as main pathway for environmental intake. Their physicochemical structure make them substances of highly lypophylic, bioaccumulative and persistent nature, with potential toxic effects observed onto wildlife and humans. Some European countries (Switzerland and Sweden) have promoted strategies to enlarge the knowledge of PBDE, in particular their occurrence and levels on sewage sludge. Observations point domestic washing of garment/clothes and industrial discharges from plastic and textile manufacture industry as major sources of contamination. First European results from 1988 revealed levels of about 20-30 {mu}g/kg dw of PBDEs (BDEs 47, 99 and 100) in sludge samples collected in Sweden. More recently, another Swedish survey conducted on three waste-water treatment facilities pointed levels of PBDE (BDE 47, 99 and 209) of about 200 ng/g dw, along with minor contribution of other contaminants such as TBBPA and HBCD iv. Few studies have been carried out in US. Hale et al. compared levels of Tetra-, PentaBDE (BDE 47, BDE 99 and BDE 100) and DecaBDE 209 congeners in sludge from different US locations. Values ranged from 1000 to 2290 {mu}g/kg dw (Tri- to HexaBDE) and from 84 to 4890 {mu}g/kg dw for DecaBDE 209, with mean values of about 1600 and 1000 {mu}g/kg dw, respectively. In general, concentrations of BDE 47, 99, 100 and 209 exceeded those of the major PCB congeners and other halogenated contaminants also found in the sludge. Following this trend, this work aims a preliminary assessment of selected PBDE congener levels on

Levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in various tissues of birds of prey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voorspoels, Stefan; Covaci, Adrian; Lepom, Peter; Jaspers, Veerle L.B.; Schepens, Paul

2006-01-01

In the present study, concentrations and tissue distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs; IUPAC nos. 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, and 209) were examined in brain, adipose tissue, liver, muscle, and serum of birds of prey. Median ΣPBDE levels (BDE 28-183) in the tissues of sparrowhawks ranged from 360 to 1900 ng/g lipid weight (lw), which was in general one order of magnitude higher than in the tissues of common buzzards (26-130 ng/g lw). There were no differences in PBDE congener patterns between the various tissues within individuals of a certain species. Inter-species differences in PBDE patterns and in particular the percentage of BDE 99, 100 and 153 were, however, pronounced between sparrowhawk and common buzzard. BDE 209 was detected in nearly all serum and in some liver samples, but not in any other tissues. This observation suggests that exposure to BDE 209 is low or that this congener is poorly accumulated. Passive (lipid content related) diffusion could not completely describe the PBDE tissue distribution, e.g. the lowest PBDE-load was measured in brain, a fairly lipid rich tissue. - Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in birds of prey is tissue dependent

the use of castor oil as a flame retardant in polyurethane foam

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Abdusalam

Flame retardant help to suppress the combustion process depending on the polymer and the fire safety test. (Desch, 1973) . Flame retarding agent either cooled, the burning material below its ignition point or exclude air by forming a blanket of inert gas. It also interferes with one or several stages of the combustion process.

Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment aged for 2 years to carps (Cyprinus carpio)

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, S. Y.; Li, J. Y.; Jia, X. M.

2017-08-01

In order to understand the risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) existing in sediment for years, the accumulation of PBDEs in sediment aged for 2 years to fish was investigated. Simulated aquatic system microcosms were conducted with PBDE contaminated sediment aged for 2 years and carps were cultured in the microcosms for 20 days. PBDE concentrations in carp tissues were analyzed to estimate the bioavailability of aged PBDEs in carps. The main spiked PBDE congeners were detected in sediment even though the contaminated sediment was aged for 2 years. Similarly, the five PBDE (BDE-28, 47, 100, 153 and 154) congeners which probably were bioaccumulated by carp were detected in fish tissues, indicating that PBDEs could be bioaccumulated after aging for 2 years. The PBDEs distribution revealed that the concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tissues of Cyprinus carpio is in this order of magnitude: gut > liver > gill > fillet. The PBDEs concentrations in fillet were as high as 67.9 ng/g dry wt, in which BDE-47 contributed almost 50% in profile.

Lithium-Ion Electrolytes Containing Flame Retardant Additives for Increased Safety Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Smart, Marshall C. (Inventor); Smith, Kiah A. (Inventor); Bugga, Ratnakumar V. (Inventor); Prakash, Surya G. (Inventor); Krause, Frederick Charles (Inventor)

2014-01-01

The invention discloses various embodiments of Li-ion electrolytes containing flame retardant additives that have delivered good performance over a wide temperature range, good cycle life characteristics, and improved safety characteristics, namely, reduced flammability. In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, the electrolyte comprising a mixture of an ethylene carbonate (EC), an ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), a fluorinated co-solvent, a flame retardant additive, and a lithium salt. In another embodiment of the invention there is provided an electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, the electrolyte comprising a mixture of an ethylene carbonate (EC), an ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), a flame retardant additive, a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film forming agent, and a lithium salt.

Fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment of the Pearl River Estuary, South China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Yufeng; Sojinu, O.S. Samuel; Li Shaomeng; Zeng, Eddy Y.

2009-01-01

Ninety-six riverine runoff samples collected at eight major outlets in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China, during 2005-2006 were analyzed for 17 brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners (defined as Σ 17 PBDE). Fourteen and 15 congeners were detected, respectively, in the dissolved and particulate phases. These data were further used to elucidate the partitioning behavior of BDE congeners in riverine runoff. Several related fate processes, i.e. air-water exchange, dry and wet deposition, degradation, and sedimentation, within the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), were examined to estimate the inputs of Σ 10 PBDE (sum of the target BDE congeners, BDE-28, -47, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, and -183) and BDE-209 from the PRD to the coastal ocean based on mass balance considerations. The results showed that annual outflows of Σ 10 PBDE and BDE-209 were estimated at 126 and 940 kg/year, respectively from the PRE to coastal ocean. Besides sedimentation and degradation, the majority of Σ 10 PBDE and BDE-209 discharged into the PRE via riverine runoff was transported to the coastal ocean. - Fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment the Pearl River Estuary, South China.

Synergistic effect of iron and intumescent flame retardant on shape-stabilized phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Ping; Hu Yuan; Song Lei; Lu Hongdian; Wang Jian; Liu Qingqing

2009-01-01

This paper deals with the preparation of paraffin/high density polyethylene (HDPE)/intumescent flame retardant (IFR)/iron as flame retardant shape-stabilized phase change material (FSPCM). The influences of iron for FSPCM on morphology, flammability property, latent heat and thermal conductive property were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cone calorimeter, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and hot disk thermal constants analyser. It was found that iron could be well dispersed into the composite formed by HDPE and paraffin; the flame retardant efficiency of IFR could be improved by adding iron; the thermal conductivity of FSPCM could be increased due to the high thermal conductivity of iron. At the same time, the possible flame retardant mechanism for paraffin/HDPE/IFR with iron as a FSPCM was proposed

Mentally-Retarded Children of a Pre-School Age and the Development of Movement Skills

OpenAIRE

Morávková, Šárka

2006-01-01

The diploma work covers the issues of children with mental retardation in pre-school age aimed to the development of the movement abilities. It focuses on the relationships between the pre-school child with mental retardation and possibilities of developing its motor skills in context of an organized pre-school education. Theoretical part of the Diploma work indicates the development specifics of the indi- vidual due to mental retardation, describes mainly the movement development of the chil...

Veridical and False Pictorial Memory in Individuals with and without Mental Retardation

Science.gov (United States)

Carlin, Michael T.; Toglia, Michael P.; Wakeford, Yvonne; Jakway, Allison; Sullivan, Kate; Hasel, Lisa

2008-01-01

Veridical and false pictorial recognition were assessed in individuals with mental retardation; groups were matched for MA and CA. Pictures were viewed in either a generative or static format at acquisition. The individuals with mental retardation and those in the MA-matched group had higher rates of false memories for critical items and lower hit…

Effect of Retarding Force on Mass Flow Rates of Fluid at Different ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... mathematical model and software visualization to view the effect of retarding forces on the mass flow rate in term of visualization. C-sharp (C#) is the chosen program and this enable compares and us to determine the mass flow rates patterns in relation to retarding force in form of graphical tables at different temperature.

In utero exposure to A-bomb radiation and mental retardation; a reassessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otake, M.; Schull, W.J.

1984-01-01

The prevalence of mental retardation in children exposed in utero to the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been re-evaluated in reference to gestational age and tissue dose in the fetus. There was no risk at 0-8 weeks post-conception. The highest risk of forebrain damage occurred at 8-15 weeks of gestational age, the time when the most rapid proliferation of neuronal elements and when most, if not all, neuroblast migration to the cerebral cortex from the proliferative zones is occurring. Overall, the risk is five or more times greater in these weeks than in subsequent ones. In the critical period, damage expressed as the frequency of subsequent mental retardation appears to be linearly related to the dose received by the fetus. A linear model is not equally applicable to radiation-related mental retardation after the 15th week, the observed values suggesting that there a threshold may exist. The data are consistent with a probability of occurrence of mental retardation of 0.40% per cGy or 40% per gray. (author)

Social support of mentally retarded persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danuta Zwolinska

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this work is to assess the relationship between the environment and mentally retarded persons. Material and methods: Information referring to social support of mentally retarded persons is a source material collected on the base of the data included in the Polish and foreign literature. The issues under discussion related to the following problems: social integration of persons with intellectual disabilities in a family and local environment, social functioning of people with mild intellectual disability, social rehabilitation of people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disability and specific contact with people with disabilities. Results: For a person with an intellectual disability, the family is the source of acquisition of basic social skills that give him the opportunity for further development and performing certain social roles in a sense of safety. Full acceptance of the intellectually disabled, may dismiss their sense of shame and fear, and instill the satisfaction of belonging to a social community. Conclusions: Full social acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities is the basis for their assimilation and social functioning.

trans-Carbonylchloridobis[diphenyl(4-vinylphenylphosphane-κP]rhodium(I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinout Meijboom

2012-05-01

Full Text Available In the title compound, trans-[RhCl(C20H17P2(CO], the RhI atom is situated on a center of symmetry, resulting in a statistical 1:1 disorder of the chloride [Rh—Cl = 2.383 (2 Å] and carbonyl [Rh—C = 1.752 (7 Å] ligands. The distorted trans square-planar environment is completed by two P atoms [Rh—P = 2.3251 (4 Å] from two diphenyl(4-vinylphenylphosphane ligands. The vinyl group is disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.668 (10:0.332 (10 ratio. The crystal packing exhibits weak C—H...Cl and C—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions between the phenyl rings of neighbouring molecules, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.682 (2 Å.

Power-spectral-density relationship for retarded differential equations

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, L. K.

1974-01-01

The power spectral density (PSD) relationship between input and output of a set of linear differential-difference equations of the retarded type with real constant coefficients and delays is discussed. The form of the PSD relationship is identical with that applicable to unretarded equations. Since the PSD relationship is useful if and only if the system described by the equations is stable, the stability must be determined before applying the PSD relationship. Since it is sometimes difficult to determine the stability of retarded equations, such equations are often approximated by simpler forms. It is pointed out that some common approximations can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the stability of a system and, therefore, to the possibility of obtaining PSD results which are not valid.

The Instructional Use of CAI in the Education of the Mentally Retarded.

Science.gov (United States)

Winters, John J., Jr.; And Others

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) studies with the mentally retarded in the United States and Canada reveal that the retarded benefit from CAI in academic and social skills. Their learning is enhanced to the same extent as that of the nonretarded. CAI can be cost-effective, especially with the reduced costs of mini and micro-computers; however,…

Flame Retardancy of Chemically Modified Lignin as Functional Additive to Epoxy Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

John A. Howarter; Gamini P. Mendis; Alex N. Bruce; Jeffrey P. Youngblood; Mark A. Dietenberger; Laura Hasburgh

2015-01-01

Epoxy printed circuit boards are used in a variety of electronics applications as rigid, thermally stable substrates. Due to the propensity of components on the boards, such as batteries and interconnects, to fail and ignite the epoxy, flame retardant additives are required to minimize fire risk. Currently, industry uses brominated flame retardants, such as TBBPA, to...

Tracing organophosphorus and brominated flame retardants and plasticizers in an estuarine food web

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brandsma, S.H.; Leonards, P.E.G.; Leslie, H.A.; de Boer, J.

2015-01-01

Nine organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) were detected in a pelagic and benthic food web of the Western Scheldt estuary, The Netherlands. Concentrations of several PFRs were an order of magnitude higher than those of the brominated flame retardants (BFRs). However, the detection frequency of

Interpersonal Communication of Children with Mental Retardation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliyah Nur'aini Hanun

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Tunagrahita were a terminology to called the children with mentally retarded conditions. This conditions caused these children having difficulties at least on four areas, related with attention, memory, language, and academics. The research problem is how interpersonal communication tunagrahita in Dormitory Extraordinary Education Foundation (YPLB Cipaganti Bandung. This research’s aim is to seek the interpersonal communication phenomenon of children with mentally retarded in YPLB Cipaganti Dormitory. The research method which were used is the qualitative method with communication Ethnography approach and Symbolic Interactionism theory to have comprehensive descriptions about life reality of mentally retarded’s children in YPLB Cipaganti Dormitory. Data obtained by participation observer, unstructured interviews, and documentary study. The result showed that interpersonal interactions are done with each child boarding and with the management of the hostel, is a series of unique events and interpersonal communication with a distinctive circular process that takes place continuously.

SELF-HELP GROUPS FOR PARENTS WITH MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaska STANCHEVA-POPKOSTADINOVA

1997-09-01

Full Text Available This presentation concerns a group for parents of mentally retarded children.A group of these parents receives professional help and environmental support. The parents are encouraged to assume responsibility in the everyday life educational process of their children.As Baker / 1980 / states: “ If parents cope better on daily basis with the child who has mental retardation, not only the child but also the parents would benefit”.Taking part in the group gave the parents:· the opportunity to meet other parents with the same children;· to talk to other parents and feel less isolated;· to share information and experiences, skills and ideas;· the opportunity to listen to the needs and problems of other parents;· to change the ways of working to meet the child’s needs;· share information about the possibilities of education and services;· parents are encouraged to meet together to support one another;· parents need a special approach to many problems existing in their families.· the education in the group puts the beginning of the work with the parents.The idea is to gather the efforts of specialists from different fields and to establish multi-disciplinary group aiming to work with the parents and create a good collaboration and partnership between them in order to improve the living conditions and services to the retarded persons.This paper reports on the development, evaluation and dissemination of the program for education of parents with mentally retarded children. At the Symposium we will be able to present the results of the effectiveness of the education.

Fatigue crack retardation of high strength steel in saltwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokaji, K.; Ando, Z.; Imai, T.; Kojima, T.

1983-01-01

A high strength steel was studied in 3 percent saltwater to investigate the effects of a corrosive environment and sheer thickness on fatigue crack propagation behavior following the application of a single tensile overload. Experiments were carried out under sinusoidally varying loads at a load ratio of 0 and frequency of 10 H /SUB z/ . A single tensile overload was found to cause delayed retardation, and the crack propagation rate at first increased, followed by fairly rapid decrease to a minimum value and then increased gradually to its steady-state value, just as it did in air. The overload affected zone size and the retardation cycles increased with decreasing sheet thickness, just as they did in air. However, the zone size and the cycles were larger in 3 percent saltwater than in air. Since the crack propagation rates through the overload affected zone were not affected by the test environment, the longer retardation cycles in 3 percent saltwater were attributed to an enlargement of the overload affected zone size. The crack propagation behavior following the application of a single tensile overload in 3 percent saltwater was well explained by the crack closure concept

Retardo del crecimiento intrauterino Intrauterine growth retardation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Cuartas Calle

1995-01-01

Full Text Available

El crecimiento fetal anormal es un aspecto de gran interés en la obstetricia actual y un dilema clínico relativamente frecuente. La falla del crecimiento sigue siendo un enigma a pesar de los adelantos que ha habido en su conocimiento: el diagnóstico temprano y preciso del retardo del crecimiento puede aminorar la incidencia de complicaciones y muerte en fetos con este problema. Por ello es necesario mejorar las técnicas para identificar esta entidad y asegurar una atención apropiada durante el embarazo y el parto. En este artículo se resumen datos acerca de la definición del retardo del crecimiento fetal, su fisiopatología, clasificación, etiología, diagnóstico y manejo.

Abnormal fetal growth is a very important aspect In present-day obstetrics and a frequent clinical dilemma. Fetal failure to grow continues to be puzzling, despite advances in its knowledge; early and precise diagnosis of growth retardation can diminish the incidence of complications and death of fetuses with this problem. It becomes therefore necessary, in the presence of growth retardation, to improve diagnostic techniques and assure proper attention during pregnancy and delivery. Information is summarized in this review on the definition, pathophysiology, classification, etiology, diagnosis and handling of fetal growth retardation.

Detection of halogenated flame retardants in polyurethane foam by particle induced X-ray emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maley, Adam M.; Falk, Kyle A.; Hoover, Luke; Earlywine, Elly B.; Seymour, Michael D.; DeYoung, Paul A.; Blum, Arlene; Stapleton, Heather M.; Peaslee, Graham F.

2015-01-01

A novel application of particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) has been developed to detect the presence of chlorinated and brominated flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane foams. Traditional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) methods for the detection and identification of halogenated flame retardants in foams require extensive sample preparation and data acquisition time. The elemental analysis of the halogens in polyurethane foam performed by PIXE offers the opportunity to identify the presence of halogenated flame retardants in a fraction of the time and sample preparation cost. Through comparative GC–MS and PIXE analysis of 215 foam samples, excellent agreement between the two methods was obtained. These results suggest that PIXE could be an ideal rapid screening method for the presence of chlorinated and brominated flame retardants in polyurethane foams

Detection of halogenated flame retardants in polyurethane foam by particle induced X-ray emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maley, Adam M.; Falk, Kyle A.; Hoover, Luke; Earlywine, Elly B.; Seymour, Michael D. [Department of Chemistry, Hope College, 35 E. 12th Street, Holland, MI 49423 (United States); DeYoung, Paul A. [Department of Physics, Hope College, 27 Graves Place, Holland, MI 49423 (United States); Blum, Arlene [Green Science Policy Institute, Box 5455, Berkeley, CA 94705 (United States); Stapleton, Heather M. [Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, LSRC Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708 (United States); Peaslee, Graham F., E-mail: peaslee@hope.edu [Department of Chemistry, Hope College, 35 E. 12th Street, Holland, MI 49423 (United States)

2015-09-01

A novel application of particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) has been developed to detect the presence of chlorinated and brominated flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane foams. Traditional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) methods for the detection and identification of halogenated flame retardants in foams require extensive sample preparation and data acquisition time. The elemental analysis of the halogens in polyurethane foam performed by PIXE offers the opportunity to identify the presence of halogenated flame retardants in a fraction of the time and sample preparation cost. Through comparative GC–MS and PIXE analysis of 215 foam samples, excellent agreement between the two methods was obtained. These results suggest that PIXE could be an ideal rapid screening method for the presence of chlorinated and brominated flame retardants in polyurethane foams.

Mutations in the polyglutamine binding protein 1 gene cause X-linked mental retardation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalscheuer, V.M.M.; Freude, K.; Musante, L.; Jensen, L.R.; Yntema, H.G.; Gecz, J.; Sefiani, A.; Hoffmann, K.; Moser, B.; Haas, S.; Gurok, U.; Haesler, S.; Aranda, B.; Nshedjan, A.; Tzschach, A.; Hartmann, N.; Roloff, T.C.; Shoichet, S.; Hagens, O.; Tao, J.; Bokhoven, J.H.L.M. van; Turner, G.; Chelly, J.; Moraine, C.; Fryns, J.P.; Nuber, U.; Hoeltzenbein, M.; Scharff, C.; Scherthan, H.; Lenzner, S.; Hamel, B.C.J.; Schweiger, S.; Ropers, H.H.

2003-01-01

We found mutations in the gene PQBP1 in 5 of 29 families with nonsyndromic (MRX) and syndromic (MRXS) forms of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Clinical features in affected males include mental retardation, microcephaly, short stature, spastic paraplegia and midline defects. PQBP1 has previously

Mutations in the polyglutamine binding protein 1 gene cause X-linked mental retardation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalscheuer, Vera M; Freude, Kristine; Musante, Luciana

2003-01-01

We found mutations in the gene PQBP1 in 5 of 29 families with nonsyndromic (MRX) and syndromic (MRXS) forms of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Clinical features in affected males include mental retardation, microcephaly, short stature, spastic paraplegia and midline defects. PQBP1 has previou...

Mutations in the polyglutamine binding protein 1 gene cause X-linked mental retardation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalscheuer, VM; Freude, K; Musante, L; Jensen, LR; Yntema, HG; Gecz, J; Sefiani, A; Hoffmann, K; Moser, B; Haas, S; Gurok, U; Haesler, S; Aranda, B; Nshedjan, A; Tzschach, A; Hartmann, N; Roloff, TC; Shoichet, S; Hagens, O; Tao, J; van Bokhoven, H; Turner, G; Chelly, J; Moraine, C; Fryns, JP; Nuber, U; Hoeltzenbein, M; Scharff, C; Scherthan, H; Lenzner, S; Hamel, BCJ; Schweiger, S; Ropers, Hans-Hilger

2003-01-01

We found mutations in the gene PQBP1 in 5 of 29 families with nonsyndromic (MRX) and syndromic (MRXS) forms of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Clinical features in affected males include mental retardation, microcephaly, short stature, spastic paraplegia and midline defects. PQBP1 has previously

Psychometric Properties of ADHD Rating Scales among Children with Mental Retardation I: Reliability

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Michael L.; Fee, Virginia E.; Netterville, Amanda K.

2004-01-01

The reliability of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) rating scales in children with mental retardation was assessed. Parents, teachers, and teaching assistants completed ADHD rating scales on 48 children aged 5-12 diagnosed with mental retardation. Measures included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Conners Rating Scales, the…

Brominated flame retardants in children's toys: concentration, composition, and children's exposure and risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, She-Jun; Ma, Yun-Juan; Wang, Jing; Chen, Da; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Mai, Bi-Xian

2009-06-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) were found in children's toys purchased from South China. The median BFR concentrations in the hard plastic toys were 53,000, 5540 ng/g, 101.1 ng/g, and 27.9 ng/g, fortotal PBDEs, DBDPE, BTBPE, and PBBs, respectively,which were notably higher than values in other toys. The PBDE concentrations were below the threshold limit (1000 ppm) required bythe European Commission's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives in all of the toys, except for one hard plastic toy with a total PBDE concentration of 5,344,000 ng/g. The BFR profiles in the toys were consistent with the patterns of their current production and consumption in China, where PBDEs, specifically decaBDE product, were the dominant BFR, followed by the emerging DBDPE. The relatively high concentrations of octa- and nonaBDEs in the foam toys and the results of principal component analysis (PCA) may suggest the decomposition of highly brominated BDEs during the manufacturing processes of the toys. Daily total PBDE exposures associated with toys via inhalation, mouthing, dermal contact, and oral ingestion ranged from 82.6 to 8992 pg/kg bw-day for children of 3 months to 14 years of age. Higher exposures, predominantly contributed through the mouthing pathway, were observed for infants and toddlers than for the other subgroups. In most cases, children's BFR exposure via the toys likely accounts for a small proportion of their daily BFR exposure, and the hazard quotients for noncancer risk evaluation were far below 1. To the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the concentrations of BFRs in toys, and the potential exposures to children.

Opitz C syndrome: Trigonocephaly, mental retardation and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We describe a 4-year-old female child with a dysmorphic and neurological syndrome of trigonocephaly, mental and psychomotor retardation and dysmorphic facial ... The patient had important cerebral anomalies with diffuse alterations in white matter that caused developmental delay with verbal and nonverbal disabilities ...

Puberty in the Girl Who is Retarded.

Science.gov (United States)

Pattullo, Ann

Designed to help mothers of mentally retarded girls deal with the problems and concerns of puberty, the booklet provides information on physical and emotional changes, menstruation, masturbation, heterosexual behavior, contraception, protection against sexual aggression, the possibilities of marriage, and additional sources of information.…

Effect of retardation coefficient for radionuclide migration on assessment results of environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhiming

2004-01-01

Environmental impact report is an important content in enforcing environmental impact assessment system. Effect of retardation coefficient used in models of radionuclide migration in geological media on the calculated results of maximum concentration of calculated points at the lower reaches is discussed in this paper. It is shown from experimental results that the retardation coefficient is not a constant. And it is shown from calculated results that retardation coefficient obviously affect the calculated results of maximum concentration of calculated point at the lower reaches. Conservation level of the assessment results would considerably be affected, and hence confidence level of results would be affected if the aspects are not paid enough attention and solved. The paper suggests that retardation coefficient used in migration models should directly be obtained by measurement in the field or in column, rather than using the result derived from distribution coefficients according to some formula in order to prevent the nonconservative results

Modeling and Control of Retarder using On/Off Solenoid Valves

OpenAIRE

Steinsland, Vidar

2008-01-01

The Retarder is one of the main components in Scania's trucks' braking system and is used to brake down the truck and for maintaining a steady speed on descents. This Master's Thesis aims to investigate if the current system which uses a proportional valve to control the air pressure in the Retarder, can be replaced with two on/o® solenoid valves and a pressure chamber to control the air pressure, which would result in a cheaper and more robust system. By varying the air pressure, the braking...

Dynamic retardation corrections to the mass spectrum of heavy quarkonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopalejshvili, T.; Rusetskij, A.

1996-01-01

In the framework of the Logunov-Tavkhelidze quasipotential approach the first-order retardation corrections to the heavy quarkonia mass spectrum are calculated with the use of the stationary wave boundary condition in the covariant kernel of the Bethe-Salpeter equation. As has been expected, these corrections turn out to be small for all low-lying heavy meson states and vanish in the heavy quark limit (m Q →∞). The comparison of the suggested approach to the calculation of retardation corrections with others, known in literature, is carried out. 22 refs., 1 tab

Autism and mental retardation among offspring born after in vitro fertilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandin, Sven; Nygren, Karl-Gösta; Iliadou, Anastasia; Hultman, Christina M; Reichenberg, Abraham

2013-07-03

Between 1978 and 2010, approximately 5 million infants were born after in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Yet limited information on neurodevelopment after IVF exists, especially after the first year of life. To examine the association between use of any IVF and different IVF procedures and the risk of autistic disorder and mental retardation in the offspring. A population-based, prospective cohort study using Swedish national health registers. Offspring born between 1982 and 2007 were followed up for a clinical diagnosis of autistic disorder or mental retardation until December 31, 2009. The exposure of interest was IVF, categorized according to whether intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for male infertility was used and whether embryos were fresh or frozen. For ICSI, whether sperm were ejaculated or surgically extracted was also considered. Relative risks (RRs) for autistic disorder and mental retardation and rates per 100,000 person-years, comparing spontaneously conceived offspring with those born after an IVF procedure and comparing 5 IVF procedures used in Sweden vs IVF without ICSI with fresh embryo transfer, the most common treatment. We also analyzed the subgroup restricted to singletons. Of the more than 2.5 million infants born, 30,959 (1.2%) were conceived by IVF and were followed up for a mean 10 (SD, 6) years. Overall, 103 of 6959 children (1.5%) with autistic disorder and 180 of 15,830 (1.1%) with mental retardation were conceived by IVF. The RR for autistic disorder after any procedure compared with spontaneous conception was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.94-1.39; 19.0 vs 15.6 per 100,000 person-years). The RR for mental retardation was 1.18 (95% CI, 1.01-1.36; 46.3 vs 39.8 per 100,000 person-years). For both outcomes, there was no statistically significant association when restricting analysis to singletons. Compared with IVF without ICSI with fresh embryo transfer, there were statistically significantly increased risks of autistic disorder following

Establishing Mental Retardation in Capital Cases: A Potential Matter of Life and Death.

Science.gov (United States)

Baroff, George S.

1991-01-01

This paper discusses psychological test obstacles to gaining the acceptance of a diagnosis of mental retardation in criminal defendants, use of the Revised Beta intelligence test with defendants who may be retarded, possible modification of the adaptive behavior criterion for criminal defendants, and appropriateness of the death penalty for…

Weathering methods for preservative treated wood and their applicability for fire retarded wood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voss, A.

1999-01-01

preservative treated wood. The aim of the presentation is to inform you about current testing methods and to discuss their applicability to test fire retarded wood in outdoor use. Assuming that fire retardants will only be used in out of ground contact, only those methods are mentioned, which fit

Improving Infant Exposure and Health Risk Estimates: Using Serum Data to Predict Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Concentrations in Breast Milk

Science.gov (United States)

Women in the United States have breast milk concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) that are among the highest in the world, leading to concerns over the potential health implications to breastfeeding infants during critical stages of growth and development. Deve...

Preparation of Flame Retardant Polyacrylonitrile Fabric Based on Sol-Gel and Layer-by-Layer Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Yuanlin; Huo, Tongguo; Qin, Yiwen; Liu, Xiaohui

2018-03-23

This paper aims to develop a novel method, i.e., sol-gel combined with layer-by-layer assembly technology, to impart flame retardancy on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fabrics. Silica-sol was synthesized via the sol-gel process and acted as cationic solution, and phytic acid (PA) was used as the anionic medium. Flame-retardant-treated PAN fabric (FR-PAN) could achieve excellent flame retardancy with 10 bilayer (10BL) coating through layer-by-layer assembly. The structure of the fabrics was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal stability and flame retardancy were evaluated by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, cone calorimetry (CC) and limiting oxygen index (LOI). The LOI value of the coated fabric was up to 33.2 vol % and the char residue at 800 °C also increased to 57 wt %. Cone calorimetry tests revealed that, compared to the control fabric, the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of FR-PAN decreased by 66% and 73%, respectively. These results indicated that sol-gel combined with layer-by-layer assembly technique could impart PAN fabric with satisfactory flame-retardant properties, showing an efficient flame retardant strategy for PAN fabric.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in feathers of colonial water-bird species from Pakistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malik, Riffat Naseem, E-mail: r_n_malik2000@yahoo.co.uk [Environmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, PO 45320 (Pakistan); Moeckel, Claudia [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP (United Kingdom); Jones, Kevin C.; Hughes, David [Centre for Chemicals Management, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom)

2011-10-15

Feathers of two colonial water-birds species (Bubulcus ibis, Egretta garzetta) from four heronries in the Punjab province, Pakistan were analysed for 28 Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) congeners. Median concentrations of {Sigma}PBDEs were 2.41 and 1.91 ng/g in little and cattle egrets. PBDE-47, -100, -138, -153 were abundant and detected in >70% of feather samples in both species. Species-specific differences based on dietary preferences indicated higher concentration of PBDE-47, -66, -75, -100, -153, -154, and -183 in fish eating little egret. BDE-47 and -100 were more frequent in little egrets and BDE-99 was more dominant in cattle egret which feed on terrestrial habitat. Higher {Sigma}hexa- and hepta-BDEs congeners showed larger concentrations in feathers from heronries close to water bodies which receive urban and industrial effluents whereas lower-brominated congeners (BDE-47-BDE-100) dominated in rural/agricultural regions. Hazard quotients (HQs) indicated that measured {Sigma}PBDEs pose no risk to egret population. - Highlights: > Feathers as non-destructive tool to asses Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) contamination. > PBDE-47 and -100 frequent in feathers of fish eating egrets. > BDE-99 dominant in feathers of egrets feed in terrestrial habitats. > Lower-brominated congeners (BDE-47-BDE-100) dominate in feathers from rural areas. > Greater contents of hexa- and hepta-BDEs in feathers from areas receive urban/industrial effluents. - Feathers are used as a biomonitoring tool for PBDEs contamination.