Up In Flames - Kymber Thistle

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are used as flame retardants.  PBDEs are a group of related chemicals with a structure similar to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (1).  PBDEs are added to materials such as plastics and coatings on fabrics to increase fire resistance, and are found in many household products, including upholstered furniture, carpet, insulation, coating on curtains and drapes, and electronics such as televisions and computers (2).  PBDEs are easily incorporated into plastics by simply mixing them in.  The danger in PBDEs is that they can leech out of the material that they are added to and into the environment (1), and high levels of PBDEs are often found in household dust (2).  PBDEs are known to have toxic effects on the nervous, immune, reproductive, and most notably the endocrine system; these effects are most hazardous to young children and fetuses, which are also the groups with the highest risk of exposure (2).  High levels of exposure to PBDEs can have negative effects on memory and learning, motor activity, thyroid hormone, and normal brain development (3). 

Like PCBs, which have been banned since the 70s, PBDEs bioaccumulate in the environment as well as in animals and humans (2).  Even if the acute exposure is low, the chronic accumulation of PBDEs within tissues over time can lead to some of the health problems described earlier.  Although some alternative flame retardants exist, they are very similar to PBDEs and traces of these have also been found in the environment and household dust (4).  Because of their similarity to PBDEs, these alternatives substances are likely hazardous to our health as well.  Production of some types of PBDEs has ceased, and some have been added to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants list of chemicals to be eliminated (5).  However, despite all of the dangers, PBDEs are very effective at reducing the incidence of household and electronics fires (1).  While the use of PBDEs should be regulated and safer alternatives should be researched, they are also responsible for saving many lives in house fires.

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References

1)      Rahman, F., Langford, K., Scrimshaw, M., & Leester, J. (2001). Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Science of the Total Environment, 275(1-3), 1–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.031

2)      Baker, N. (2008). The body toxic: how the hazardous chemistry of everyday things threatens our health and well-being. New York, NY: North Point Press.

3)      Fonnum, F., Mariussen, E., & Reistad, T. (2006). Molecular mechanisms involved in the toxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 69(1-2), 21-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15287390500259020

4)      Stapleton, H. M., Allen, J. G., Kelly, S. M., Konstantinov, A., Klosterhaus, S., Watkins., D., . . . Webster, T. F. (2008). Alternate and new brominated flame retardants detected in U.S. house dust. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(18), 6910-6916

5)      Stockholm Convention. (2008). Listing of POPs in the Stockholm Convention. Retrieved from http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/ListingofPOPs/tabid/2509/Default.aspx

6)      [Image of fire]. (2009). Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fire.JPG