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Comment on “Brominated Flame Retardants, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Organochlorine Pesticides in Captive Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) from China” Hu et al. (1) report detection of decabromodiphenyl ethane in tissues derived from captive panda bears. We find this observation quite remarkable. Albemarle Corporation is the developer of the commercial product, and has sponsored its mammalian and environmental testing (2, 3). The product has a no-adverse-effect-level of 1000 mg/kg/day in a 90-day rat study, and no-effect-levels of 1250 mg/kg/d in rat and rabbit prenatal developmental studies. It is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract; an oral pharmacokinetic study in the rat using 14C-labeled test article found only background levels of radioactivity in the blood. Given this fact and that the testes are highly protected organs, its reported detection and the concentrations cited in panda bears are suspect. Our experience with the product indicates it is extremely difficult to analyze due to its low solubility in organic solvents and its proclivity to adhere to most surfaces. Laboratory contamination is not uncommon when working with this material. Details on the analysis for decabromodiphenyl ethane in Hu et al. were lacking, and we are unable to conclude whether the quantitative data provided by the authors are valid. We did find it interesting that the sample used in the analytical standard by Hu et al. was not provided by Albemarle Corporation nor was an acknowledgment provided identifying the supplier. The lot number cited by the authors in the Supporting Information referred to material that had been sent previously to a Swedish researcher for exclusive use. This sample of decabromodiphenyl ethane was not shared with Hu et al., which prompts the question: what standard did Hu et al. use for their investigation? As a general comment, formal risk assessments on several brominated flame retardants, including decabromodiphenyl ethane, are available and accessible via the Internet (4-7). Contrary to many publications speculating as to harmful effects, unbiased formal risk assessments have often concluded an absence of human health risks from various brominated flame retardants.
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Disclosure of Conflict of Interest. The authors are employedby Albemarle Corporation, a specialty chemical manufacturer whose product line includes decabromodiphenyl ethane. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Albemarle Corporation.
Literature Cited (1) Hu, G.-C.; Luo, X.-J.; Dai, J.-Y.; Zhang, X.-L.; Wu, H.; Zhang, C.-L.; Guo, W.; Xu, M.-Q.; Mai, B.-X.; Wei, F.-W. Brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides in captive giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens) from China. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008, 42, 4704–4709. (2) Hardy, M. L.; Margitich, D.; Ackerman, L.; Smith, R. L. The subchronic oral toxicity of ethane, 1,2-bis(pentabromophenyl) (Saytex 8010) in rats. Int. J. Toxicol. 2002, 21, 165–170. (3) Hardy, M. L. A comparison of the fish bioconcentration factors for brominanted flame retardants with their nonbrominated analogues. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2004, 23, 656–661. (4) European Union. Risk Assessment Report: Bis(pentabromophenyl) ether; EUR 20402 EN; 2002; http://ecb.jrc.it/ DOCUMENTS/Existing-Chemicals/RISK _ ASSESSMENT/REPORT/ decabromodiphenyletherreport013.pdf. (5) European Union. Risk Assessment Report: 2,2′,6,6′-tetrabromo-4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol (tetrabromobisphenol-A or TBBP-A); Part II-human health;EUR 22161 EN; 2006; http://ecb.jrc.it/DOCUMENTS/Existing-Chemicals/ RISK _ ASSESSMENT/REPORT/tbbpaHHreport402.pdf. (6) Dungey, S. M.; Akintoye, L. Environmental Risk Evaluation Report: 1,1′-(Ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (CAS no. 84852-53-9); Environment Agency: Almondsbury, Bristol, UK; 2007; http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/epages/ eapublications.storefront/48771dd8022bcfe8273fc0a8029606a9/ Search/Run. (7) VoluntaryChildren’sChemicalEvaluationProgram.DataSummary: Decabromodiphenyl Ether, A.K.A. Decabromodiphenyl Oxide, DBDPO); American Chemistry Council’s Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel: Arlington, VA, 2002; http://www.tera.org/peer/ VCCEP/DECA/DBDPO%20Assessment.pdf.
Marcia L. Hardy and Paul F. Ranken Health, Safety and Environment, and Research and Development, Albemarle Corporation, 451 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801 ES802038N
10.1021/es802038n CCC: $40.75
2008 American Chemical Society
Published on Web 09/27/2008
