Health risk assessments of residents in the Pearl River Delta exposed to brominated flame retardants

The major objectives of the project are to develop validated methods for the analysis of nBFRs, investigate their occurrences in foodstuffs, indoor dust and human tissues and to evaluate the associated health risks. This proposed project comprises 6 parts: (1) Determination of average daily intakes of BFRs for residents in the PRD, via consumption of fish and other food products available in the region; (2) Determination of average inhalation intakes of BFRs for residents in PRD, by measuring BFRs in indoor dust samples; (3) Measuring the transfer of BFRs through the intestinal barrier using the Caco-2 cell line model, the transport of BFRs across human cultured alveolar A549 cell monolayers and their tissue distribution in an animal model; (4) Assessing human health risks of oganobromine compounds in human blood and breast milk samples, and the correlation of BFRs concentrations between daily intakes and human body burdens; (5) Determining transgenerational exposure of BFRs to newborns in the region via placental transfer and breast feeding; and (6) Reviewing the current issues and providing guidance concerning food consumption for local residents, especially for sensitive populations such as pregnant woman, women of childbearing age, and infants, with regards to BFRs.

Funding Source: HKSAR Govt - Innovative and Technology Fund (ITF)