This paper summarizes the historical and recent research on the aquatic toxicology and bioconcentration potential of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a major flame retardant in electronics. Historical studies on TBBPA are presented in detail, and are compared with more recent research. The historical studies have not been published to date, though they were pivotal in regulatory assessments by the European Union, Canada, and the USA. These assessments have enabled the use of TBBPA as a flame retardant in electronic applications, to the present. The studies were conducted under a Test Rule by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1987, and were sponsored by member companies of the North American Flame Retardants Alliance (NAFRA) through the American Chemistry Council. The studies were conducted under Good Laboratory Practice procedures, and include 6 acute toxicity tests of TBBPA with fish, invertebrates, algae, and microbes, eight chronic tests, and three bioconcentration studies with fish and invertebrates. Methods and empirical data for each study are detailed in an electronic supplement. Results of the NAFRA studies are compared with recent findings on TBBPA toxicity. Molluscan shell growth may be uniquely sensitive to TBBPA, more sensitive than chronic fish or crustacean toxicity endpoints. Several of the NAFRA studies and several independent studies have reported toxicities exceeding the empirical water solubility limits of TBBPA (in the range of 2.0 mg/L depending on pH). The validity of these results is discussed.

Objective Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant and a known immune suppressant in humans and experimental animal models. Studies on PFOA have focused on suppression of the adaptive immune response; however, little is known of the impact on innate immunity, especially during embryogenesis. Therefore, we utilized the zebrafish chemotaxis assay coupled with in situ hybridization for myeloperoxidase expression to determine the effects of PFOA exposure on neutrophil migration in the developing zebrafish embryo. Zebrafish embryos are a well-established in vivo model that exhibit high homology with the development of human innate immunity. Results Treatment of zebrafish with increasing concentrations of PFOA identified the lethal concentration in 50% of the embryos (LC 50 ) to be 300 mg/L. Utilizing the zebrafish chemotaxis assay, this study showed that wounding induced significant neutrophil migration to the site of injury, and that neutrophil number in the wound region was significantly reduced in response to 48-h PFOA exposure (well below doses causing acute mortality). This study demonstrates that the developing embryo is sensitive to PFOA exposure and that PFOA can modify the innate immune system during embryonic development. These results lay the groundwork for future investigation on the mechanisms underlying PFOA-induced developmental immunotoxicity.

The purpose of this study was to identify, characterize, and assess data needs for ecological risk of household cleaning product polymers currently being used in the United States (US). Because of their range in properties and functions, polymers are used in a wide variety of household cleaning products, including fabric, dish, and hard surface cleaners. Understanding their potential environmental impact is essential for good ingredient and product stewardship. The household cleaning product polymers were first identified using several databases. Of the 185 polymers initially identified, 120 were eliminated from the list because they did not fit the definition of a polymer, were not well defined (e.g., no Chemical Abstracts Service [CAS] or trade name only), or were not in current use. Forty‐seven of the remaining polymers had either adequate environmental fate and hazard data and/or sufficient data for conducting a comprehensive ecological risk assessment and were determined to be of low concern by either the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and/or the Human and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Project. The remaining 18 polymers were determined to need further review because of a lack of publicly available information for conducting ecological risk assessments. Additional data for these 18 polymers could be obtained by accessing privately held data, conducting laboratory tests on their fate and effects in aquatic environments, or by conducting read‐across of similar structured polymers. These steps can be utilized by industry to determine where best to dedicate future environmental stewardship efforts. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:621–632. © 2019 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)

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