Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) have recently been identified in fish and wildlife from the Baltic Sea. Both OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs are known natural products, while OH-PBDEs also may be metabolites of PBDEs. The aim of the present study was to determine if the red macroalga Ceramium tenuicorne could be a source for MeO- and OH-PBDEs in the Baltic environment. Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the same area were also investigated for their content of MeO- and OH-PBDEs. Seven OH-PBDEs and four MeO-PBDEs were present both in the red macroalga and the blue mussels. The mussels also contained a monochlorinated OH-tetraBDE. One of the compounds, 6-methoxy-2,2',3,4,4',5-hexabromodiphenyl ether, has never been reported to occur in the environment. The identification was based on comparison of relative retention times with reference standards, on two gas chromatographic columns of different polarities, together with comparisons of full-scan electron capture negative ionization (ECNI) and electron ionization (EI) mass spectra. It is shown that MeO-PBDEs and OH-PBDEs are present in algae, but at this stage it could not be confirmed if the compounds are produced by the alga itself or by its associated microflora and/or microfauna.

ObjectiveOur aim was to investigate exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a young urban population in a developing country, with focus on potentially highly exposed children working informally as scrap scavengers at a large municipal waste disposal site. We also set out to investigate whether hydroxylated metabolites, which not hitherto have been found retained in humans, could be detected.MethodsWe assessed PBDEs in pooled serum samples obtained in 2002 from children 11–15 years of age, working and sometimes also living at the municipal waste disposal site in Managua, and in nonworking urban children. The influence of fish consumption was evaluated in the children and in groups of women 15–44 years of age who differed markedly in their fish consumption. Hydroxylated PBDEs were assessed as their methoxylated derivates. The chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, using authentic reference substances.ResultsThe children living and working at the waste disposal site showed very high levels of medium brominated diphenyl ethers. The levels observed in the referent children were comparable to contemporary observations in the United States. The exposure pattern was consistent with dust being the dominating source. The children with the highest PBDE levels also had the highest levels of hydroxylated metabolites.ConclusionsUnexpectedly, very high levels of PBDEs were found in children from an urban area in a developing country. Also, for the first time, hydroxylated PBDE metabolites were found to bioaccumulate in human serum.

Methoxylated and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs and OH-PBDEs) have recently been reported to be present in wildlife from Northern Europe. The structures of a majority of these compounds have however been unknown. In the present study, nine OH-PBDEs and six MeO-PBDEs were identified in Baltic Sea salmon (Salmo salar) blood. All OH- and MeO-PBDEs identified were substituted with four or five bromines, and five of these had one chlorine substituent. Fourteen of the OH- and MeO-PBDEs have the methoxy or hydroxy group substituted in the ortho position to the diphenyl ether bond. Identification was done by comparison of relative retention times of authentic reference standards with compounds present in salmon plasma on two gas chromatographic columns of different polarities. The identification was supported by comparisons of full-scan mass spectrometric data: electron ionization (EI) and electron capture negative ionization (ECNI). Nine of the 15 OH- and MeO-PBDEs identified have not previously been reported to occur in the environment. The structures of several identified OH- and MeO-PBDEs support natural origin. However, at least one of the OH-PBDEs may be a hydroxylated metabolite of anthropogenic polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE).

A method for the analysis of potential endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as phenolic halogenated compounds (e.g., chlorinated and brominated phenols) and hydroxylated PCBs, in blood plasma is presented. Neutral halogenated compounds, specifically brominated diphenyl ethers and PCBs, are also included in the evaluation. An efficient denaturation and extraction step is described, and three methods for lipid removal are evaluated. The latter includes a nondestructive method based on high-resolution gel permeation chromatography (HR-GPC), a newly developed silica gel/sulfuric acid column, and lipid removal by sulfuric acid treatment. Recoveries, based on gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD), were between 70 and 90% for most of the studied compounds. The recoveries of phenolic compounds were generally slightly lower than those of the neutral compounds. The sulfuric acid treatment and silica gel/sulfuric acid column gave the highest yields for acid stable compounds, although a few target compounds were lost during that treatment and all compounds were recovered with the HR-GPC method.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed a psychological burden on people worldwide, including fear and anxiety. Older adults are considered more vulnerable during public health emergency crises. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the psychological response of older adults during the acute phase of the pandemic in Greece. Method: This cross-sectional study was part of a larger three-day online survey. A total of 103 participants over the age of 60 fulfilled inclusion criteria. The survey included sociodemographic questions and six psychometric scales: the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (JGLS). Results: A significant proportion of the participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms (81.6%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (84.5%), as well as disrupted sleep (37.9%). Women reported significantly higher levels of COVID-19related fear, more severe depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances, as well as higher levels of intolerance of uncertainty. Participants living alone showed higher levels of loneliness. Intolerance of uncertainty was shown to modulate levels of loneliness. Conclusions: During the quarantine, attention was promptly drawn upon the risks related with older people's loneliness. Studies identifying factors that may contribute to loneliness during a public health emergency facilitate the implementation of supportive interventions. Preparedness to address and manage older people's loneliness may limit this deleterious emotional response during the pandemic, as well as at the post-COVID-19 phase.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants due to their use as flame retardants. Similarly to PCBs, the PBDEs are metabolized to hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PBDEs) in mammals. In the present study equimolar doses of seven environmentally relevant PBDE congeners were given intraperitoneally as a mixture to rats, and their blood plasma was analyzed for parent compounds and hydroxylated metabolites 1 and 5 days after dosing. Sixteen OH-PBDEs and two diOH-PBDEs were detected as PBDE metabolites in the rat plasma, a novel finding. Four OH-tetraBDEs were structurally identified by comparison (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) with authentic reference standards. The position of the hydroxyl groups was suggested according to the mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns of the corresponding PBDE methyl ether derivatives. The OH-PBDE metabolites were dominated by hydroxyl groups in the meta- and parapositions. The results show that OH-PBDE congeners have an ability to be retained in rat blood, most likely by a mechanism similar to that of OH-PCBs. The results will be useful for determination of the origin of OH-PBDEs present in wildlife and in humans, since OH-PBDEs are also common natural products in marine environments.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are still the most abundant pollutants in wildlife and humans. Hydroxylated PCB metabolites (OH-PCBs) are known to be formed in humans and wildlife. Studies in animals show that these metabolites cause endocrine-related toxicity. The health effects in humans have not yet been evaluated, especially the effect on the fetus and newborn. The aim of this study is to measure the levels of PCBs and OH-PCBs in maternal and cord blood samples in a population with background levels of PCBs. We analyzed 51 maternal and corresponding cord blood samples in the northern part of the Netherlands. The PCB concentrations in maternal plasma ranged from 2 to 293 ng/g lipid, and OH-PCB concentrations from nondetectable (ND) to 0.62 ng/g fresh weight. In cord plasma, PCB concentrations were 1–277 ng/g lipid, and OH-PCB concentrations, ND to 0.47 ng/g fresh weight. The cord versus maternal blood calculated ratio was 1.28 ± 0.56 for PCBs and 2.11 ± 1.33 for OH-PCBs, expressed per gram of lipid. When expressed per gram fresh weight, the ratios are 0.32 ± 0.15 and 0.53 ± 0.23 for PCBs and OH-PCBs, respectively. A significant correlation between the respective maternal and cord levels for both PCBs and OH-PCBs was found. Our results indicate that OH-PCBs and PCBs are transferred across the placenta to the fetus in concentrations resulting in levels of approximately 50 and 30%, respectively, of those in maternal plasma. More research in humans is needed to evaluate potential negative effects of these endocrine disruptors on the fetus.

ObjectiveOur aim in the present study was to characterize and quantify the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and specific polychlorobiphenylol (OH-PCB) metabolites in maternal sera from women delivering in eastern Slovakia.DesignDuring 2002–2004, blood samples were collected from women delivering in two Slovak locations: Michalovce district, where PCBs were formerly manufactured, and Svidnik and Stropkov districts, about 70 km north.ParticipantsA total of 762 and 341 pregnant women were sampled from Michalovce and Svidnik/Stropkov, respectively, and OH-PCBs were measured in 131 and 31.Evaluation/MeasurementsWe analyzed PCBs using gas chromatography (GC)/electron capture detection. OH-PCBs and pentachlorophenol (PCP) were determined as methyl derivatives using GC-electron capture negative ionization/mass spectrometry. We characterized distributions in the full cohort using inverse sampling weights.ResultsThe concentrations of both PCBs and OH-PCB metabolites of Michalovce mothers were about two times higher than those of the Svidnik/Stropkov mothers (p < 0.001). The median weighted maternal serum levels of the sum of PCBs (∑PCBs) were 5.73 ng/g wet weight (Michalovce) and 2.82 ng/g wet weight (Svidnik/Stropkov). The median sum of OH-PCBs (∑OH-PCBs) was 0.55 ng/g wet weight in Michalovce mothers and 0.32 ng/g wet weight in Svidnik/Stropkov mothers. 4-OH-2,2′ ,3,4′ ,5,5′ ,6-Heptachlorobiphenyl (4-OH-CB187) was a primary metabolite, followed by 4-OH-2,2′ ,3,4′ ,5,5′ -hexachlorobiphenyl (4-OH-CB146). Only four PCB congeners—CBs 153, 138, 180, and 170—had higher concentrations than 4-OH-CB187 and 4-OH-CB146 (p < 0.001). The median ratio of the ∑OH-PCBs to the ∑PCBs was 0.10.ConclusionsMothers residing in eastern Slovakia are still highly exposed to PCBs, and their body burdens of these pollutants and OH-PCB metabolites may pose a risk for adverse effects on health for themselves and their children.