Although the bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in aquatic organisms has been investigated, little information is available about their bioaccumulation in mammals following chronic inhalation exposure. To address this knowledge gap, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 7 PM 2.5 -associated OPFRs via the trachea to study their bioaccumulation, tissue distribution, and urinary metabolites. Low (corresponding to the real PM 2.5 concentrations occurring during winter in Guangzhou), medium, and high dosages were examined. After 72 days' exposure, ∑OPFR concentrations in tissues from mice in the medium dosage group decreased in the order of intestine > heart > stomach > testis > kidney > spleen > brain > liver > lung > muscle. Of the OPFRs detected in all three exposure groups, chlorinated alkyl OPFRs were most heavily accumulated in mice. We found a significant positive correlation between the bioaccumulation ratio and octanol−air partition coefficient (K OA ) in mice tissues for low log K OW OPFR congeners (log K OW ≤ 4, p < 0.05). Three urinary metabolites (di-p-cresyl phosphate: DCrP, diphenyl phosphate: DPhP, dibutyl phosphate: DnBP) were detected from the high dosage group. These results provide important insights into the bioaccumulation potential of OPFRs in mammals and emphasize the health risk of chlorinated alkyl OPFRs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.