Would
you please describe the significance of your paper and why it is highly
cited?
Our paper was the first to report an investigation of human body
burdens of PBDEs in North America, and we found that levels were
many times higher than those reported from Europe or Japan. The
paper also reported on our study of archived harbor seal tissues
where PBDEs increased by almost hundredfold over the 1990s. We
believe the paper is highly cited primarily because it shows that
PBDEs can accumulate in the human body like other Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs). The findings stimulated intense research activity
in this field in North America.
How
did you become involved in this research, and were there any particular
successes or obstacles that stand out?
|
“...the
lesson from the use of PBDE as flame retardants
is that more studies on persistence,
bioaccumulation potential, and long-range
transport and toxicity should be performed
before any new chemicals are put into use.”
|
|
In the late 1980s, we started to look at brominated dibenzofurans
(PBDFs) due to their dioxin-like toxicity, and, at that time, PBDEs
were analyzed as potential precursors (sources) and also as possible
interference compounds for PBDFs. We measured PBDEs and PBDFs in
environmental samples and gained experience with developing
analytical methods for them.
In 1998, Swedish researchers reported that the PBDE levels were
rising exponentially in human milk. At that time, we were conducting
studies involving seal and human adipose tissue samples. These
samples allowed us to systematically investigate the concentration
and time trends of PBDEs. Our previous PBDE analysis experience and
collaboration with scientists from Sweden made it easier for us to
set up a PBDE analysis procedure.
The major problem we had at the time was the lack of individual
PBDE standards to identify and quantify PBDE congeners. Some of our
analyses were based on the use of surrogate standards. We were also
puzzled by the unbelievably high concentrations we found in our
human samples compared to data available in the literature.
Nevertheless, we trusted our data and published them.
Where
do you see your research and the broader field leading in the future?
There are still many problems to be solved in the area of PBDE
research, particularly in the analysis of decaBDE, and the
elucidation of the decaBDE degradation pathway. Research on exposure
pathways to PBDEs and their toxicity is also warranted. Research is
also needed to find alternatives to PBDEs. These are some of the
problems that many research groups are working on currently. In our
opinion, the lesson from the use of PBDE as flame retardants is that
more studies on persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and
long-range transport and toxicity should be performed before any new
chemicals are put into use.
Does
your work have any social or political implications?
The results of our research sparked public interest and raised
awareness about the widespread use of bioaccumulative chemicals in
everyday products. Our work provided the scientific foundation for
California Assembly Bill (AB 302) which banned two types of PBDEs in
California in 2006, and the manufactures of these formulations
agreed to stop production in the US and Europe. However, PBDEs are
still produced in some other countries and decaBDE continues to be
used throughout the world.
Jianwen She, Ph.D.
Research Scientist IV
Genetic Disease Laboratory Branch
Genetic Disease Screening Program
California Department of Public Health
Richmond, CA, USA
Myrto Petreas, Ph.D., MPH
Chief, Environmental Chemistry Branch
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Berkeley, CA, USA
n
the interview below, we talk with Dr. Jianwen She and Dr.
Myrto Petreas about their paper, "PBDEs in the San Francisco
Bay area: measurements in harbor seal blubber and human
breast adipose tissue" (She JW,
et al. Chemosphere
46[5]: 697-707, Sp. Iss. February 2002), which is a core
paper in the Brominated Flame Retardants in the Environment