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Review
. 2020 Sep 15;17(18):6713.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186713.

Organophosphorus Flame Retardants: A Global Review of Indoor Contamination and Human Exposure in Europe and Epidemiological Evidence

Zohra Chupeau  1 , Nathalie Bonvallot  1 , Fabien Mercier  1 , Barbara Le Bot  1 , Cecile Chevrier  1 , Philippe Glorennec  1
Affiliations
Review

Organophosphorus Flame Retardants: A Global Review of Indoor Contamination and Human Exposure in Europe and Epidemiological Evidence

Zohra Chupeau et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

We aimed to identify high-priority organophosphorus flame retardants for action and research. We thus critically reviewed literature between 2000 and 2019 investigating organophosphorus flame retardants' presence indoors and human exposure in Europe, as well as epidemiological evidence of human effects. The most concentrated compounds indoors were tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBOEP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TCIPP), tris(2,3-dichloropropyl)phosphate (TDCIPP). TBOEP and TCIPP were the most consistently detected compounds in humans' urine, hair or breast milk as well as tris (butyl) phosphate (TNBP) and tris (phenyl) phosphate (TPHP). Notably, epidemiological evidence concerned reprotoxicity, neurotoxicity, respiratory effects and eczema risk for TDCIPP, eczema increase for TBOEP, and neurodevelopmental outcomes for Isopropylated triarylphosphate isomers (ITPs). Given the ubiquitous presence indoors and the prevalence of exposure, the growing health concern seems justified. TDCIPP and TPHP seem to be of particular concern due to a high prevalence of exposure and epidemiological evidence. TBOEP and TNBP require epidemiological studies regarding outcomes other than respiratory or dermal ones.

Keywords: biomonitoring; chemical safety; environmental health; epidemiology; indoor air quality; organophosphate ester.

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Conflict of interest statement

The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Organophosphorus Flame Retardants (OPFRs) dust median concentration in Europe, 2008–2018 (µg/g).
Figure 1
Figure 1
Organophosphorus Flame Retardants (OPFRs) dust median concentration in Europe, 2008–2018 (µg/g).
Figure 2
Figure 2
OPFRs air median concentration in Europe, 2000–2018 (ng/m3) (one bar per article).
Figure 2
Figure 2
OPFRs air median concentration in Europe, 2000–2018 (ng/m3) (one bar per article).
Figure 3
Figure 3
OPFRs (metabolite) highest median urinary concentrations (ng/L) in Europe, 2000–2018 (ng/mL); (a) Fromme et al., 2014 [21]; (b) Cequier et al., 2015 [27]; (c) Larsonn et al., 2014 [53]; (d) Reemtsma et al., 2011 [54].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Median OPFR concentrations found in hair in Europe, 2000–2018 [51] (ng/g).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Maximal median OPFR concentrations found in breastmilk in Europe, 2000–2019 (ng/g of lipid weight) [49,56].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic overview of indoor contamination, human exposure in Europe and epidemiologic evidence of organophosphorus flame retardants. 2000–2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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