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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Organochlorine Pesticides in Adipose Tissues of Korean Women

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Abstract

Studies on residue levels and accumulation profiles of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in human adipose tissues of Korean populations are scarce. In this study, concentrations and accumulation features of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in adipose tissues of Korean women age 40–68 years. The highest concentrations were found for PCBs and DDTs, which were 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than the concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes, chlordanes, and PBDEs. The concentrations of PCBs and OCPs were lower than those reported for other countries. However, PBDE concentrations were greater than those reported for other countries, suggesting that ongoing exposure to PBDEs is a concern in Korea. The profiles of PBDEs were characterized by the predominance of BDE 209, followed by nona- and octa-BDEs, which are consistent with the consumption patterns of products containing PBDEs in Korea. The concentrations of PCBs and some OCPs were significantly correlated with each other, whereas PBDEs showed low or moderate correlations with other POPs, suggesting differences in exposure routes and biotransformation potentials of the compounds studied. The concentrations of organochlorines and PBDEs were not correlated with subjects’ age and body mass index. The results of this study provide baseline information on POPs in adipose tissues of the general population in Korea.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all of the women who donated tissues for this study. This study was funded by a grant from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (RP-2011-ME-011) and the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Marine Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 426-791, Republic of Korea

    Hyo-Bang Moon

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 700-422, Republic of Korea

    Duk-Hee Lee

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 700-422, Republic of Korea

    Yoon Soon Lee

  4. National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), 408-1, Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, 619-705, Republic of Korea

    Minkyu Choi & Hee-Gu Choi

  5. Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, 12201-0509, USA

    Kurunthachalam Kannan

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  1. Hyo-Bang Moon
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Correspondence to Hyo-Bang Moon.

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Moon, HB., Lee, DH., Lee, Y.S. et al. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Organochlorine Pesticides in Adipose Tissues of Korean Women. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 62, 176–184 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-011-9679-6

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