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Torkjel M. Sandanger,^1,2 Marc Sinotte,³ Pierre Dumas,⁴ Mario Marchand,⁴ Courtney D. Sandau,⁵ Daria Pereg,¹ Sylvie Bérubé,³ Jacques Brisson,³ and Pierre Ayotte^1,4

¹Unité de recherche en santé publique, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec and Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada; ²Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Polar Environmental Centre, Tromsø, Norway; ³Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Québec, Canada; ⁴Centre de Toxicologie, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Québec, Canada; ⁵Trium Environmental Solutions Inc., Cochrane, Alberta, Canada

Abstract
Background: Brominated flame retardants, especially polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) , have been widely used in North America, but little is known about the level of exposure of human populations to these compounds.

Objectives: We set out to assess the internal exposure of postmenopausal Canadian women to selected organobromine compounds and to investigate factors associated with this exposure.

Methods: We measured concentrations of four PBDEs, one polybrominated biphenyl, and for comparative purposes, 41 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in plasma samples from 110 healthy postmenopausal women who were recruited at a mammography clinic in 2003–2004.

Results: PBDE-47 was the major PBDE congener, with a mean (geometric) concentration of 8.1 ng/g lipids and extreme values reaching 1,780 ng/g. By comparison, the mean concentration of the major PCB congener (PCB-153) was 41.7 ng/g and the highest value was 177 ng/g. PBDEs 47, 99, and 100 were strongly intercorrelated, but weaker correlations were noted with PBDE-153. As the sum of PBDEs (ΣPBDEs) increased, the relative contribution of PBDE-47 to the ΣPBDEs increased, whereas that of PBDE-153 decreased. PBDE-153 was the only brominated compound correlated to PCB-153. PBDE levels were not linked to any sociodemographic, anthropometric, reproductive, or lifestyle variables documented in the present study. Age and body mass index gain since the age of 18 years were significant predictors of PCB-153 plasma levels.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that exposure to PBDE-47 likely occurs through direct contact with the penta-PBDE formulation, whereas exposure to PBDE-153 may originate in part from the food chain.

Key words: brominated flame retardants, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, postmenopausal women, Québec, Canada. Environ Health Perspect 115:1429–1434 (2007) . doi:10.1289/ehp.10303 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 24 July 2007]

Address correspondence to P. Ayotte, Unité de recherche en santé publique CHUQ-CHUL and INSPQ, 945 avenue Wolfe, 4^e étage, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 5B3. Telephone: (418) 650-5115, ext. 4654. Fax: (418) 654-2148. E-mail: pierre.ayotte@inspq.qc.ca

This study was supported by the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (Etiology and Prevention Grant 013568) . M.S. was supported by studentships from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

C.D.S. is employed by Trium Environmental Solutions Inc., an environmental consulting firm. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 26 March 2007 ; accepted 23 July 2007.