Polybrominated+diphenyl+ethers+(Silver+Class)

toc Milana Lewis-Zakuto

=Abstract=

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) are a type of flame retardant. They are considered the new Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), which were banned in the early 1970’s because of how risky they were towards your health. PBDEs are mainly used in upholstery fabrics, plastics and foams in products like computers, televisions, furniture and carpet pads. Without this chemical a match dropped on a couch could mean fast starting flames instead of slow-moving smoke. Exposure from this chemical occurs by inhaling and ingesting dust when eating, drinking, smoking, and many other common hand-to-mouth procedures.

There are eight worldwide manufacturers of PBDEs and two of them are located in the United States, both prouction facilities being in Arkansas. This chemical is man-made and isn’t made up solely of the individual penta-, octa-, or deca-congeners. They are actually made up of many chemicals with different levels of power of the brominated type. PBDE’s have been linked to many health problems and diseases like thyroid problems, learning disabilities in children and also breast cancer. When a mother inhales or ingests the chemical, it stays contained in the lipids of the body so now the breast milk that the baby has to feed off of is now contaminated causing defects in the child’s brain that lead to learning disabilities later on in life. This chemical is used for fire prevention because it decomposes at high temperatures and releases bromine atoms that interfere with the chemical reactions driving oxygen-dependent fires. But a study was done and they realized that gasses and fumes from the products are released at temperatures between 86 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about the heat of a TV turned on. Many people are trying to ban this chemical because it has been stated that there are alternatives that aren’t as harmful as Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. There are still studies to be done for the topic of alternatives though.

I feel that this chemical is great for protecting items from becoming engulfed in flames in the matter of a predicament. But I do not like the fact that just by having your television on you are at risk of becoming poisoned by this chemical. So I am kind of torn in between the two. But since there are alternatives for this product I think that it should be taken as a precaution. It is even said that it could cost more to have this chemical than it is to just discontinue using it.

=Background=

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE’s) are chemical flame retardants. Exposure to PBDE’s occurs by ingesting and inhaling dust while eating, drinking, smoking, as well as other hand-to-mouth contact. They came into heavy use in the late -70’s and since then, Europeans have banned the use of the flame retardant. And with this action have come good results. It seems that women’s breast milk has been less contaminated due to the banning.

PBDE’s are mainly used in upholstery fabrics, plastics, and foams in products like computers, televisions, furniture, and carpet pads. Without them, a match dropped on the couch could mean fast starting flames instead of slow-moving smoke.

=Human Health Implications=

PBDEs tend to maximize in adipose tissue¹, blood and milk. In New York City, an average PBDE concentration in human adipose tissue was 10 to 100 times greater than in European Countries.

PBDEs have been linked to thyroid problems, learning disabilities in children, as well as breast cancer. There are many cases in which a mother’s breast milk causes defects in the child’s brain that lead to learning disabilities later on in life. Thyroid problems are caused by a natural human thyroid hormone, T4. PBDE’s are very similar to this hormone, and is potentially even more dangerous than the natural hormone itself.

¹ Adipose tissue is a type of connective tissue specialized for lipid storage.

=Environmental Implications=

PBDEs are used for fire prevention because they decompose at high temperatures and release bromine atoms, which interfere with the chemical reactions driving oxygen-dependent fires. It wasn’t until a 1997 study from the Institute of Environmental Chemistry at the University of Stockholm, Sweden, realized that flame-retardants release gasses and fumes between 86 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s about the heat of a TV turned on, meaning that when a television is on you’re inhaling fumes that cause many negative actions to occur to your body.

PBDEs are mixed with polymers as plastics are made, but don’t bind chemically with plastic. Because of that there’s no wonder why PBDEs are being found more and more in our environment.

=Synthesis/Production=

PBDEs are a man-made chemical. There are eight worldwide manufacturers of PBDEs and two of the eight are located in the United States. Albemarle Corporation (Richmond, VA) and Great Lakes Chemical Company (El Dorado, AR). Both production facilities are in Arkansas and manufacture over 95% of the organobromine compounds produced in the US¹. In the United States we only use three of the 209 different congeners of PBDEs. They are the penta-, deca-, or octo-congeners. They are not made up of only those bromine atoms, but are actually a combination of many different ones. When made it seems that they either contain a higher or lower level of the brominated congeners.

They are seeded into, but not covalently bound to polymer materials. This means that they are mixed with the product but not bound chemically. Overtime because of this, they come out of the product and become airborne.

=Economic/Political Impact=

As of January 1, 2008 penta- and octa- PBDEs have been banned in consumer products with limited exceptions. But, since January 1, 2008 deca- PBDEs have only been banned in their use in mattresses. It’s said that by January 1, 2011 they will be phased out of televisions, residential upholstered furniture and computers. But that’s only if certain conditions are met.

If PBDEs were banned not many people would be phased by it. Environmental organizations are stating that there is no need to use PBDEs because we have alternatives. Many electronics firms and furniture companies have already discontinued use of Deca-BDEs. Nobody is really at a disadvantage by using the alternatives for their products because it’s cost-effective and better for the environment so it’s a win-win situation.

=Public Service Announcement=

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