Flame Retardants Linked to Lower IQ in Children: The Risks of PBDE Exposure

Flame retardants, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been associated with health issues in the past. Now, though, scientists have discovered that prenatal exposure to these flame retardants can result in lower IQs and greater hyperactivity.

PBDEs have been widely used as flame retardants in everything from furniture to carpet padding to car seats over the past three decades. While most products containing these chemicals were removed voluntarily, some are still present in the environment. In fact, nearly all homes and offices still contain some PBDEs.

In order to better understand the impact of PBDEs on children, the researchers measured the levels of flame retardants in 309 U.S. women at 16 weeks of pregnancy. They then followed the children that were born until the age of five. In the end, the scientists found that a 10-fold increase in PBDE concentrations in early pregnancy when the fetal brain was developed was associated with a 4.5 IQ decrement, which is comparable with the impact of environmental lead exposure.

"The results from this and other observational human studies support efforts to reduce Penta-BDE exposures, especially for pregnant women and young children," said Bruce Lanphear, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Unfortunately, brominated flame retardants are persistent and North Americans are likely exposed to higher PBDE levels than people from other parts of the world. Because of this it is likely to take decades for the PBDE levels in our population to be reduced to current European or Asian levels."

The findings reveal the importance of reducing inadvertent exposure to PBDEs in the home and office environment in the form of dust. In addition, diet can also play a role; fish or meat products can contain higher levels of PBDEs since they can concentrate in higher amounts higher up the food chain.

Yet PBDEs aren't the only compounds under investigation. Scientists have also highlighted the importance of investigating related chemicals and flame retardants that are being used to replace PBDEs.

The findings are published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.