Human exposure pathways of polyfluorinated compounds and brominated flame retardants used in consumer products as inputs to risk assessment

Recently, concerns have risen about the increasing occurrence of polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFCs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the environment, compounds that are widely used in consumer products. The exposure of humans to PFCs and BFRs and the potential associated health risks are at present unclear. The principal objective of this project is to characterise different human exposure pathways for PFCs and BFR by comparing of estimates of exposure from food, indoor air and house dust wi th biomarkers of exposure. The fact that many Norwegians are high consumers of fatty fish and spend a lot of time indoors due to our climate, makes evaluation of these exposure pathways particularly important. We will also estimate the exposure for infant s and toddlers. Results from this study will give valuable inputs to the risk assessment of these compounds and to the development of sensitive control strategies to minimise human exposure. In order to determine the significance of different exposure ro utes, we will establish a cohort of at least 40 households. From them we will have indoor air and dust samples, serum from the adult persons living there, detailed information on their dietary habits and indoor variables. Based on available data on the levels of BFRs and PFCs in food, we will estimate the dietary exposure to these compounds in the general population and in the cohort subjects. We will also characterise levels of PFCs and BFRs in serum from a group of Norwegians with varying dietary habi ts, and see to what extent it correlates with estimated dietary exposure. The exposure of breast fed infants will be assessed. This project is a collaboration of national and international scientists from many fields. The combination of analytical chemi sts, environmental chemists, nutritionists, toxicologists and epidemiologists forms a needed framework for progress in the understanding of the occurrence of these compounds and implications for humans.