Brominated flame retardants and seafood safety: A review

• Published in: Environment international 2015-04, Vol.77 (C), p.116-131
• Main Authors: Cruz, Rebeca, Cunha, Sara C., Casal, Susana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bioaccumulation; Brominated flame retardants; Bromination; Contaminants; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Environmental Pollution - legislation & jurisprudence; Exposure; Flame retardants; Flame Retardants - toxicity; Food Contamination; Food safety; Freshwater; Human; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Brominated - analysis; Hydrocarbons, Brominated - toxicity; Legislation; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Seafood; Seafood - analysis
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.01.001

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), frequently applied to industrial and household products to make them less flammable, are highly persistent in the environment and cause multi-organ toxicity in human and wildlife. Based on the review of BFRs presence in seafood published from 2004 to 2014, it is clear that such pollutants are not ideally controlled as the surveys are too restricted, legislation inexistent for some classes, the analytical methodologies diversified, and several factors as food processing and eating habits are generally overlooked. Indeed, while a seafood rich diet presents plenty of nutritional benefits, it can also represent a potential source of these environmental contaminants. Since recent studies have shown that dietary intake constitutes a main route of human exposure to BFRs, it is of major importance to review and enhance these features, since seafood constitutes a chief pathway for human exposure and biomagnification of priority environmental contaminants. In particular, more objective studies focused on the variability factors behind contamination levels, and subsequent human exposure, are necessary to support the necessity for more restricted legislation worldwide. •Literature regarding BFRs in seafood from 2004 to 2014 has been reviewed.•Many pollutants continue to be under regulated or monitored, especially novel BFRs.•Intrinsic and extrinsic variables may affect contaminant levels in seafood.•Risk assessment studies should be further developed for consumers' safety.