Olaf Päpke

TL;DR: The results indicate a need for more detailed investigation of the levels of PBDE in people and food, as well as determining if animal fat in food is the major route of exposure of the general U.S. population.

TL;DR: The indoor environment (dust, air) may play an important role in PBDE body burdens in addition to food, and dietary exposure alone does not appear to account for the very high body burdens measured.

TL;DR: Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in blood from the U.S. population at the present time and 30 years previously and also current human milk levels are reported, indicating there have been significant changes in levels of each class of these persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in U.s. human blood.

TL;DR: After maternal age, pre-pregnant BMI, and parity were adjusted, increased PBDEs in breast milk was related with decreased birth outcome, particularly for birth weight and length, chest circumference, and Quetelet's index of infants.

TL;DR: Despite product bans, POPs are found in U.S. food, and mixtures of these chemicals are consumed by the American public at varying levels, suggesting the need to expand testing of food for chemical contaminants.