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Brominated flame retardants in total diet study samples

Project Code: C02056

31/03/2005

Central Science Laboratory
Fernandes, A ; Rose, M; White, S; D'Silva, K;
Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ
Driffield, M

1. Individual samples of foods collected for the 2003 total diet survey (all except beverages) were pooled to obtain 19 composite food group samples. The concentrations of selected individual polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs), polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) congeners are reported for each sample. Additionally, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) isomers and tetrabromo bisphenol A (TBBPA) are also reported.

2. The reporting limits applied for PBDD/Fs, PBBs and PBDEs are similar to those normally used for reporting chlorinated dioxins and PCBs. Typical limits range from 0.02 ng/kg for tri- and tetra-BDD to 0.1 ng/kg for hexa-BDD congeners on a fat weight basis, 0.01 μg/kg for PBDEs and PBBs and 0.2 μg/kg for the deca-BDE/BB compounds. These measurements were carried out by HRGC-HRMS. HBCD and TBBPA were determined by LC-MS and reporting limits for these range from 0.23 μg/kg for β-HBCD on a whole weight basis to 0.49 μg/kg for α-HBCD.

3. Results presented in this report are generally expressed on a fat weight basis, for consistency with other data sets. HBCD and TBBPA are reported on both, fat weight as well as whole weight basis. The fat contents of all samples have been given in the report and where applicable, WHO-TEQ values have been calculated on both, a fat weight as well as a whole weight basis, to aid interpretation of the data.

4. Measurement uncertainty estimates calculated as per the Eurachem guide have been reported where possible for all the analytes measured by GC-MS.

An Extension study, Brominated Flame Retardants (HBCD and TBBPA) in 2004 Total Diet Samples was also published.

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