Descriptive analysis of organophosphate ester metabolites in a pan-Canadian pregnancy cohort.

Ashley-Martin J, MacPherson SH, Zhao Z, Gaudreau E, Provencher G, Fisher M, Borghese, MM, Bouchard MF, Booij L, Arbuckle TE. Science of the Total Environment 2023 Jul 20;883:163327. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163327

Question: Were MIREC participants exposed to organophosphate ester flame retardants and how did levels of exposure vary according to participant characteristics?

These chemicals are added to many products such as furniture, clothing, and electronics for their flame retardant properties. They are also added to personal care products such as nail polish to increase durability. Few studies have examined exposure to these chemicals, particularly during pregnancy.

What did the researchers do:
Chemists measured levels of 15 organophosphate ester metabolites – break down products – in MIREC first trimester urine samples. MIREC researchers combined this exposure data with information about participant’s sociodemographic and health history characteristics to understand how exposure differed according to factors such as maternal age, race and ethnicity, country of birth, and body mass index (BMI).

What did they find:
Six out of the 15 metabolites were detected in the majority of MIREC participants. Concentrations of these metabolites tended to be higher in participants who were older and had higher pre-pregnancy body mass index. OPE concentrations also tended to be higher in urine samples collected in the summer than other seasons.

What does this mean:
This research demonstrates that exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants is widespread in our population of pregnant people and that concentrations differ according to certain characteristics such as age, BMI, and season. Concentrations of these chemicals were comparable to or lower than levels observed in other studies. Future research will investigate associations with maternal and child health outcomes.

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