Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclodecane (HDCD) have become ubiquitous global enviromental contaminants because of their widespread use in numerous household and commercial products, such as polyurethane furniture foam, carpet, high impact cases, circuit boards, appliances, electrical equipment, polystyrene foams, and backcoating of fabrics. They have been detected in sediments, biota, house dust, sewage sludge, air, water samples, and human and wildlife tissues. In the past years an impressive amount of information has become accessible on the persistence, as well as bioaccumulative and toxic properties of PBDEs and HBCD.

There are 209 congeners of PBDEs. They are produced industrially as mixtures (designated penta-BDE, octa-BDE, and deca-BDE). Some PBDEs break down further in the environment and in the body to other PBDEs and to other compounds.

search terms:Standards, Bromobiphenyl ether Congeners