In vitro screening of the endocrine disrupting potency of brominated flame retardants and their metabolites

DEVELOPMENTAL AND REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY vitro screening the endocrine disrupting potency brominated flame retardants and their metabolites Timo Hamers Jorke Kamstra Edwin Sonneveld Albertinka Murk Bart Zegers Jan Boon Abraham Brouwer Institute for Environmental Studies IVM Amsterdam BioDetection Systems BDS Amsterdam Wageningen University Toxicology Group Wageningen Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research NIOZ Den Burg Ume University Ume Introduction Substantial evidence recently becoming available that brominated flame retardants BFRs are potential endocrine disruptorsi The toxicological profile BFRs however too incomplete and insufficient perform human and ecological risk assessment fill these gaps the funded research program FIREii was started December This program aims the identification and toxicological characterization the most potent and environmentally relevant BFRs and their possible risk for human and wildlife health part hazard identification approach twentyseven BFRs have been selected within the framework FIRE for pre screening their endocrinedisrupting potencies Selection test compounds was based maximal variation physicochemical characteristics BFRs within the test set allowing the establishment quantitative structure activity relationships QSARs iii addition environmental relevance high production volumes and persistence and availability for testing were used selection criteria BFRs were tested seven different vitro bioassays for their potency interfere