233
over 175 distinctive types, they are mostly classified as halogenated, organophosphate, nitrogenous, inorganic, and intumescent coatings. Of them, the brominated
flame retardants have had the most success and are also cost-effective and efficient.
Due to the widespread use of FRs, they have polluted our ecosystem and many of
these compounds have shown significant biological activity such as disruption of
the endocrine system, causing obesity and diabetes, elucidating oxidative stress and
inflammatory responses. With heightened awareness of the toxicities associated
with the use of FRs and given their importance, the need for more efficient, safe, and
cost-effective flame retardants is deepened and forthcoming new classes of improved
fire retardants in the near future are imminent.
Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest for this
article.
References
1. Speight JG. Chapter 4 - Sources and types of organic pollutants. In: Speight JG, editor.
Environmental organic chemistry for engineers. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2017.
p. 153–201.
2. Speight JG, Arjoon KK. Bioremediation of petroleum and petroleum products. Somerset:
Wiley; 2012.
3. Calafat AM, Needham LL. Human exposures and body burdens of endocrine-disrupting
chemicals. In: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Totowa: Humana Press; 2007. p. 253–68.
4. La Perle KMD, Dintzis SM. Endocrine system. In: Treuting PM, Dintzis SM, Montine KS,
editors. Comparative anatomy and histology. 2nd ed. San Diego: Academic Press; 2018.
p. 251–73, chap. 15.
5. Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Bourguignon J-P, Giudice LC, Hauser R, Prins GS, Soto AM, et al.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev.
2009;30(4):293–342.
6. Papalou O, Kandaraki EA, Papadakis G, Diamanti-Kandarakis E. Endocrine disrupting
chemicals: an occult mediator of metabolic disease. Front Endocrinol. 2019;10:112.
7. Pearce EM, Liepins R. Flame retardants. Environ Health Perspect. 1975;11:59–69.
8. Rahman F, Langford KH, Scrimshaw MD, Lester JN. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)
flame retardants. Sci Total Environ. 2001;275(1–3):1–17.
9. Patisaul HB, Roberts SC, Mabrey N, McCaffrey KA, Gear RB, Braun J, et al. Accumulation
and endocrine disrupting effects of the flame retardant mixture Firemaster® 550 in rats: an
exploratory assessment. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2013;27(2):124–36.
10. De Boer J, Stapleton HM. Toward fire safety without chemical risk. Science.
2019;364(6437):231–2.
11. Renner R. What fate for brominated fire retardants? Environ Sci Technol.
2000;34(9):222A–6A.
12. Abdallah MA-E, Covaci A. Organophosphate flame retardants in indoor dust from Egypt:
implications for human exposure. Environ Sci Technol. 2014;48(9):4782–9.
13. Regnery J, Püttmann W. Occurrence and fate of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in urban and remote surface waters in Germany. Water Res. 2010;44(14):4097–104.
14. Bollmann UE, Möller A, Xie Z, Ebinghaus R, Einax JW. Occurrence and fate of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in coastal and marine surface waters. Water Res.
2012;46(2):531–8.
14 Role of Flame-Retardants as EDCs in Metabolic Disorders
over 175 distinctive types, they are mostly classified as halogenated, organophosphate, nitrogenous, inorganic, and intumescent coatings. Of them, the brominated
flame retardants have had the most success and are also cost-effective and efficient.
Due to the widespread use of FRs, they have polluted our ecosystem and many of
these compounds have shown significant biological activity such as disruption of
the endocrine system, causing obesity and diabetes, elucidating oxidative stress and
inflammatory responses. With heightened awareness of the toxicities associated
with the use of FRs and given their importance, the need for more efficient, safe, and
cost-effective flame retardants is deepened and forthcoming new classes of improved
fire retardants in the near future are imminent.
Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest for this
article.
References
1. Speight JG. Chapter 4 - Sources and types of organic pollutants. In: Speight JG, editor.
Environmental organic chemistry for engineers. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2017.
p. 153–201.
2. Speight JG, Arjoon KK. Bioremediation of petroleum and petroleum products. Somerset:
Wiley; 2012.
3. Calafat AM, Needham LL. Human exposures and body burdens of endocrine-disrupting
chemicals. In: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Totowa: Humana Press; 2007. p. 253–68.
4. La Perle KMD, Dintzis SM. Endocrine system. In: Treuting PM, Dintzis SM, Montine KS,
editors. Comparative anatomy and histology. 2nd ed. San Diego: Academic Press; 2018.
p. 251–73, chap. 15.
5. Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Bourguignon J-P, Giudice LC, Hauser R, Prins GS, Soto AM, et al.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev.
2009;30(4):293–342.
6. Papalou O, Kandaraki EA, Papadakis G, Diamanti-Kandarakis E. Endocrine disrupting
chemicals: an occult mediator of metabolic disease. Front Endocrinol. 2019;10:112.
7. Pearce EM, Liepins R. Flame retardants. Environ Health Perspect. 1975;11:59–69.
8. Rahman F, Langford KH, Scrimshaw MD, Lester JN. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)
flame retardants. Sci Total Environ. 2001;275(1–3):1–17.
9. Patisaul HB, Roberts SC, Mabrey N, McCaffrey KA, Gear RB, Braun J, et al. Accumulation
and endocrine disrupting effects of the flame retardant mixture Firemaster® 550 in rats: an
exploratory assessment. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2013;27(2):124–36.
10. De Boer J, Stapleton HM. Toward fire safety without chemical risk. Science.
2019;364(6437):231–2.
11. Renner R. What fate for brominated fire retardants? Environ Sci Technol.
2000;34(9):222A–6A.
12. Abdallah MA-E, Covaci A. Organophosphate flame retardants in indoor dust from Egypt:
implications for human exposure. Environ Sci Technol. 2014;48(9):4782–9.
13. Regnery J, Püttmann W. Occurrence and fate of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in urban and remote surface waters in Germany. Water Res. 2010;44(14):4097–104.
14. Bollmann UE, Möller A, Xie Z, Ebinghaus R, Einax JW. Occurrence and fate of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in coastal and marine surface waters. Water Res.
2012;46(2):531–8.
14 Role of Flame-Retardants as EDCs in Metabolic Disorders