In December 2017 researchers from the USA published the results of their study to assess whether there was any association between organophosphate flame retardant levels in the urine of pregnant women and the neurodevelopment of their children at age 7. The phasing out of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants has resulted in an increased use of replacement chemicals, including Firemaster 550® and organophate flame retardants tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(chloropropyl) phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate. The presence of four organophosphate flame retardants in the urine of 310 pregnant women was assessed. Results showed that tris(1,3- dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate and triphenyl phosphate were detected in over 75% of urine samples, with isopropylphenyl phenyl phosphate (a metabolite of a component of FM 550®) being detected in 72%. An assessment of the child when they were aged 7 revealed a decrease of 2.9 points in the Full-Scale intelligence quotient and a decrease of 3.9 points in Working Memory for each ten-fold increase in diphenyl In December 2017 researchers from the USA published the results of their study to assess whether there was any association between organophosphate flame retardant levels in the urine of pregnant women and the neurodevelopment of their children at age 7. The phasing out of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants has resulted in an increased use of replacement chemicals, including Firemaster 550® and organophate flame retardants tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(chloropropyl) phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate. The presence of four organophosphate flame retardants in the urine of 310 pregnant women was assessed. Results showed that bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (a metabolite found in tris(1,3- dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) and diphenyl phosphate (a metabolite found in triphenyl phosphate) were detected in over 75% of urine samples, with isopropylphenyl phenyl phosphate (a metabolite of a component of FM 550®) being detected in 72%. An assessment of the child when they were aged 7 revealed a decrease of 2.9 points in the Full-Scale intelligence quotient and a decrease of 3.9 points in Working Memory for each ten-fold increase in diphenyl phosphate.
Castorina R et al. Current-use flame retardants: Maternal exposure and neurodevelopment in children of the CHAMACOS cohort. Chemosphere. 2017 Dec;189:574-580