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Cat serum contamination by phthalates, PCBs, and PBDEs versus food and indoor air

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Abstract

A wide variety of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) with semi-volatile properties are emitted to indoor air and, thus, humans might get exposed to these compounds. Pet cats spend the major part of their lifetime at home and might integrate indoor contamination so that they could mirror the human exposure. Three classes of EDCs, polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and phthalates (PAEs), were simultaneously considered and quantified in the serum of cats (Felis silvestris catus) living in the Paris area (France). The main compound concentrations by decreasing importance order were as follows: for PAEs, di-n-butyl phthalate (79,900 ng L−1) next di-iso-butyl phthalate (53,200 ng L−1), di-iso-nonyl phthalate (43,800 ng L−1), and di-ethylhexyl phthalate (32,830 ng L−1); for PCBs, CB153 (1378 ng L−1) next CB52 (509 ng L−1), CB101 (355 ng L−1), CB110 (264 ng L−1), and CB118 (165 ng L−1); and for PBDEs, BDE 153/154 (35 ng L−1) next BDE47 (10.7 ng L−1). Total serum concentrations as mean ± standard deviation were 107 ± 98 μg L−1 for ∑9PAEs, 2799 ± 944 ng L−1 for ∑19PCBs, and 56 ± 21 ng L−1 for ∑9BDEs. The three chemical groups were found in cat food: 0.088 ng g−1 for ∑9BDEs, 1.7 ng g−1 for ∑19PCBs, and 2292 ng g−1 for ∑9PAEs and in indoor air: 0.063 ng m−3 for ∑9BDEs, 1.5 ng m−3 for ∑19PCBs, and 848 ng m−3 for ∑9PAEs. Contaminant intake by food ingestion was approximately 100-fold higher than that by indoor air inhalation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Laboratoire Hydrologie et Environnement de l’Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE). We wish to thank the CERCA and Prof. Fontbonne for their scientific assistance and for providing the cats used in this study. Technical assistance throughout this study was given by Catherine Bourges and Annie Desportes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. EPHE, UMR 7619 METIS (UPMC—Univ Paris 06/CNRS), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France

    Clélie Braouezec, Marc Chevreuil & Marie-Jeanne Teil

  2. Unité de Pharmacie-Toxicologie de l’Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort Unité Inserm U955 équipe 03, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94704 Cedex, Maisons-Alfort, France

    Brigitte Enriquez

  3. UPMC—Univ Paris 06, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France

    Martine Blanchard

Authors
  1. Clélie Braouezec
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  2. Brigitte Enriquez
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  3. Martine Blanchard
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  4. Marc Chevreuil
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  5. Marie-Jeanne Teil
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Correspondence to Marie-Jeanne Teil.

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Responsible editor: Hongwen Sun

Highlights

1. Phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybromodiphenyl ethers were quantified in cat serum, food, and indoor air.

2. Cat serum contamination levels were similar to those found in other European countries.

3. Relationships between contaminants in cat serum versus indoor air or cat food were shown.

4. Food intake was the prevailing contamination pathway.

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Braouezec, C., Enriquez, B., Blanchard, M. et al. Cat serum contamination by phthalates, PCBs, and PBDEs versus food and indoor air. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 9574–9584 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6063-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6063-0

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