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Previous studies have shown that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) behave as weak estrogens in animal and cell culture bioassays. In vivo metabolites of PBDEs are suspected to cause these effects.

To identify candidate metabolites, mouse plasma samples were collected after continuous oral and subcutaneous exposure to DE-71, a widely used commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether product, for 34 days.

Samples were extracted, separated into neutral and phenolic fractions, and analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry.

In the plasma samples of orally treated animals, 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-153) represented 52% of total measurable PBDEs, whereas it represented only 4.3% in the DE-71 mixture. This suggested that BDE-153 was more persistent than other congeners in mice. Several metabolites were detected and quantitated …