Results were released from a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study that showed that low levels of man-made chemicals remain in drinking water even after being treated at community water facilities. The study involved collection of water from nine selected rivers, including the White River in Indiana; Elm Fork Trinity River in Texas; Potomac River in Maryland; Neuse River in North Carolina;

This month scientists from California and Massachusetts reported that Californians have more than twice the amount of PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) circulating in their blood than do other Americans. Although studies have shown that United States residents have higher levels of PBDEs than do Europeans, until now little has been known about regional difference in PBDE levels within the United States.   

 

PBDEs are used to make furniture flame retardant and are also used in electronics. PBDEs are released into the environment as dust particles and are then inhaled or ingested by animals where they accumulate in living tissue.  Zota and colleagues compared the concentration of PBDEs in dust from 49 homes in California with that from 120 Massachusetts homes and, using data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, compared blood levels of PBDEs in California residents to that of other states.