Evaluating the Utility of Instrumental Tools for Screening for the Presence of BFRs
Objective: To test the hypothesis that screening tools such as portable XRF analysers and ICP-MS provide a satisfactory surrogate metric of the BFR content of a range of goods and materials.
Method: ESR1 will test the project hypothesis under the following scenarios: (I) Studying the correlations between the XRF-measured Br concentrations of microenvironment contents and the BFR concentration in indoor dust/air; and (II) Evaluating whether XRF and ICP-MS measure of Br in waste items provide an accurate measure of concentrations of restrict BFRs. Combined, such studies will enhance our ability to design protocols for the appropriate deployment of hand-held XRF analysers or alternatives such as ICP-MS under these scenarios. Data on the BFR content of samples will also provide important new data on the relative presence in indoor environments and the waste stream of both legacy and novel BFRs.
Secondment Plan: Most of the first 18 months will be spent at TMO, receiving training in the operation and maintenance of the portable XRF, ICP-MS and GC-MS and LC-MS/MS instruments to be used in the field and lab-based studies. This period will be interspersed with a secondment to the University of Birmingham for initial training in sampling of indoor dust, the preparation of ethical approval applications, and the extraction and clean-up protocols required to prepare samples for instrumental analysis. After 18 months the researcher will move to the University of Birmingham to conduct both the field and lab-based studies, interpret their data, and write their doctoral thesis. There will be a secondment to the FSA for practical training in a scientific policy-making environment.
Has the Use of Phenolic BFRs Led to Environmental Contamination of Brominated Dioxins & Furans?
Objective: To test the hypothesis that increased manufacture and use of BFRs like PBDEs and TBBP-A has led to increased environmental contamination with PBDD/Fs.
Method: To test the project hypothesis, ESR2 will measure concentrations of a number of BFRs in radiometrically-dated sediment core slices from 8 freshwater lakes in England. The exact temporal resolution of each core will depend on the sedimentation rate of each lake studied, but target resolution is of the order of 5 years. Samples will be analysed as far back as 1950 to provide a baseline from which increases in BFR contamination should be evident.
Secondment plan: Most of the first 21 months will be TMO POPs Centre of Excellence, receiving training in the operation and maintenance of the GC-HRMS and LC-MS/MS instruments, and begin to use such instruments to analyse dated sediment core slice samples. This period will incorporate a secondment to the University of Birmingham for initial training in the extraction and clean-up protocols required to prepare samples for instrumental analysis. They will participate in the sediment core sampling campaign led by UCL and receive training in the radiometric dating of sediment core slice samples. An additional secondment with TMO Food Safety Response Centre will allow them to further develop and improve extraction and clean-up protocols for BFRs and PBDD/Fs using automated methods and Accelerated Solvent Extraction. They will also undergo a secondment to the FSA for practical training in a scientific policy-making environment.
After 21 months ESR2 will move to the University of Birmingham to conduct remaining analyses of both BFRs and PBDD/Fs in dated sediment core slice samples, interpret their data and write their doctoral thesis.
Exploring the Potential of High Mass Resolution and Mass Accuracy Mass Spectrometric Techniques to Track the Environmental Metabolism and Fate of BFRs: Application to Human Exposure
Objective: To test the hypothesis that degradation/ metabolic products of legacy and novel BFRs are measurable and ubiquitous in external matrices relevant to human exposure and in human milk.
Method: Working closely with ESR4, will use orbitrap mass spectrometry interfaced with both GC and LC to study the presence of degradation/metabolic products of a number of legacy and novel BFRs in a range matrices pertinent to human exposure. Matrices studied will include human milk, samples of human foodstuffs and both indoor air and dust. ESR3 will also analyse samples arising from in vitro studies where mouse liver microsomes are challenged with BFR standards. Using the mouse as a human model, such studies are designed to provide preliminary insights into the likely human/ mammalian metabolic products of target BFRs and their formation pathways and kinetics. This project will exploit new technological developments in orbitrap mass spectrometry to apply the mass defect filtering approach to the elucidation and characterisation of degradation/ metabolic products of both legacy and novel BFRs.
Secondment plan: Most of the first 21 months will be spent at TMO, receiving training in the operation and maintenance of the GC and LC orbitrap MS instruments used in this project. This will incorporate a secondment to the University of Birmingham for initial training in sampling of indoor air and dust, the preparation of any ethical approval applications that may be required, training in the conduct of in vitro metabolism studies, and the extraction and clean-up protocols required to prepare samples for instrumental analysis. After 21 months the researcher will move to the University of Birmingham to generate and analyse samples, write their PhD thesis, and liaise closely with ESR4 to review and interpret critically their combined database on the environmental levels and distribution of BFRs and their degradation/ metabolic products. The project will also include a secondment to the FSA to receive on-the-job training in a scientific policy-making environment.
Exploring the Potential of High Mass Resolution and Mass Accuracy Mass Spectrometric Techniques to Track the Environmental Metabolism and Fate of BFRS: Application the Ambient Environment Background
Objective: To test the hypothesis that degradation/ metabolic products of legacy and novel BFRs are measurable and ubiquitous throughout various compartments of the ambient environment.
Method: Will exploit orbitrap mass spectrometry interfaced with both GC and LC as appropriate to study the presence of degradation/ metabolic products of a number of legacy and novel BFRs in a range of matrices from a variety of ambient environmental compartments. Matrices studied will include cetacean tissues, as well as samples of soil, lacustrine sediment, marine sediments and fish. ESR4 will also analyse samples arising from in vitro studies where trout liver microsomes are challenged with BFR standards. The data from these studies will be compared and contrasted to those obtained from parallel studies on mouse liver microsomes conducted by ESR3. Data will be interpreted in the context of understanding those aspects of the environmental fate and behaviour of BFRs that are pertinent to the ambient environment with a particular focus on aquatic biota.
Secondment Plan: Most of the first 21 months will be spent at TMO, receiving training in the
operation and maintenance of the GC and LC orbitrap MS instruments to be used in this project. During this period they will be seconded to the University of Birmingham for initial training in sampling of indoor air and dust, the preparation of any ethical approval applications that may be required, training in the conduct of in vitro metabolism studies, and the extraction and clean-up protocols required to prepare samples for instrumental analysis. After 21 months, ESR4 will move to the University of Birmingham, to generate samples, analyse them, and write their doctoral thesis. ESR4 will also liaise closely with ESR3 to review and interpret critically their combined database on the environmental levels and distribution of BFRs and their degradation/metabolic products. During their final year, ESR4 will undergo a secondment to the FSA to receive practical experience of working in a scientific policy-making environment.