# Childhood and In utero Exposure to Organophosphate and Replacement Brominated Flame Retardants and Child Respiratory Outcomes

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 2024 · $281,987

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Due to environmental and health concerns, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) previously used as flame
retardants were phased out in the U.S. starting 2004 and substituted with organophosphate (OPFRs) and
replacement brominated flame retardants (RBFRs). Inhalation of contaminated house dust and vapor as a route
of exposure to these chemicals has raised concerns for respiratory health due to their ability to cause irritation,
oxidative stress, bronchoconstriction, endocrine disruption, and epigenetic changes. Yet, the association of these
exposures with respiratory outcomes is unknown, especially in children who may be at higher risk due to higher
exposure to the chemicals. The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that childhood and in utero exposure
to OPFRs and RBFRs is associated with respiratory symptoms and impaired lung function. We will use the
Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a multiethnic pregnancy and birth cohort
from the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, with environmental exposures similar to U.S. national averages. Exposure will
include dust OPFRs and RBFRs measured at child age 1 year and prenatally at 20 weeks of gestation as well
as urine OPFR esters measured annually for the first 3 years and prenatally at 16 and 26 weeks of gestation
and at delivery. Respiratory outcomes will include symptoms assessed biannually until age 5 years and forced
expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) measured at ages 4 and 5 years. DNA methylation of cord-blood was
profiled using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. The 3 specific aims to test our hypothesis
will be to determine 1) the association of childhood and in utero exposure to OPFRs and RBFRs with adverse
respiratory outcomes; 2) the association of OPFRs and RBFRs interactions and mixtures with adverse
respiratory outcomes for prenatal and postnatal exposures; and 3) the cord blood DNA methylation changes
related to prenatal OPFRs and RBFRs associated with children’s respiratory outcomes. This innovative project
will be the first prospective study on flame retardants and respiratory health to include RBFRs, prenatal exposure
assessments, and objective measures of lung function. Upon completion, we will have identified the replacement
flame retardants, alone or in mixtures, associated with adverse respiratory outcome. We will have also
determined the exposure cut-offs for increased respiratory risk, the windows of susceptibility, and the DNA
methylation changes mediating the associations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10871847
- **Project number:** 5R01ES034049-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **Principal Investigator:** Angelico Mendy
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $281,987
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10871847

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10871847, Childhood and In utero Exposure to Organophosphate and Replacement Brominated Flame Retardants and Child Respiratory Outcomes (5R01ES034049-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10871847. Licensed CC0.

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