[Correlations between HBCD and thyroid hormone concentrations in human serum from production source area].

The levels of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in human serum from the HBCD production source region were detected by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The concentrations (lipid weight) of ∑ HBCD in 80 serum samples ranged from not detectable to 2702.5 ng · g(-1). The mean and median values were 104.9 ng · g(-1) and 5.9 ng · g(-1), respectively. The most abundant HBCD isomer in 42 samples was γ-HBCD, while α-HBCD was the most abundant isomer in the other 26 serum samples. There was no significant difference in ∑ HBCD concentration among different age and gender. In this study, the thyroid hormone abnormality rate in the 80 residents was up to 33%. The thyroid hormone abnormality rate of the residents whose serum HBCD was detected was significantly higher than those without HBCD in serum. Since the local residents were highly exposed to HBCD, the probability of thyroid abnormality might be significantly increased.