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Scientists find link between flame retardants and obesity
"Could your electronics be making you fat? According to University of Houston researchers, a common flame retardant used to keep electronics from overheating may be to blame.
Scientists at UH's Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling (CNRCS) have been researching the issue using zebrafish. The researchers set out to screen for compounds that lead to obesity, called obesogens.
They studied the effect of two common flame retardants on sibling zebrafish and found the fish that were exposed to the compounds became heavier and longer, compared to their untreated siblings in the control group.
These flame retardants - tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) - are used to keep electronics from overheating and are found in computers, cell phones, televisions, tablets, video game consoles and other high-tech devices with electrical chips that could catch fire if they get overheated. These compounds are then released from such electronics and often end up in the dust we inhale.
A type of the much-maligned bisphenol A (BPA), which is already known to be an obesogen, these flame retardants are highly produced compounds. About 150,000 tons of TBBPA and 10,000 tons of TCBPA are produced per year.
"It's been shown that young children, who spend a lot of time on the floor, have higher levels of these compounds in their blood than adults. It has also been found to be passed through breast milk," said Maria Bondesson, a research assistant professor of biology and biochemistry with the CNRCS. "This is what led us to exposing the fish siblings to these compounds at relatively low concentrations. The fish treated with these compounds became heavier and the ones that weren't were lighter.""
rest at link
Scientists find link between flame retardants and obesity
"Could your electronics be making you fat? According to University of Houston researchers, a common flame retardant used to keep electronics from overheating may be to blame.
Scientists at UH's Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling (CNRCS) have been researching the issue using zebrafish. The researchers set out to screen for compounds that lead to obesity, called obesogens.
They studied the effect of two common flame retardants on sibling zebrafish and found the fish that were exposed to the compounds became heavier and longer, compared to their untreated siblings in the control group.
These flame retardants - tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) - are used to keep electronics from overheating and are found in computers, cell phones, televisions, tablets, video game consoles and other high-tech devices with electrical chips that could catch fire if they get overheated. These compounds are then released from such electronics and often end up in the dust we inhale.
A type of the much-maligned bisphenol A (BPA), which is already known to be an obesogen, these flame retardants are highly produced compounds. About 150,000 tons of TBBPA and 10,000 tons of TCBPA are produced per year.
"It's been shown that young children, who spend a lot of time on the floor, have higher levels of these compounds in their blood than adults. It has also been found to be passed through breast milk," said Maria Bondesson, a research assistant professor of biology and biochemistry with the CNRCS. "This is what led us to exposing the fish siblings to these compounds at relatively low concentrations. The fish treated with these compounds became heavier and the ones that weren't were lighter.""
rest at link