Food Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, 2203C, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada. Electronic address: thea.rawn@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Detectable concentrations of the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) have been reported in human tissues worldwide, but investigations to determine fetal exposure to this brominated flame retardant are lacking. This study was undertaken to determine the concentrations of a-, ß- and ?-HBCD in human tissues (fetal liver and placenta) from Canada. Tissue samples were collected over a thirteen year period following elective pregnancy terminations in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Samples were extracted using homogenisation with solvent, cleaned up using adsorption chromatography and analysis was performed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Total HBCD concentrations ranged from below the limit of detection (