A One Health approach to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): Integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) used as flame retardants that pose interlinked environmental health challenges, making them an ideal focus for One Health assessment. This review synthesizes current scientific knowledge on PBDEs contamination based on a literature analysis of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. It examines shared contamination sources, exposure pathways, toxicological mechanisms, and intervention strategies. PBDEs exemplify the One Health paradigm through their ubiquitous anthropogenic sources, causing global environmental contamination across all health domains. Common exposure pathways (dietary intake, dust inhalation, and maternal transfer), create direct interface between human and wildlife health via contaminated environmental reservoirs. Across species, PBDEs have been linked to convergent toxicological outcomes, including endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental deficits, reproductive impairments, and immunotoxicity, underscoring shared vulnerability patterns. Recent studies highlight the interaction between PBDEs and microplastics, which may enhance bioavailability and introduce novel exposure pathways. Vulnerable populations, notably children and pregnant women, face disproportionate risks requiring targeted interventions, including source control, advanced remediation technologies, and cross-sectoral surveillance systems. Despite regulatory progress, PBDEs remain a persistent global concern due to environmental persistence, continued emissions from legacy products, and emerging vectors such as microplastic-mediated transport. Addressing these challenges demands coordinated, cross-sectoral approaches that integrate environmental monitoring, transdisciplinary research, and harmonized regulatory frameworks. The One Health perspective offers a robust and holistic model for managing PBDEs and related POPs, emphasizing the urgency of collaborative solutions that recognize the intrinsic interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health in combating global contamination challenges.