Handheld electronic devices with plastic casings, such as cell phones, may be exposing users to toxic organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants that leach out of these products. Researchers from the University of Toronto reported in Environment International (December 2018) that people in contact with cell phones showed evidence of hand-to-mouth and skin-absorbed OPE exposure. To test the relationship of these exposure pathways, the researchers measured OPE concentrations from air, dust, hand, electronic product, and urine samples. They detected OPEs as well as OPE urinary metabolites in more than 80 percent of the samples. In addition, they found greater evidence of OPE exposure from cell phones than from tablets, desktop computers, and televisions. See also: Fire technology; Flameproofing; Organophosphorus compound; Phosphorus; Polymer
Organophosphate ester flame retardants have been widely used to replace now-banned brominated flame retardants—so widely that they are now found distributed throughout the environment worldwide. However, OPEs are structurally similar to organophosphate pesticides, which are known to harm children’s developing nervous system. As a result, exposure to OPE flame retardants is of concern because of their toxicity. At present in Europe and the United States, there are no regulations for chemicals used in the external casings of electronic devices, and manufacturers do not have to disclose the chemicals they use. To be sure, flame-retardant chemicals reduce the fire danger from the circuit boards inside these devices. But the use of flame retardants in external plastic casings is likely unnecessary, according to the Green Science Policy Institute, particularly because such use directly exposes adults and children. See also: Brominated flame retardants in the environment; Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants; Printed circuit board; Toxicology
