Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or
PBDEs, are
organobromine compounds that are used as
flame retardant. Like other
brominated flame retardants, PBDEs have been used in a wide array of products, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, airplanes, plastics,
polyurethane foams, and textiles. They are structurally akin to the
PCBs and other
polyhalogenated compounds, consisting of two
halogenated aromatic rings. PBDEs are classified according to the average number of
bromine atoms in the molecule. The health hazards of these chemicals have attracted increasing scrutiny, and they have been shown to reduce fertility in humans at levels found in households. Their chlorine analogs are
polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs). Because of their toxicity and persistence, the industrial production of some PBDEs is restricted under the
Stockholm Convention, a treaty to control and phase out major
persistent organic pollutants (POPs).