2026-10-14T08:56:51Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34032148 2026-09-30T12:09:57Z category_4 category_7 category_13 category_21 category_873 category_734 category_64 portal_63 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Respiratory Health Effects of Organophosphate Ester Exposure: From Toxicological Mechanisms to Epidemiological Associations Tianlei Sun (517061) Jianzhong Cao (538214) Xiangyu Zhu (6663833) Mingyue Wang (90112) Xinyu Wang (341591) Yang Song (88132) Biochemistry Medicine Genetics Biotechnology Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Cancer reduced lung function odds ratio 3 mechanistic findings first human lung tissue confidence interval 1 carried nearly 4 brominated flame retardants 92 – 7 review integrates toxicological alkyl compounds acting organophosphate ester exposure respiratory health effects respiratory health toxicological mechanisms aryl compounds opfr exposure life exposure exposure misclassification young children sectional designs reverse causation prospective study population studies pollutant confounding oxidative stress overall evidence immune adjuvants highest intakes highest household general population childhood asthma chemically bound available meta analysis rates allergic sensitization Organophosphate esters (OPEs), particularly organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants since the phase-out of brominated flame retardants. As additives that are not chemically bound, OPFRs migrate into dust and air and are detected in over 90% of the general population, with the highest intakes in young children. This review integrates toxicological and epidemiological evidence linking OPFR exposure to respiratory health, presenting the mechanistic findings first. In population studies, prenatal and early-life exposure is associated with childhood asthma and wheeze; the highest household-dust quartile of tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) carried nearly 4-fold higher asthma odds (odds ratio 3.85, 95% confidence interval 1.92–7.74), whereas chlorinated OPFRs show the most consistent associations with reduced lung function. These associations are constrained by exposure misclassification, co-pollutant confounding, and reverse causation in cross-sectional designs, and the available meta-analysis rates the overall evidence as low. Toxicologically, OPFR exposure is associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and allergic sensitization, with chlorinated and aryl compounds most cytotoxic and alkyl compounds acting as immune adjuvants at the human tolerable daily intake. This convergence, reinforced by detection of OPFRs in human lung tissue, strengthens biological plausibility without proving causality. Major gaps regarding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), occupational exposure, and long-term trajectories warrant precautionary regulation and prospective study. 2026-09-30T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00372.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Respiratory_Health_Effects_of_Organophosphate_Ester_Exposure_From_Toxicological_Mechanisms_to_Epidemiological_Associations/34032148 CC BY-NC 4.0