Getting blood drawn may not be everyone’s idea of a vacation. Yet that’s just what some Swedish workers volunteered for. Researchers wanted to measure how bloodborne concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)–ubiquitous and potentially toxic flame retardants–changed during month-long respites from work. Other workers were tested in the workplace.
PBDEs escape from plastics, fabrics, and other materials (SN: 10/13/01, p.