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BROMATE: A CONCERN FOR DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICITY?
Citation:
CROFTON, K. M. BROMATE: A CONCERN FOR DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICITY? TOXICOLOGY. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 221:212-216, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
To describe the potential for bromate exposures to produce developmental neurotoxicity
Description:
In February of 2005 a workshop was held to evaluate the state-of-the-science of bromate toxicity. The workshop was sponsored by the American Water Works Association - Research Foundation, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Fairfax Water Authority, and Miami University. This manuscript describes the one topic discussed at this workshop. Experts were asked to evaluate the potential for bromate exposures to produce developmental neurotoxicity. This report is a product of that discussion. There is insufficient evidence for a conclusion on the effect of gestational exposure to amphetamine on birth weight. Currently, the need for a developmental neurotoxicity study for bromate, based on the weight of evidence, is uncertain. Bromate induces neurotoxicity in adults at high acute exposures and produces hearing loss and structural damage in the cochlea in humans and rodents. However, there is wide margin of exposure in these studies compared to environmental levels of bromate in water supplies. Data on the effects of bromate on thyroid hormone levels is not consistent and not a causative factor in thyroid tumor formation. There is no evidence that bromate caused CNS malformations, brain weight changes in developmental studies, nor is there any known structure-activity relationships to other known neurotoxicants. A prudent approach to reduce the uncertainties in the need for a developmental neurotoxicity study bromate should include determinations of whether bromate otoxicity occurs with extended duration, low concentration exposures. These studies would provide invaluable data for the weight-of-evidence approach used to determine the necessity of a developmental neurotoxicity study of bromate.