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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Environ Int. 2021 Jul 19;156:106727. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106727

Table 1.

Results of multilevel linear regression models of log concentrations of key PCB, BFR, and OPE chemicals (as determined by principal component analysis) in silicone wristbands worn by office workers in the USA, UK, China, and India.

Variable Polychlorinated Biphenyls Brominated Flame Retardants
PCB-11 PCB-101 BDE-47 BDE-209 BEHTBP
% Change p % Change p % Change p % Change p % Change p
Country (Ref: United States)
 United Kingdom 170% 0.15 Excluded −98.2% *** <0.0001 273% ** 0.0023 −26.70% 0.31
 China 942% ** 0.0022 Excluded Excluded 72.60% 0.22 −88.3% *** <0.0001
 India 1730% *** <0.0001 Excluded Excluded 227% ** 0.0063 −74.6% *** 0.00012
Year of Building Construction −0.35% 0.68 −2.02% * 0.029 −0.13% 0.84 −0.14% 0.77 −0.55% 0.15
Carpeting in Workstation – – 129% 0.3 −22.90% 0.4 −23.50% 0.24
Foam Chair at Workstation – – −22.90% 0.59 15.30% 0.5 23.30% 0.36
Average # Times Hands Washed 1.59% 0.87 −54.1% * 0.034 −10.60% 0.44 0.51% 0.93 −2.53% 0.74
Wore Wristband Under Sleeve 23.80% 0.38 105%. 0.09 −22.10% 0.47 −33.7% ** 0.0085 7.67% 0.69
Variable Organophosphate Esters OPEs: TBPPs OPEs: ITPs
EHDPP TiBP TnBP TpCP 4tBPDPP 2IPPDPP
% Change p % Change p % Change p % Change p % Change p % Change p
Country (Ref: United States)
 United Kingdom 206% * 0.019 113% ** 0.0081 −49.4%. 0.092 −41.90% 0.75 −76.9% * 0.045 93.10% 0.38
 China 15.70% 0.77 −41.2%. 0.069 −73.8% ** 0.0047 −98.8% * 0.023 −96.4% *** 0.00026 −61.60% 0.25
 India 62.60% 0.3 −47.7% * 0.024 −67.7% ** 0.0079 −57.10% 0.62 −91.2% ** 0.0018 −89.3% ** 0.0058
Year of Building Construction −0.64% 0.27 −0.02% 0.96 0.01% 0.99 −1.17% 0.57 −0.50% 0.57 −0.03% 0.98
Carpeting in Workstation 16.70% 0.66 23.90% 0.29 39.30% 0.26 −6.70% 0.96 328% ** 0.0079 571% ** 0.002
Foam Chair at Workstation −22.90% 0.3 7.62% 0.68 29.10% 0.15 267%. 0.088 25% 0.46 0.50% 0.99
Average # Times Hands Washed −1.16% 0.87 −1.76% 0.75 −4.60% 0.34 −17.10% 0.39 3.80% 0.66 −13.10% 0.25
Wore Wristband Under Sleeve −17.70% 0.29 7.51% 0.61 12.90% 0.33 105% 0.2 −4.38% 0.84 −3.78% 0.9

OPEs = organophosphate esters; ITPs = isopropylated triaryl phosphates; TBPPs = tertbutylated triaryl phosphates. Excluded = fewer than 5% of samples in the country had detectable levels so were excluded from model.

Note: Model outcomes were log-transformed before analysis, so model estimates were transformed to percent differences.