Editing Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (section)

{{Short description|Class of chemicals}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Redirect|PBDE|the Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe)|Protein Data Bank}}{{Self-contradictory|date=January 2025|about=the health and environmental concerns section of the article says PBDEs aren't harmful but the rest of the article says they are}}{{Chembox
<!-- Images -->
| ImageFile = Polybrominated diphenyl ether.svg
| ImageSize = 220px
| ImageAlt =
| ImageCaption = Chemical structure of PBDEs
<!-- Names -->
| IUPACName = 
| OtherNames =
<!-- Sections -->
| Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo = 90193-67-2
| UNNumber = 
| PubChem = 
| DTXSID = DTXSID70107595
}}
| Section2 = {{Chembox Properties
| Formula = {{chem2|[[Carbon|C]]12[[Hydrogen|H]]_{10−''x''}[[Bromine|Br]]_{''x''}[[Oxygen|O]]}}
| MolarMass = Variable
| Appearance = 
| Density =
| MeltingPt =
| BoilingPt =
| Solubility =
}}
| Section3 = {{Chembox Hazards
| MainHazards =
| FlashPt =
| AutoignitionPt =
}}
}}

'''Polybrominated diphenyl ethers''' or '''PBDEs''', are a class of [[organobromine compound]]s that are used as [[flame retardant]]s. Like other [[brominated flame retardant]]s, PBDEs have been used in a wide array of products, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, airplanes, plastics, [[polyurethane]] foams,<ref>{{cite journal | pmc = 3113369 | pmid=21591615 | doi=10.1021/es2007462 | volume=45 | issue=12 | title=Identification of flame retardants in polyurethane foam collected from baby products | year=2011 | journal=Environ. Sci. Technol. | pages=5323–31 |vauthors=Stapleton HM, Klosterhaus S, Keller A, Ferguson PL, van Bergen S, Cooper E, Webster TF, Blum A | bibcode=2011EnST...45.5323S }}</ref> and textiles.  They are structurally akin to [[polychlorinated diphenyl ethers]] (PCDEs), [[polychlorinated biphenyl]]s (PCBs) and other [[polyhalogenated compound]]s, consisting of two [[halogen]]ated aromatic rings. PBDEs are classified according to the average number of [[bromine]] atoms in the molecule.  The life-saving benefits of fire retardants led to their popularization.  Standards for mass transit vehicles continues to increase as of 2021.<ref name=Ullmanns2021/>{{rp|pp=1–26}}

Because of their toxicity and persistence, all commercially relevant PBDEs have been marked for elimination under the [[Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants|Stockholm Convention]], a treaty to control and phase out major [[persistent organic pollutants]] (POPs).<ref name="COP2009">{{Cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Governments unite to step-up reduction on global DDT reliance and add nine new chemicals under international treaty |location=Geneva |publisher=Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention |date=8 May 2009 |url=https://www.pops.int/Convention/Pressrelease/COP4Geneva8May2009/tabid/542/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230807091036/https://www.pops.int/Convention/Pressrelease/COP4Geneva8May2009/tabid/542/language/en-US/Default.aspx |archive-date=7 August 2023}}</ref><ref name="COP2017">{{cite web |title=C.N.766.2017.TREATIES-XXVII.15 (Depositary Notification) {{!}} Amendments to annexes A and C |publisher=United Nations |work=Stockholm Convention |date=18 December 2017 |url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2017/CN.766.2017-Eng.pdf#page=16 |id=CN.766.2017 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20180426075754/https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2017/CN.766.2017-Eng.pdf#page=16 |archive-date=26 April 2018}}</ref>