▁have ▁higher ▁to x icity ▁and ▁bio acc um ulation ▁potential ." ▁ ▁Ex pos ures ▁and ▁health ▁effects ▁Oct a B DE ▁may ▁enter ▁the ▁body ▁by ▁ing estion ▁or ▁in hal ation . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁" st ored ▁mainly ▁in ▁body ▁fat " ▁and ▁may ▁stay ▁in ▁the ▁body ▁for ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁investigation ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁W WF , ▁" the ▁b rom in ated ▁fl ame ▁ret ard ant ▁chemical ▁( P B DE ▁ 1 5 3 ), ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁p enta - ▁and ▁oct a - ▁b rom in ated ▁di phen yl ▁ ether ▁fl ame ▁ret ard ant ▁products " ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁all ▁blood ▁samples ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁minister s ▁of ▁health ▁and ▁environment ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁European ▁Union ▁countries . ▁ ▁The ▁chemical ▁has ▁no ▁proven ▁health ▁effects ▁in ▁humans ; ▁however , ▁based ▁on ▁animal ▁experiments , ▁oct a B DE ▁may ▁have ▁effects ▁on ▁" the ▁li ver , ▁thy roid , ▁and ▁ne uro be havior al ▁development ." ▁ ▁Government al ▁actions ▁The ▁European ▁Union ▁has ▁carried ▁out ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁risk ▁assess ment ▁under ▁the ▁Ex isting ▁Sub st ances ▁Reg ulation ▁ 7 9 3 / 9 3 / E EC . ▁As ▁a ▁consequence , ▁the ▁EU ▁has ▁b anned ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁oct a B DE ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 0