Human exposure to PBDEs via house dust ingestion in Guangzhou, South China.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the important role played by indoor dust in human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), particularly in children, who spend most of their time indoors. Few data have been available for PBDEs in house dust in China. In this study, dust samples were collected randomly from 46 houses in Guangzhou, South China, for the first time to investigate levels and pattern profiles of PBDEs and to estimate human exposure to PBDEs for adults and toddlers (6 months to 2 years old). Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode, congeners--including BDE28, 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, and 209--were determined. The results show that BDE209 is the predominant congener in house dust, comprising 90.7% to 99.8% (mean 97.4%) of the total concentration. Of ∑tri-hepta BDEs, BDE47, 99, and 183 were the most abundant congeners, with mean contributions of 23.3%, 25.2%, and 21.9%, respectively. The intake of ∑tri-hepta BDEs via dust ingestion was 0.16-3.82 ng/d for adults and 2.1-7.64 ng/d for toddlers, accounting for 0.65% to 13.6% and 18.6% to 45.5%, respectively, of the total (based on data in our previous work) (Chen et al. 2008). With respect to intake of BDE209, the values increased to 11 to 264 ng/d for adults and to 145 to 527 ng/d for toddlers. Risk assessment indicated that PBDEs may possibly affect the health of toddlers in Guangzhou, South China. Further studies are needed to investigate the bioavailability and metabolism of PBDEs in humans to improve risk evaluation.
Chen
Laiguo
L
Center for Research on Urban Environment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences(SCIES), Ministry of Environmental Protection(MEP), Guangzhou 510655, China. chenlg@scies.com.cn
Huang
Yumei
Y
Xu
Zhencheng
Z
Wen
Lijun
L
Peng
Xiaochun
X
Ye
Zhixiang
Z
Zhang
Sukun
S
Meng
Xiang-Zhou
XZ
D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment
D004391:Dust; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers