title: Brominated flame retardants in dust from UK cars--within-vehicle spatial variability, evidence for degradation and exposure implications.
abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and tetrabromobiphenol-A (TBBP-A) were measured in a preliminary study of dust from passenger cabins and trunks of 14 UK cars. Concentrations in cabin dust of HBCDs, TBBP-A, and BDEs 47, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, 196, 197, 202, 203, 206, 207, 208, and 209 exceeded significantly (p<0.05) those in trunk dust. Sampling cabin dust thus appears to provide a more accurate indicator of human exposure via car dust ingestion than trunk dust. Elevated cabin concentrations are consistent with greater in-cabin use of BFRs. In five cars, while no significant differences (p>0.05) in concentrations of HBCDs and most PBDEs were detected in dust sampled from four different seating areas; concentrations of TBBP-A and of PBDEs 154, 206, 207, 208, and 209 were significantly higher (p<0.05) in dust sampled in the front seats. Possible photodebromination of BDE-209 was indicated by significantly higher (p<0.05) concentrations of BDE-202 in cabin dust. In-vehicle exposure via dust ingestion to PBDEs, HBCDs and TBBP-A exceeded that via inhalation. Comparison with overall exposure via diet, dust ingestion, and inhalation shows while in-vehicle exposure is a minor contributor to overall exposure to BDE-99, ΣHBCDs, and TBBP-A, it is a significant pathway for BDE-209.
authors.affiliation: School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. S.J.Harrad@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harrad
authors.forename: Mohamed Abou-Elwafa
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abdallah
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007536:Isomerism; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; C089796:hexabromocyclododecane; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A