title: Characterizing distribution, sources, and potential health risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in office environment.
abstract: This study evaluated the levels and spatial distribution of PBDEs in 9 typical offices in Shanghai, China through the sample analysis of air and settled dust (floor dust, desktop dust and dust in computer case). PBDEs in air ranged from 93 to 322 pg/m(3), while the PBDEs levels in dust varied from 247 to 3.3 × 10(4) ng/g. Spatial variability of PBDEs in office dust was evident and likely influenced by air exchange and the use of electronic devices. A significant positive linear correlation was observed between the power usage rate and PBDE levels in both office air (R(2) = 0.81) and settled dust (R(2) = 0.94). The PBDEs exposure via inhalation and dust ingestion were both analyzed to estimate the life-time cancer risk, which is 1.34 × 10(-22) to 7.16 × 10(-22), significantly lower than the threshold level (10(-6)). Non-cancer risk indicated by the hazard index (<1) is also low in current exposure conditions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China. Electronic address: chenling@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Hao
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Bo
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Zhou
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, United States. Electronic address: wzhang81@njit.edu.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
keywords: Dust; Exposure; Office environment; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Risk assessment