title: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in dust from primary schools in South East Queensland, Australia.
abstract: PBDE concentrations are higher in children compared to adults with exposure suggested to include dust ingestion. Besides the home environment, children spend a great deal of time in school classrooms which may be a source of exposure. As part of the "Ultrafine Particles from Traffic Emissions and Children's Health (UPTECH)" project, dust samples (n=28) were obtained in 2011/12 from 10 Brisbane, Australia metropolitan schools and analysed using GC and LC-MS for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) -17, -28, -47, -49, -66, -85, -99, -100, -154, -183, and -209. Σ11PBDEs ranged from 11-2163 ng/g dust; with a mean and median of 600 and 469 ng/g dust, respectively. BDE-209 (range n.d. -2034 ng/g dust; mean (median) 402 (217)ng/g dust) was the dominant congener in most classrooms. Frequencies of detection were 96%, 96%, 39% and 93% for BDE-47, -99, -100 and -209, respectively. No seasonal variations were apparent and from each of the two schools where XRF measurements were carried out, only two classroom items had detectable bromine. PBDE intake for 8-11 year olds can be estimated at 0.094 ng/day BDE-47; 0.187 ng/day BDE-99 and 0.522ng/day BDE-209 as a result of ingestion of classroom dust, based on mean PBDE concentrations. The 97.5% percentile intake is estimated to be 0.62, 1.03 and 2.14 ng/day for BDEs-47, -99 and -209, respectively. These PBDE concentrations in dust from classrooms, which are higher than in Australian homes, may explain some of the higher body burden of PBDEs in children compared to adults when taking into consideration age-dependant behaviours which increase dust ingestion.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: leisamaree.toms@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Leisa-Maree L
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazaheri
authors.affiliation: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brommer
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Air Quality and Health Research and Evaluation, 431 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.affiliation: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drage
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Jochen F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Phong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thai
authors.affiliation: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harrad
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morawska
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Harden
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011793:Queensland; D012574:Schools / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
keywords: Children; Dust; Intake; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Schools