title: Perfluoroalkyl acids and their precursors in indoor air sampled in children's bedrooms.
abstract: The contamination levels and patterns of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and their precursors in indoor air of children's bedrooms in Finland, Northern Europe, were investigated. Our study is among the most comprehensive indoor air monitoring studies (n = 57) and to our knowledge the first one to analyse air in children's bedrooms for PFASs (17 PFAAs and 9 precursors, including two acrylates, 6:2 FTAC and 6:2 FTMAC). The most frequently detected compound was 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) with the highest median concentration (3570 pg/m3). FTOH concentrations were generally similar to previous studies, indicating that in 2014/2015 the impact of the industrial transition had been minor on FTOH levels in indoor air. However, in contrast to earlier studies (with one exception), median concentrations of 6:2 FTOH were higher than 10:2 FTOH. The C8 PFAAs are still the most abundant acids, even though they have now been phased out by major manufacturers. The mean concentrations of FOSE/As, especially MeFOSE (89.9 pg/m3), were at least an order of magnitude lower compared to previous studies. Collectively the comparison of FTOHs, PFAAs and FOSE/FOSAs with previous studies indicates that indoor air levels of PFASs display a time lag to changes in production of several years. This is the first indoor air study investigating 6:2 FTMAC, which was frequently detected (58%) and displayed some of the highest maximum concentrations (13 000 pg/m3). There were several statistically significant correlations between particular house and room characteristics and PFAS concentrations, most interestingly higher EtFOSE air concentrations in rooms with plastic floors compared to wood or laminate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: kerstin.winkens@aces.su.se.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Winkens
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koponen
authors.affiliation: Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.affiliation: Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mahiba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shoeib
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vestergren
authors.affiliation: Department Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Karvonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland; Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pekkanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Cousins
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005387:Finland; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons
keywords: FOSA; FOSE; Fluorotelomer; Indoor air; PFAS; Perfluoroalkyl