Dust levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) in the Taiwanese elementary school classrooms: Assessment of the risk to school-age children

et al. 2016

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High levels of fine particulate (PM 2.5 ) in indoor and outdoor air have globally threatened human health and environment. There are still few studies which concern on the emerging persistent organic pollutants like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) bound on PM 2.5 . The aim of this study was to investigate PBDEs in PM 2.5 in various outdoor (metropolis, industrial, and rural areas) and indoor (library, rail station, hospital, supermarket, department store, and office) environments. PM 2.5 -bound PBDEs was analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry after PM 2.5 was collected. Mean levels of PM 2.5 -bound Σ 14 PBDEs were 79.0 and 116 pg m -3 in outdoor and indoor air, respectively. Compared to other outdoor locations, the industrial sites, Taixi (169 pg m -3 ) in particular, has the highest PM 2.5 -bound PBDEs levels which might be attributed to nearby industrial activities and indoor to outdoor migration behaviors. For indoor air, PM 2.5 -bound PBDEs mean concentrations (libraries, rail stations, department stores, offices, hospitals, and supermarkets) were found to be 357, 35.3, 50.2, 73.2, 59.2, and 124 pg m -3 , respectively. The high indoor PM 2.5 -bound PBDEs levels found in libraries are heavily affected by the presence of indoor electronic equipment or other consumer products. Similarly, this is also true for supermarkets which merchandise electronic consumer products. Although the abundant congener of deca-BDE consisted of 74.7% and 48.03% of Σ 14 PBDEs in the indoor and outdoor air, respectively, nona-BDEs predominantly contributed 11.6% in the indoors while tri-and tert-BDES contributed 11.3% and 16% in the outdoors. Higher brominated PBDEs are more likely due to their emission from electronic surfaces while lower brominated PBDEs are products of photochemical degradation. Other factors affecting both the indoor and outdoor air PM 2.5 -bound PBDE homologue levels such as migration behaviors might also be considered.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor and Outdoor Concentrations of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on Respirable Particulate in Central and Southern Taiwan

Chao

Que

et al. 2016

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“…In Taiwan, indoor dust levels of PBDD/Fs in school classrooms from rural areas were higher compared to urban school classrooms (Gou et al, 2016b). In addition, Taiwanese school classrooms' PBDD/F levels were in the same order of magnitude as those found in Japanese and Vietnamese house dusts, but lower compared to Swedish and American house dusts (Gou et al, 2016b). These differences in the indoor dust levels of PBDD/Fs emphasize large variations in the overall global data.…”

Section: Pbdd/fs In the Indoor Environmentmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Extremely high PBDD/F concentration of 3,800 ng g -1 dw -1 was also found in dust from a new car in Sweden compared to house dusts, which may indicate that new cars could be reservoirs for PBDD/Fs (Remberger et al, 2014). Not only are PBDD/Fs possibly correlated with different indoor emission sources, but several studies have reported significant correlations between PBDD/Fs and PBDEs (Ma et al, 2009;Gou et al, 2016b). ΣPBDD/Fs were found to be significantly correlated with ΣPBDEs in workshop floor dust from a Chinese e-waste recycling facility (r = 0.769, p < 0.01) (Ma et al, 2009) and in indoor dust from Taiwanese school classrooms (r = 0.862, p < 0.001) (Gou et al, 2016b).…”

Section: Pbdd/fs In the Indoor Environmentmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Not only are PBDD/Fs possibly correlated with different indoor emission sources, but several studies have reported significant correlations between PBDD/Fs and PBDEs (Ma et al, 2009;Gou et al, 2016b). ΣPBDD/Fs were found to be significantly correlated with ΣPBDEs in workshop floor dust from a Chinese e-waste recycling facility (r = 0.769, p < 0.01) (Ma et al, 2009) and in indoor dust from Taiwanese school classrooms (r = 0.862, p < 0.001) (Gou et al, 2016b). NBFRs and DP may also be connected with PBDD/Fs in the indoor dust, but no studies have looked into this possible correlation yet.…”

Section: Pbdd/fs In the Indoor Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Levels of Non-PBDE Halogenated Fire Retardants and Brominated Dioxins and their Toxicological Effects in Indoor Environments - A Review

Hsu

Arcega

et al. 2018

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Non-polybrominated diphenyl ether (non-PBDE) halogenated fire retardants (HFRs) such as new or novel brominated fire retardants (NBFRs) and dechlorane plus (DP) have been widely spread in the environment and recognized as emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the recent years, mainly due to the continuous increase in their global demand, especially after the worldwide restrictions on PBDE use. Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) are the unintentional byproducts of PBDE commercial formulations in the indoor environment. Although HFRs, including NBFRs, DP, and PBDD/Fs, are ubiquitous in the indoor environment due to the large-volume release from the surfaces of consumer products, only a few in vitro and in vivo studies have addressed their toxic effects. In this review article, global data on NBFRs, including decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP), and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), DP, including syn-DP and anti-DP, and PBDD/Fs in indoor aerosol and dust are summarized from recent literature. Based on the gathered data, indoor dust is a major sink for indoor contamination and is of great concern due to the fact that dust ingestion is one of the primary routes for human exposure to these chemicals. Lastly, the toxic effects of NBFRs, DP, and PBDD/Fs identified in in vitro and in vivo studies are summarized and discussed based on the current published reports. However, there is still a lack of sufficient toxicity data for assessing their risks. Future works are encouraged to focus on indoor PM 2.5 -bound HFR levels to further evaluate their toxic effects on human health.

“…Diverse contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, BFRs, polybrominated dibenzo-pdioxins/furans, cations, anions, heavy metals, dioxin-like compounds, in the indoor environment were the important source of human exposure (Chao et al, 2014a;Chou et al, 2015;Cheruiyot et al, 2015;Saraga et al, 2015;Shy et al, 2015;Gou et al, 2016). PBDEs are easily released from the surface of consumer products such as household electronic equipment, building materials, upholstered furniture, carpets, computers, textiles, and automobiles (de Wit, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollution Characteristics and Diurnal Variations in Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Indoor and Outdoor Air from Vehicle Dismantler Factories in Southern Taiwan

Hsu

Chao

et al. 2016

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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of the emerging persistent organic pollutants that have shown potential harmful effects in in-vivo and human studies. Our goal was to investigate 30 airborne PBDEs in day-to-night or indoor-to-outdoor in three vehicle dismantling factories located in southern Taiwan to assess worker risks. Thirty PBDEs including 15, 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 71, 77, 85, 99, 100, 119, 126, 138, 139, 140, 153, 154, 156, 183, 184, 191, 196, 197, 203, 206, 207, 208, and 209 were analyzed using high-resolution-gas chromatography/high-resolution-mass-spectrometer. Levels of airborne Σ 30 PBDEs were 275, 336, 200 and 494 p gm -3 in indoor daytime, indoor nighttime, outdoor daytime, and outdoor nighttime, respectively, and their differences were not significant. BDE-209 was the predominant congener among the 30 PBDEs consisting of 82.5-97.9% of Σ 30 PBDEs in both indoor and outdoor air. Pollution characterizations of the PBDE patterns were similar in air samples except for the outdoor air in the nighttime. Diurnal variations in PBDEs in both indoor and outdoor air were not observed. A principal component analysis was used to test for possible sources of PBDE contamination. BDE-209 in outdoor air was possibly contributed from PBDEs in indoor air, particularly from BDE-209. Characteristics of diurnal PBDE contamination in indoor and outdoor air in vehicle dismantling factories were linked to commercial technical OctaBDE (Bromkal 79-8DE) and DecaBDEs (Bromkal 82-0D and Saytex 102E) mixtures. The highest PBDE intakes of workers via inhalation were assessed as 41.8 and 32.7 pg kg -1 bw day -1 for male and female adults, respectively. It was hypothesized that airborne PBDEs in indoor factories are released from the surface of DecaBDE or OctaBDE technical formulations and influence outdoor air through ventilation or natural dispersion. However, occupational exposure through inhalation might be an important PBDE contamination pathway, but it is minor compared to PBDE dietary intake.