New developments on emerging organic pollutants in the atmosphere

Abstract

The volatile methyl tert-butyl ether and siloxanes are taken as examples of information insufficient with regard to the potential risk induced by diffusion in the atmosphere. Illicit drugs, whose presence in the air was ascertained although by far unexpected, are considered to stress the needs of investigating not solely the environmental compartments where toxic substances are suspected to display their major influence. Finally, the identification of two recognized emerging contaminants, i.e., tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, in aerosols originally run to characterize other target compounds is presented with the purpose of underlining the wide diffusion of the organic emerging contaminants in the environment.

Volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) concentrations in outdoor air of several Catalan urban areas

“…high vapour pressure, low surface tension and high degree of compatibility with numerous ingredients used in consumer products formulations) (Dudzina et al, 2014), they are widely employed in personal care products, such as cosmetics, and skin and hair care products, as well as in household cleaning and coating agents (Dodson et al, 2012;Nørgaard et al, 2009;Pieri et al, 2013;Yucuis et al, 2013). This leads to high and continuous emissions of these compounds to air, and up to a 90% of the environmentally released cyclic siloxanes diffuse directly into the atmosphere (Balducci et al, 2012), where they can be subject to long-range atmospheric transport (Genualdi et al, 2011;McLachlan et al, 2010;Wang et al, 2013). Even though they have been recognized as safe as cosmetic ingredients (SCCS, 2010), the concern is growing in respect to their environmental distribution, due to their capacity of being long range transported, persistence, possible toxic and estrogenic effects and propensity to bioaccumulate (Dodson et al, 2012;Hassen et al, 2013, Harvey andEverett, 2006;He et al, 2003;Krogseth et al, 2103a;McLachlan et al, 2010;Quinn et al, 2007, Xu andWania, 2013;Wang et al, 2013;Warner et al, 2010).…”

“…, and further investigations to evaluate their potential human and environmental exposure risks have been claimed by several researchers (Balducci et al, 2012;Genualdi et al, 2011;Xu et al, 2012) shower gels, shaving foams and shampoos, due to the persistence, bioaccumulative potential and toxicity of these compounds (ECHA, 2016).…”

“…Generally, VMS have been evaluated in biogas matrix due to the serious corrosionrelated problems that these compounds can cause in gas combustion engines (Dewil et al, 2006;Rasi et al, 2010), however, their presence and concentrations in indoor and outdoor air have been less studied (Balducci et al, 2012;Pieri et al, 2013), and sampling methodologies for ambient air VMS analysis are relatively new and limited. In 2010, Kierkegaard and McLachlan published the first accurate and reliable methodology to determine VMS, based on solid phase extraction cartridges sampling and analysis through GC/MS.…”

A perspective on the potential risks of emerging contaminants to human and environmental health

“…Moreover, they can reach regions far apart from their initial production, even affecting the Inuit population through bioaccumulation. They can also biomagnify and impact different trophic levels of the food chain and carcinogenicity are among the consequences of exposure to these contaminants (Balducci et al 2012).…”

Conclusions and Future Trends

“…Both cyclic and linear VMS are emitted into the environment as industrial refuses, e.g., in manufacturing high molecular weight silicone polymers, or owing to use of silicon products. Due to their widespread use, siloxanes are found in wastewaters, in landfill solid wastes, and also in biogases generated by the anaerobic degradation of organic materials [11].…”