Polyfluorinated telomers in indoor air of Japanese houses

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 90; no. 5; pp. 1672 - 1677
• Main Authors: Liu, Wanyang, Takahashi, Satoshi, Sakuramachi, Yui, Harada, Kouji H., Koizumi, Akio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: activated carbon; air; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data; alcohols; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorocarbons - analysis; Fluorotelomer; GC–MS; households; Housing - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Indoor air; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Japan; Passive air sampler; Pollution; summer; winter; North America; Europe; Japan; Asia; 10:2 FTOH; GC–MS; PFASs; PAS; 8:2 FTOAc; HSD test; 6:2 FTOH; GM; Japan; PFOA; FTOHs; IDL; ACFs; 8:2 FTOMac; CV; MDL; ANOVA; 8:2 FTOH; Fluorotelomer; GSD; 8:1 FA; Passive air sampler; Indoor air; Coupled method; Fluorotelomer alcohol; Alcohol; Air samplers; Air; Housing; Persistent organic pollutant; GC-MS; Gas chromatography; Passive detection; Indoor pollution; Air pollution; Fluorine Organic compounds; Mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.09.062

► 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOAc were detected in most samples. ► 8:2 FTOH is the predominant component among fluorotelomers in indoor air. ► 8:2 FTOH level is associated with sampled housing location and sampling season. ► There are fluorotelomer sources in indoor environments in the Keihan area, Japan. The fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) have been detected in various environmental compartments, including indoor and outdoor air, in North America and Europe. In our previous studies, FTOHs were detected at a relative higher concentration in outdoor air in the Keihan (Kyoto–Osaka, one of the major industrial zones) area, Japan compared to reported data. The exposure level of FTOHs in indoor air in the Keihan area remains unclear. In the present study, indoor air FTOH concentrations were investigated using a passive air sampler containing activated carbon felts. The indoor air sampling was conducted in 49 households of the Keihan area, during winter and summer 2008. Most samples contained 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOAc. The median concentration of 8:2 FTOH (5.84ngm−3) was highest among fluorotelomers, followed by those of 10:2 FTOH (1.12ngm−3), 6:2 FTOH (0.29ngm−3), and others. Significant correlations among fluorotelomers were observed in collected samples. The association between housing conditions and 8:2 FTOH concentrations showed that samples collected from bed rooms have higher 8:2 FTOH concentrations than those collected from other locations. In addition, samples collected in winter showed lower levels of 8:2 FTOH than those collected in summer. These findings suggest that 8:2 FTOH is the predominant component among fluorotelomers in indoor air, and that there are emission sources of fluorotelomers in indoor environments of the Keihan area. Further investigations into the origins of fluorotelomers are needed to evaluate indoor contamination with fluorotelomers.