Semi-volatile organic compounds in infant homes: Levels, influence factors, partitioning, and implications for human exposure

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 251; pp. 609 - 618
• Main Authors: Li, Hai-Ling, Liu, Li-Yan, Zhang, Zi-Feng, Ma, Wan-Li, Sverko, Ed, Zhang, Zhi, Song, Wei-Wei, Sun, Yu, Li, Yi-Fan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2019
• Subjects: Air; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; breathing; Carcinogenic risk; carcinogenicity; China; cooking; dermal exposure; Dust; Dust - analysis; floors; foams; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; Housing - standards; Humans; Infant; Infants; ingestion; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; octanol; Organophosphates - analysis; organophosphorus compounds; phthalates; Phthalic Acids - analysis; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; risk; smoking (habit); toxic substances; volatile organic compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Window film; China; Window film; Dust; Infants; Air; Carcinogenic risk
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.048

While infants are developing, they are easily affected by toxic chemicals existing in their environments, such as semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs): phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organophosphate esters (OPEs). However, the specific living environment of infants, including increased plastic products and foam floor mats, may increase the presence of these chemicals. In this study, 68 air, dust, and window film samples were collected from homes, with 3- to 6-month-old infant occupants, to analyze phthalates, PAHs, PBDEs, and OPEs. High detection rates and concentrations suggest that these SVOCs are widespread in infant environments and are associated with cooking methods, smoking habits, the period of time after decoration, and room floors. The partitioning behavior of SVOCs indicates that the logarithms of the dust/gas-phase air partition coefficient (logKD) and the window film/gas-phase air partition coefficient (logKF) in homes are not at an equilibrium state when the logarithm of the octanol/air partition coefficient (logKOA) is less than 8 or greater than 11. Considering the 3 exposure routes, ingestion and dermal absorption have become the main routes of infant exposure to phthalates and OPEs, and ingestion and inhalation have become the dominant routes of exposure to PAHs and PBDEs. The total carcinogenic risk of SVOCs, which have carcinogenic toxicities, via ingestion and dermal absorption for infants in homes exceeds the acceptable value, suggesting that the current levels of these SVOCs in homes might pose a risk to infant health. [Display omitted] •Phthalates, PAHs, PBDEs, and OPEs are ubiquitous in infant homes.•Indoor partitioning of SVOCs with logKOA greater than 11 was not in equilibrium.•The total carcinogenic risk of SVOCs for infants exceeded the acceptable value. High detection rates and concentrations of SVOCs in infant homes are associated with elevated daily intakes of SVOCs for infants, and might pose a risk to infant health.