Brominated and organophosphate flame retardants in indoor dust of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Implications for human exposure

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 569-570; pp. 269 - 277
• Main Authors: Ali, Nadeem, Eqani, Syed Ali Musstjab Akber Shah, Ismail, Iqbal Mohammad Ibrahim, Malarvannan, Govindan, Kadi, Mohammad W., Albar, Hussain Mohammed Salem, Rehan, Mohammad, Covaci, Adrian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2016
• Subjects: air; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Brominated flame retardants; bromine; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; filters; flame retardants; Flame Retardants - analysis; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; households; Human exposure; Humans; Indoor dust; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Organophosphate flame retardants; Organophosphates - analysis; phosphates; plasticizers; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Saudi Arabia; toddlers; Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia, Jeddah; Organophosphate flame retardants; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Brominated flame retardants; Indoor dust; Human exposure
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.093

Different flame retardants (FRs) namely polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), emerging brominated/chlorinated flame retardants (Br/Cl FRs), and organophosphate FRs (OPFRs) were analyzed in cars, air conditioner (AC) filters and floor dust of different households from Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). To the best of our knowledge, this is first study in literature reporting emerging Br/Cl FRs and OPFRs in AC filter dust and also first to report on their occurrence in dust from KSA. Chlorinated alkyl phosphate, penta-BDEs, BDE-209, and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) were the major chemicals in dust samples from all microenvironments. ΣOPFRs occurred at median concentrations (ng/g dust) of 15,400, 10,500, and 3750 in AC filter, car and house floor dust, respectively. For all analyzed chemicals, relatively lower levels were observed in floor dust than car and AC filter dust. The profiles of FRs in car dust were different from AC filter and floor dust, which reflected their wider application as FR and plasticizer in variety of household and commercial products. For toddlers, assuming high dust intake and 95th percentile concentrations, the computed exposure estimation for BDE-99 was higher than RfD values. [Display omitted] •First study on the incidence of FRs from different micro-environments of KSA•First study in literature reporting emerging Br/Cl FRs and OPFRs in AC filter dust•Chlorinated alkyl phosphate, BDE-209, and DBDPE were major chemicals.•Lower levels were observed in house dust than those of car and AC filter dust.•Estimated risk assessment of BDE-99 for toddlers was high than the RfD values.