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Indoor airborne phthalates in university campuses and exposure assessment
Abstract Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers in consumer products and are ubiquitous in indoor environments. Undergraduates spend a high amount of time indoors, however, little is known on the pollution characteristics and exposure to phthalates in indoor air in a university setting. In this study, passive air samplers measured the concentrations of phthalates in air from dormitories, classrooms, computer rooms, laboratories, and offices of a university in Beijing, China. A Monte-Carlo simulation was used to estimate the undergraduates’ exposure via inhalation based on air concentrations. Six phthalates were detected, including Dimethyl phthalate(DMP), Di (isobutyl) phthalate(DiBP), Di (n-butyl) phthalate(DnBP), Di (2-Methoxyethyl) phthalate(DMEP), Di (2-n-Butoxyethyl) phthalate(DBEP), and Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP). Sampling rates of polyurethane foam (PUF) were obtained from a calibration study by co-deploying passive and active air samplers in offices and laboratories, and the average sampling rate was 0.62 ± 0.33 m3/day. DnBP and DMEP were the most abundant phthalates in total investigated environments at the university. DMP, DnBP, and DMEP air concentrations showed significant differences in different indoor environments (p < 0.05). All phthalate concentrations were not significantly different between the sunny sides and shadowy sides of rooms (p > 0.05). DMP concentrations were significantly different between male and female dormitories (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis suggests that DiBP, DnBP, and DMEP may originate from the same sources, while DBEP and DEHP may originate from a separate common source. The daily intake of phthalates via inhalation in dormitories is greater than in classrooms, except for DMP, which may lead to higher carcinogenic risks for undergraduates.
Highlights Both the passive and active method were firstly adopted to study airborne phthalates in university campuses of China. Passive sampling rate of PUF for phthalates was 0.13–1.39 m3/day. DnBP and DMEP were the most abundant. Phthalate concentrations had no difference between orientations of room. Inhalation exposure of phthalates in dormitories was in the range of 3.6–237.1. The carcinogenic risk of DEHP in dormitories and classrooms was 1.72 times higher than EPA limit value.
Indoor airborne phthalates in university campuses and exposure assessment
Abstract Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers in consumer products and are ubiquitous in indoor environments. Undergraduates spend a high amount of time indoors, however, little is known on the pollution characteristics and exposure to phthalates in indoor air in a university setting. In this study, passive air samplers measured the concentrations of phthalates in air from dormitories, classrooms, computer rooms, laboratories, and offices of a university in Beijing, China. A Monte-Carlo simulation was used to estimate the undergraduates’ exposure via inhalation based on air concentrations. Six phthalates were detected, including Dimethyl phthalate(DMP), Di (isobutyl) phthalate(DiBP), Di (n-butyl) phthalate(DnBP), Di (2-Methoxyethyl) phthalate(DMEP), Di (2-n-Butoxyethyl) phthalate(DBEP), and Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP). Sampling rates of polyurethane foam (PUF) were obtained from a calibration study by co-deploying passive and active air samplers in offices and laboratories, and the average sampling rate was 0.62 ± 0.33 m3/day. DnBP and DMEP were the most abundant phthalates in total investigated environments at the university. DMP, DnBP, and DMEP air concentrations showed significant differences in different indoor environments (p < 0.05). All phthalate concentrations were not significantly different between the sunny sides and shadowy sides of rooms (p > 0.05). DMP concentrations were significantly different between male and female dormitories (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis suggests that DiBP, DnBP, and DMEP may originate from the same sources, while DBEP and DEHP may originate from a separate common source. The daily intake of phthalates via inhalation in dormitories is greater than in classrooms, except for DMP, which may lead to higher carcinogenic risks for undergraduates.
Highlights Both the passive and active method were firstly adopted to study airborne phthalates in university campuses of China. Passive sampling rate of PUF for phthalates was 0.13–1.39 m3/day. DnBP and DMEP were the most abundant. Phthalate concentrations had no difference between orientations of room. Inhalation exposure of phthalates in dormitories was in the range of 3.6–237.1. The carcinogenic risk of DEHP in dormitories and classrooms was 1.72 times higher than EPA limit value.
Indoor airborne phthalates in university campuses and exposure assessment
Meng, Ziyan (author) / Wang, Lixin (author) / Cao, Bikai (author) / Huang, Zhisheng (author) / Liu, Fang (author) / Zhang, Jinping (author)
Building and Environment ; 180
2020-05-21
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
University campuses in spatial transformation
| Online Contents | 2015
University campuses in spatial transformation
| Emerald Group Publishing | 2015