Abstract
Consumer products such as furniture foam and electronic device casings are treated with flame retardant chemicals (FRs) to prevent the spread of fire. Many FRs are able to leach out of a product and end up in house dust. FRs in house dust can be taken up by humans through inhalation, ingestion or dermal adsorption. This study aims to identify factors in the home environment that are associated with FR levels in house dust. House dust and a wide range of data on characteristics of electronics, including age and use, interior decoration, domestic house and cleaning patterns, were collected from 50 households in the Netherlands. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and several organophosphate flame retardants were measured in dust at detection percentages ranging from 58 to 94%, with median concentrations ranging from 32 ng/g (resorcinol-bis(diphenyl)phosphate (PBDPP)) to 825 ng/g (tris(chloropropyl)phosphate (TCIPP)). For the first time, age, hours of operation and use of the standby function of electronic devices were found to affect FR levels in dust. We found that if the total number of electronic devices purchased before 2008 increased by 1 device, BDE209 levels in house dust significantly increased by 66%. In addition, house dust from homes with carpeted floors was significantly associated with a 70–80% lower concentration of several FRs compared to homes with smooth floors (e.g., laminate). Less frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting were significantly associated with 41 to 88% higher concentrations of several FRs in dust. These associations suggest that actions such as frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting as well as different FR regulations for electronic devices affect indoor exposure levels.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1144-1152 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
| Volume | 645 |
| Early online date | 21 Jul 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Dec 2018 |
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Keywords
- BDE209
- Consumer products
- Home environment
- House dust
- Organophosphate flame retardants
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Electronics, interior decoration and cleaning patterns affect flame retardant levels in the dust from Dutch residences. / Sugeng, Eva J.; de Cock, Marijke; Leonards, Pim E.G.; van de Bor, Margot.
In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 645, 15.12.2018, p. 1144-1152.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Electronics, interior decoration and cleaning patterns affect flame retardant levels in the dust from Dutch residences
AU - Sugeng, Eva J.
AU - de Cock, Marijke
AU - Leonards, Pim E.G.
AU - van de Bor, Margot
PY - 2018/12/15
Y1 - 2018/12/15
N2 - Consumer products such as furniture foam and electronic device casings are treated with flame retardant chemicals (FRs) to prevent the spread of fire. Many FRs are able to leach out of a product and end up in house dust. FRs in house dust can be taken up by humans through inhalation, ingestion or dermal adsorption. This study aims to identify factors in the home environment that are associated with FR levels in house dust. House dust and a wide range of data on characteristics of electronics, including age and use, interior decoration, domestic house and cleaning patterns, were collected from 50 households in the Netherlands. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and several organophosphate flame retardants were measured in dust at detection percentages ranging from 58 to 94%, with median concentrations ranging from 32 ng/g (resorcinol-bis(diphenyl)phosphate (PBDPP)) to 825 ng/g (tris(chloropropyl)phosphate (TCIPP)). For the first time, age, hours of operation and use of the standby function of electronic devices were found to affect FR levels in dust. We found that if the total number of electronic devices purchased before 2008 increased by 1 device, BDE209 levels in house dust significantly increased by 66%. In addition, house dust from homes with carpeted floors was significantly associated with a 70–80% lower concentration of several FRs compared to homes with smooth floors (e.g., laminate). Less frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting were significantly associated with 41 to 88% higher concentrations of several FRs in dust. These associations suggest that actions such as frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting as well as different FR regulations for electronic devices affect indoor exposure levels.
AB - Consumer products such as furniture foam and electronic device casings are treated with flame retardant chemicals (FRs) to prevent the spread of fire. Many FRs are able to leach out of a product and end up in house dust. FRs in house dust can be taken up by humans through inhalation, ingestion or dermal adsorption. This study aims to identify factors in the home environment that are associated with FR levels in house dust. House dust and a wide range of data on characteristics of electronics, including age and use, interior decoration, domestic house and cleaning patterns, were collected from 50 households in the Netherlands. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and several organophosphate flame retardants were measured in dust at detection percentages ranging from 58 to 94%, with median concentrations ranging from 32 ng/g (resorcinol-bis(diphenyl)phosphate (PBDPP)) to 825 ng/g (tris(chloropropyl)phosphate (TCIPP)). For the first time, age, hours of operation and use of the standby function of electronic devices were found to affect FR levels in dust. We found that if the total number of electronic devices purchased before 2008 increased by 1 device, BDE209 levels in house dust significantly increased by 66%. In addition, house dust from homes with carpeted floors was significantly associated with a 70–80% lower concentration of several FRs compared to homes with smooth floors (e.g., laminate). Less frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting were significantly associated with 41 to 88% higher concentrations of several FRs in dust. These associations suggest that actions such as frequent vacuum cleaning and dusting as well as different FR regulations for electronic devices affect indoor exposure levels.
KW - BDE209
KW - Consumer products
KW - Home environment
KW - House dust
KW - Organophosphate flame retardants
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050074916&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85050074916&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.127
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.127
M3 - Article
VL - 645
SP - 1144
EP - 1152
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
SN - 0048-9697
ER -