Size-resolved particle measurements of polybrominated diphenyl ethers indoors: Implications for sources and human...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant polymer additives that are widely detected in outdoor and indoor environments. Release of PBDEs from consumer products leads to high concentrations indoors, but mechanisms of release are poorly understood. Although ingestion of dust is a well-studied indoor PBDE exposure route, the importance of inhalation exposure is uncertain. To address these unknowns, dust was collected from household vacuum cleaners, and suspended particulate matter was collected from the same homes in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, using a cascade impactor. Size-fractionated particulate matter samples (0.01-18 μm diameter) were analyzed for PBDEs. The sum of PBDEs in all particulate matter ranged from 8.7 ± 0.5 to 15.7 ± 0.5 pg/m³ , with >50% of PBDE mass in respirable particulate matter (<1 μm). Mass loadings as a function of particle size suggested that both abrasion and off-gassing led to the presence of PBDEs in particulate matter. Variability in the particulate matter mass loadings indicated that emission mechanisms were both product- and location-dependent. Congener profiles in colocated vacuum dust and particulate matter samples were different, indicating that vacuum dust cannot accurately predict PBDE congeners in respirable particulate matter. A calculated lower limit inhalation exposure to PBDEs (0.19 ng/d) is lower than exposure via diet or ingestion of dust, although the different biochemical pathways for inhalation compared with ingestion may have different biological effects. The present study highlights the importance of contaminant analysis in size-fractionated particulate matter to assess human exposure via inhalation compared with traditional vacuum dust methods. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:481-490. © 2017 SETAC.