Abstract
We have evaluated the levels and specific profiles of several organohalogenated contaminants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and flame retardants (FRs), such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), novel brominated FRs (NBFRs), and organophosphate FRs (OPFRs), in 47 indoor dust samples collected in 2010 from urban locations from Iasi, Eastern Romania. The dominant contaminants found in the samples were OPFRs (median sum OPFRs 7890ng/g). Surprisingly, OCPs were also measured at high levels (median 1300ng/g). Except for BDE 209 (median 275ng/g), PBDEs were present in dust samples at relatively low levels (median sum PBDEs 8ng/g). PCBs were also measured at low levels (median sum PCBs 35ng/g), while NBFRs were only occasionally detected, showing a low usage in goods present on the Romanian market. The results of the present study evidence the existence of a multitude of chemical formulations in indoor dust. FRs are usually associated to human exposure via ingestion of dust, but other chemicals, such as OCPs, are not commonly reported in such matrix. Although OCPs were found at comparable levels with OPFRs in Romanian dust, OCPs possess a higher risk to human health due to their considerably lower reference dose (RfD) values. Indeed, the OCP exposure calculated for various intake scenarios was only 2-fold lower than the corresponding RfD. Therefore, the inclusion of OCPs as target chemicals in the indoor environment becomes important for countries where elevated levels in other environmental compartments have been previously shown.
► Human exposure to multiple classes of chemicals via dust ingestion was assessed. ► Exposure via dust in Romania decreases as OCPs>OPFRs≫PBDEs≈PCBs>NBFRs. ► Intake of OCPs via dust ingestion was higher than the reference dose. ► OCPs should be included in indoor investigations.