House dust as a source of human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Kuwait

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2006-07, Vol.64 (4), p.603-608
• Main Authors: Gevao, Bondi, Al-Bahloul, Majed, Al-Ghadban, Abdul Nabi, Al-Omair, Ali, Ali, Lulwa, Zafar, Jamal, Helaleh, Murad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Dust - analysis; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Exact sciences and technology; House dust; Human exposure; Humans; Indoor pollution; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; Kuwait; Medical sciences; Phenyl Ethers - analysis; Pollution; Polybrominated Biphenyls - analysis; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.11.055

This study reports concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in dust samples collected from 17 homes in Kuwait. PBDEs were measured in all homes investigated with mean ∑PBDEs concentration ranging from 1 to 393 ng g −1, with a geometric mean of 76 ng g −1. The dominant congener in all samples was BDE 209 constituting ca. 85% of the ∑PBDEs followed by BDE 99 (5%), BDE 47 (4.5%), and BDE 183 (2%). The congener mixture in dust is dominated by those in deca and penta formulations. Using the measured concentrations and estimates of dust ingestion rates for children and adults, estimated human non-dietary exposure based on mean PBDE levels were 14.8 and 1.5 ng day −1 for children and adults, respectively. The 10-fold difference in exposure estimates between children and adults in this study supports previous reports that children are at greater risk from pollutants that accumulate indoors. The ubiquitous distribution of these chemicals as noted in this study highlights the fact that we are continuously exposed to low doses of chemicals in the indoor environment.