Semivolatile Organic Compounds in Residential Air along the Arizona−Mexico Border

Concerns about indoor air quality and the potential effects on people living in these environments are increasing as more reports about the toxicities and the potential indoor air exposure levels of household-use chemicals and chemicals from housing and furnishing manufacture in air are being assess...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2009-05, Vol.43 (9), p.3054-3060
Main Authors: Gale, Robert W, Cranor, Walter L, Alvarez, David A, Huckins, James N, Petty, Jimmie D, Robertson, Gary L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air - analysis
Air Pollutants - analysis
Air pollution
Applied sciences
Arizona
Characterization of Natural and Affected Environments
Chromatography
Chromatography, Gas
Contamination
Exact sciences and technology
Indoor air quality
Mass spectrometry
Membranes, Artificial
Mexico
Pesticides - analysis
Pollution
Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis
Residence Characteristics
Studies
Toxicity
VOCs
Volatile organic compounds
Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis
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Summary:Concerns about indoor air quality and the potential effects on people living in these environments are increasing as more reports about the toxicities and the potential indoor air exposure levels of household-use chemicals and chemicals from housing and furnishing manufacture in air are being assessed. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to confirm numerous airborne contaminants obtained from the analysis of semipermeable membrane devices deployed inside of 52 homes situated along the border between Arizona and Mexico. We also describe nontarget analytes in the organochlorine pesticide fractions of 12 of these homes; this fraction is also the most likely to contain the broadest scope of bioconcentratable chemicals accumulated from the indoor air. Approximately 400 individual components were identified, ranging from pesticides to a wide array of hydrocarbons, fragrances such as the musk xylenes, flavors relating to spices, aldehydes, alcohols, esters and phthalate esters, and other miscellaneous types of chemicals. The results presented in this study demonstrate unequivocally that the mixture of airborne chemicals present indoors is far more complex than previously demonstrated.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es803482u