Premium
Semi‐volatile organic compounds in the air and dust of 30 French schools: a pilot study
Author(s) -
Raffy G.,
Mercier F.,
Blanchard O.,
Derbez M.,
Dassonville C.,
Bonvallot N.,
Glorennec P.,
Le Bot B.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/ina.12288
Subject(s) - phthalate , environmental chemistry , dibutyl phthalate , diethyl phthalate , contamination , indoor air , dimethyl phthalate , chemistry , environmental science , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , ecology , biology
The contamination of indoor environments with chemical compounds released by materials and furniture, such as semi‐volatile organic compounds ( SVOC s), is less documented in schools than in dwellings—yet children spend 16% of their time in schools, where they can also be exposed. This study is one of the first to describe the contamination of the air and dust of 90 classrooms from 30 nursery and primary schools by 55 SVOC s, including pesticides, phosphoric esters, musks, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAH s), polychlorobiphenyls ( PCB s), phthalates, and polybromodiphenylethers ( PBDE s). Air samples were collected using an active sampling method, and dust samples were collected via two sampling methods (wiping and vacuum cleaning). In air, the highest concentrations (median >100 ng/m 3 ) were measured for diisobutyl phthalate (Di BP ), dibutyl phthalate ( DBP ), diethyl phthalate ( DEP ), bis(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate ( DEHP ), and galaxolide. In dust, the highest concentrations (median >30 μ g/g) were found for DEHP , diisononyl phthalate (Di NP ), Di BP , and DBP . An attempt to compare two floor dust sampling methods using a single unit (ng/m²) was carried out. SVOC concentrations were higher in wiped dust, but frequencies of quantification were greater in vacuumed dust.