Small-scale spatial variability of flame retardants in indoor dust and implications for dust sampling

摘要

Indoor dust is often used to evaluate levels of organic compounds indoors, particularly for compounds with indoor sources, such as flame retardants (FRs). Yet there are uncertainties about the type of information that can be obtained from indoor dust. This study reports detailed dust sampling to assess spatial variability in indoor dust concentrations, the relationship between FR sources and dust, and the implications when interpreting dust concentrations. Multiple dust samples were collected from a range of surface types in three large rooms: a residential flat, a university seminar room, and a university computer room. Samples were analysed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel halogenated flame retardants (NFRs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs).