Emerging Contaminants in Car Interiors: Evaluating the Impact of Airborne PBDEs and PBDD/Fs

Manolis Mandalakis†, Euripides G. Stephanou*†, Yuichi Horii‡ and Kurunthachalam Kannan‡
Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, GR-71003, Heraklion, Greece, and Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12201-0509
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2008, 42 (17), pp 6431–6436
DOI: 10.1021/es7030533
Publication Date (Web): March 26, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society
†

University of Crete.

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* Corresponding author e-mail: stephanou@chemistry.uoc.gr; phone: +30-2810-545028; fax: +30-2810-545078.
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‡

Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

This article is part of the Giger Tribute Issue special issue.

Abstract

Air samples from automobile cabins were collected and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs), and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs). The concentration of total PBDEs (ΣPBDE; sum of 19 congeners) varied from 0.4 to 2644 pg m−3, with a median of 201 pg m−3, while BDE 47, 99, and 209 collectively accounted for 70 ± 30% of ΣPBDE concentrations. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that ΣPBDE concentration was significantly influenced by vehicle’s age and interior temperature. More specifically, ΣPBDE decreased over time and increased with the rise of temperature. The daily inhalation intake of PBDEs during commuting was estimated to range from 0.5 to 2909 pg day−1 (median 221 pg day−1) and contributed 29% of the overall daily exposure to PBDEs via inhalation. When excluding BDE 209, a lower contribution was calculated for this source (18%), but this was still comparable with residential exposure (22%). The levels of PBDD/Fs were generally below the limits of detection and only in one case were hepta-BDFs positively detected at a concentration of 61 pg m−3. This study demonstrates that car interiors, especially when new, contain high levels of airborne PBDEs and represent a potential route of human exposure via inhalation.

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History

  • Published In Issue September 01, 2008
  • Article ASAPMarch 26, 2008
  • Received: December 7, 2007
    Revised: February 14, 2008
    Accepted: February 20, 2008

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