Respiratory and Dermal Exposure to Organophosphorus Flame Retardants and Tetrabromobisphenol A at Five Work Environments

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 941 - 947
• Main Authors: Mäkinen, Maija S. E, Mäkinen, Milja R. A, Koistinen, Jaana T. B, Pasanen, Anna-Liisa, Pasanen, Pertti O, Kalliokoski, Pentti J, Korpi, Anne M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-02-2009
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Calibration; Chemical compounds; Ecotoxicology and Human Environmental Health; Exact sciences and technology; Flame retardants; Flame Retardants - toxicity; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Human exposure; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Occupational health; Organophosphorus Compounds - toxicity; Pollution; Quality Control; Respiratory System - drug effects; Skin - drug effects; Work environment; Phosphates; Work place; Pollution; Health and environment; Construction materials; Flame retardant; Sampling; Textile industry; Public health; Public building
• DOI: 10.1021/es802593t
• EISSN: 1520-5851
• ISSN: 0013-936X

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are widely utilized as flame retardants (FRs) in plastics, textiles, rubbers, and building materials. Eight OPs and TBBPA were quantified by GC/MS from air samples collected from a furniture workshop, a circuit board factory, two electronics dismantling facilities, a computer classroom, and offices and social premises. In addition, dermal exposure was assessed with patch and hand wash samples at some workplaces. Triphenyl phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate were typical contaminants of the workplaces, whereas TBBPA, tricresyl phosphate, tri-n-butyl phosphate, and tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate were rather site-specific. The highest geometric mean of totalFRs in the air samples was measured in personal samples at the electronics dismantling facilities (2.9 and 3.8 μg/m3), whereas the stationary sample results from the other environments ranged between 90 and 720 ng/m3. Stationary samplings underestimated the personal exposure at three out of four work places where comparisons were made. Dermal exposure was shown for the first time at these occupational settings. The geometric mean of totalFR levels in patch samples ranged between 1.5 and 24 ng/cm2 and in hand wash samples between 3.5 and 34 μg/two hands. The health effects of the measured FR levels remain unknown.