1. Semivolatile organic compounds in French schools: Partitioning between the gas phase, airborne particles and settled dust.
- Author
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Wei W, Dassonville C, Sivanantham S, Gregoire A, Mercier F, Le Bot B, Malingre L, Ramalho O, Derbez M, and Mandin C
- Subjects
- Environmental Monitoring, Housing, Humans, Organophosphates, Pesticides analysis, Phthalic Acids, Polychlorinated Biphenyls analysis, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons analysis, Air Pollutants analysis, Air Pollution, Indoor analysis, Dust analysis, Schools, Volatile Organic Compounds analysis
- Abstract
The indoor environmental quality in classrooms can largely affect children's daily exposure to indoor chemicals in schools. To date, there has not been a comprehensive study of the concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in French schools. Therefore, the French Observatory for Indoor Air Quality (OQAI) performed a field study of SVOCs in 308 nurseries and elementary schools between June 2013 and June 2017. The concentrations of 52 SVOCs, including phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), synthetic musks, and pesticides, were measured in air and settled dust (40 SVOCs in both air and dust, 12 in either air or dust). The results showed that phthalates had the highest concentrations among the SVOCs in both the air and dust. Other SVOCs, including tributyl phosphate, fluorene, phenanthrene, gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-HCH, lindane), galaxolide, and tonalide, also showed high concentrations in both the air and dust. Theoretical equations were developed to estimate the SVOC partitioning between the air and settled dust from either the octanol/air partition coefficient or the boiling point of the SVOCs. The regression constants of the equations were determined using the data set of the present study for phthalates and PAHs., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
- Published
- 2021
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