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Tris(1,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (TDCPP, CAS 13674-87-8) is one of the most commonly used organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in cars, residential furniture and other products containing polyurethane foam to meet the required flammability standards. For the tasks of the working group Analyses in Biological Material from the German Research Foundation (DFG), a human biomonitoring process for TDCPP is developed. The metabolism of TDCPP is described in different in vivo studies and it is already shown that Bis (1,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (BDCPP, CAS 72236-72-7) is the primary compound specific metabolite of TDCPP which is often detectable in urine samples. BDCPP is also the most appropriate metabolite because it is unique to TDCPP since no other OPFR known today is transformed or hydrolyzed to BDCPP. A combined method by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) is implemented by optimizing atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and Electron Spray Ionization (ESI) operating in negative ionization mode. Simultaneous, multiple reaction monitoring is studied to achieve the best performance with respect to selectivity, detectability and robustness of BDCPP. During an expanded validation assessment, the methodological performance characteristics are determined in details and the method is applied in a specific human biomonitoring study among non-occupationally exposed humans of randomly chosen volunteers from the Netherlands. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Technical Committee 264 ‘Air Quality’ has recently produced a standard method for the measurements of anions and cations in PM2.5 within its Working Group 34 in response to the requirements of European Directive 2008/50/EC. It is expected that this method will be used in future by all Member States making measurements of the ionic content of PM2.5. This paper details the results of a field measurement campaign and the statistical analysis performed to validate this method, assess its uncertainty and define its working range to provide clarity and confidence in the underpinning science for future users of the method. The statistical analysis showed that, except for the lowest range of concentrations, the expanded combined uncertainty is expected to be below 30% at the 95% confidence interval for all ions except Cl−. However, if the analysis is carried out on the lower concentrations found at rural sites the uncertainty can be in excess of 50% for Cl−, Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. An estimation of the detection limit for all ions was also calculated and found to be 0.03 μg m−3 or below.

Use of biodiesel is increasing following implementation of various policy instruments and a surge in demand due to growing urbanized populations. A series of experiments to characterize the chemical composition of emissions generated during combustion of petro-diesel (B0), biodiesel blends (B5, B10, B20), biodiesel (B100) and pure plant oil were performed in a standard EURO III truck engine. In total 108 separate components of emissions from the various fuels were quantitatively assessed. Further, the size dependence of PAH emissions was investigated. It was found that biodiesel was associated with significantly lower levels of PM and CO emissions and reduced levels of components such as aldehydes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their derivatives, hopanes/steranes and elemental carbon/organic carbon (EC/OC). The majority of particle bound PAH were associated with the ultra-fine fraction (diameter range of 0.01e0.14 mm). The use of a diesel particulate filter reduced B0 emissions to levels of B100. While our study was conducted under ideal controlled conditions, our data support the widely held view that biodiesel emissions have a different chemical composition than emissions from petro-diesel. The consequences of this in terms of health and environmental impact should be assessed in wider studies

In our simulation experiments, using e.g., a dedicated emission chamber, the emission of organophosphates as tricresyl phosphate (TCP) was studied using turbine oil. Experiments were carried out at 250°C and 370°C. Subsequently field studies were carried out to detect the presence of TCPs in the cockpit during normal operating conditions of Boeing 737 aircrafts. In both studies four TCP isomers were identified: T(m,m,m)CP, T(m,m,p)CP, T(m,p,p)CP and T(p,p,p)CP . No T(o,o,o)CP or other ortho isomers were found

Air–liquid interface (ALI) exposures enable in vitro testing ofmixtures of gases and particles such as diesel exhaust (DE). The main objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of exposing human lung epithelial cells at the ALI to complete DE generated by a heavy-duty truck in the state-of-the-art TNO powertrain test center. A549 cells were exposed at the air–liquid interface to DE generated by a heavy-duty Euro III truck for 1.5 h. The truck was tested at a speed of 70 km/h-1 to stimulate free-flowing traffic on a motorway. Twenty-four hours after exposure, cells were analyzed for markers of oxidative stress (GSH and HO-1), cytotoxicity (LDH) and Alamar Blue assay) and inflammation (IL-8). DE exposure resulted in an increased oxidative stress response (significantly increased HO-1 levels and significantly reduced GSH/GSSH ratio), and a decreased cell viability (significantly decreased Alamar Blue levels and slightly increased LDH levels). However, the pro-inflammatory response seemed to decrease (decrease in IL-8). The results presented here demonstrate that we are able to successfully expose A549 cells at ALI to complete DE generated by a heavy-duty truck in TNO’s powertrain test center and show oxidative stress and cytotoxicity responses due to DE exposure

This study was designed to determine the toxicity (oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity) in extracts of combustion aerosols. A typical Euro III heavy truck engine was tested over the European Transient Cycle with three different fuels: conventional diesel EN590, biodiesel EN14214 as B100 and blends with conventional diesel (B5, B10, and B20) and pure plant oil DIN51605 (PPO). In addition application of a (wall flow) diesel particulate filter (DPF) with conventional diesel EN590 was tested. The use of B100 or PPO as a fuel or the DPF reduced particulate matter (PM) mass and numbers over 80%. Similarly, significant reduction in the emission of chemical constituents (EC 90%, (oxy)-PAH 70%) were achieved. No significant changes in nitro-PAH were observed. The use of B100 or PPO led to a NOx increase of about 30%, and no increase for DPF application. The effects of B100, PPO and the DPF on the biological test results vary strongly from positive to negative depending on the biological end point. The oxidative potential, measured via the DTT assay, of the B100 and PPO or DPF emissions is reduced by 95%. The cytotoxicity is increased for B100 by 200%. The measured mutagenicity, using the Ames assay test with TA98 and YG1024 strains of Salmonella typhimurium indicate a dose response for the nitroarene sensitive YG1024 strain for B100 and PPO (fold induction: 1.6). In summary B100 and PPO have good potential for the use as a second generation biofuel resulting in lower PM mass, similar to application of a DPF, but caution should be made due to potential increased toxicity. Besides regulation via mass, the biological reactivity of exhaust emissions of new (bio)fuels and application of new technologies, needs attention. The different responses of different biological tests as well as differences in results between test laboratories underline the need for harmonization of test methods and international cooperation. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

This work was undertaken within the framework of Lloyd's Register's Marine Exhaust Emissions Research Programme. Phase II of this research programme [] evaluated exhaust emissions from ships in service under steady state and transient modes of operation and incorporated measurements of CO, CO2, 02, SO2, NOa and hydrocarbons on board eight ships. Additional measurements of heavy metal and organic micropollutant emissions were undertaken on three of these vessels. The organic micropollutant measurement exercise is reported herein. The purpose of the investigations reported here is to get a first impression of the emissions of organic microcontaminants from ship engines under "real world" conditions, at sea as well as on inland waterways. The work was also meant to find out whether more elaborate investigations Íìre needed or should not have priority. We will describe here in short the reasons for the investigation and for the choice of the substances measured. For each topic only one reference will be given, selected from the voluminous scientific literature.