Determination and human exposure assessment of
polybrominated diphenyl ethers and tetrabromobisphenol A in
indoor dust in South Africa
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Ovokeroye A. Abafe and Bice S. Martincigh*
School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private
Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
*Corresponding author: Tel. +27 31 2601394; Fax: +27 31 2603091; E-mail:
martinci@ukzn.ac.za
Page 1 of 6
Supplementary Material
Table S1 GC-MS method validation for TBBPA.
Parameter
Linear range/ng mL-1
R2
LOD/ng g-1
LOQ/ng g-1
Accuracy /% Recovery
Value
100 – 10000
0.98
0.35
1.15
93.79 – 95.63a
Precision [Repeatability of peak area (n = 3)]
Intra-day (% RSD)
0.86
Inter-day (% RSD)
10.11
a
Spiked concentrations were 250, 700 and 10000 ng.
Table S2 Indoor characteristics of the various microenvironments.
TBBPA Manufacture/
Concn./ construction
Microenvironment ng g⁻1
year
Automobile 1
0
2009
Floor
type
Carpet
Automobile 2
Automobile 3
Automobile 4
Automobile 5
Automobile 6
Automobile 7
Automobile 8
0
265
154
2577
1558
671
4578
2012
2012
2009
2011
2010
2010
2010
Carpet
Carpet
Carpet
Carpet
Carpet
Carpet
Carpet
Automobile 9
1904
1999
Carpet
Automobile 10
647
2008
Carpet
Automobile 11
Automobile 12
1724
1195
INB
1998
Carpet
Carpet
Automobile 13
1117
1989
Carpet
Automobile 14
Home 1
Home 4
Home 6
2717
0
1457
0
2007
1978
QNR
QNR
Carpet
Carpet
QNR
QNR
Page 2 of 6
Automobile
model and Automobile
manufacturer condition
Honda Jazz
Personal
Toyota
Corolla
Personal
Audi A4
Personal
Honda Jazz
Personal
Kia Rio
Personal
Peugeot 406
Resale
Audi A6
Resale
Turbo Corsa
Resale
Honda
Prelude
Resale
Chevrolet
Aveo
Personal
Toyota
Starlet
Personal
Mazda 63
Personal
Toyota
Corolla
Personal
Toyota
Corolla
Personal
Home 7
120
1991
tiled
Carpet
and
wooden
Home 8
3767
1973
floor
Home 9
291
QNR
QNR
Home 10
69
1981
tiled
*Computer lab 1
111
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 2
185
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 3
194
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 4
71
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 5
380
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 6
573
INB
tiled
*Computer lab 7
709
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Computer lab 8
343
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 1
120
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 2
1522
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 3
492
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 4
0
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 5
276
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 6
2063
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 7
633
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 8
709
Early 1970s
Carpet
*Office 9
343
Early 1970s
Carpet
INB: Information not obtained, QNR: Questionnaire not returned, *Interior of
microenvironment refurbished in 2006.
Page 3 of 6
Table S3 Information on automobiles sampled and levels of PBDEs (in ng g⁻1) measured in dust from their interiors.
Sample
ID
CR 1
CR 2
CR 3
CR 4
CR 5
CR 6
CR 7
CR 9
CR 11
CR 12
CR 13
CR 14
CR 15
CR 16
CR 17
CR 18
CR 19
CR 20
CR 21
Model and
Manufacturer
Honda Jazz
Toyota Corolla
Audi A4
Honda Jazz
Kia Rio
Peugeot 406
Mercedes C180
BMW X5
Audi A6
Isuzu KB 250
Opel Turbo
Corsa
Honda Prelude
Audi Q7
Opel Corsa
Utility
Chevrolet Aveo
Toyota Starlet
Mazda 63
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla
Model
year
2009
2012
2012
2009
2011
2010
2008
2011
2010
2010
2010
Automobile
condition
Personal
Personal
Personal
Personal
Personal
Resale
Resale
Resale
Resale
Resale
Resale
BDE
-28
8
<dl
23
32
325
15
<dl
38
26
50
<dl
BDE47
48
475
275
117
160
98
592
157
122
231
37
BDE99
328
870
452
182
305
325
959
346
187
126
191
BDE100
197
449
173
61
152
<dl
<dl
198
<dl
134
<dl
BDE153
<dl
2101
956
<dl
396
<dl
<dl
319
228
<dl
255
BDE154
<dl
1017
181
76
<dl
<dl
648
130
266
361
<dl
BDE183
158
533
457
<dl
247
200
773
114
173
471
103
BDE209
366
256
648
363
217
697
4693
1469
312
1847
157
1999
2012
2011
Resale
Resale
Resale
150
63
33
342
381
127
434
1688
63
328
230
<dl
726
280
115
499
<dl
<dl
535
<dl
107
3995
1018
128
2008
Personal
Personal
Personal
Personal
Personal
<dl
19
42
47
66
1127
84
188
219
330
2046
263
267
337
173
1218
88
128
158
<dl
<dl
323
<dl
742
<dl
<dl
117
<dl
171
372
1914
164
268
296
579
5173
845
1277
1311
1428
1998
1989
2007
<dl denotes below the detection limit
Page 4 of 6
PBDE concentration in automobile/ng g-1
Figure S1 Derivatisation of TBBPA with BSTFA.
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Automobile manufacture
Figure S2 Boxplot of ∑ n=8 PBDE concentrations (in ng g-1) measured in the automobile dust
grouped by vehicle manufacturer. The lines of the box represent the interquartile ranges
(25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles) and the bars represent the minimum and maximum.
Page 5 of 6
BDE 209 concentrations in automobile/ng g-1
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1989 1998 1999 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
n=1 n=1 n=1 n=1 n=1 n=2 n=3 n=1 n=3
Automobile manufacture year
Figure S3 Boxplot of BDE 209 concentrations (in ng g-1) measured in automobile dust
grouped by vehicle model year. The lines of the box represent the interquartile ranges (25th,
50th, and 75th percentiles) and the bars represent the minimum and maximum.
Fig S4 PCA loading and biplot for BDE 209 concentrations and automobile year.
Page 6 of 6