Analysis of selected phthalates in Canadian indoor dust collected using household vacuum and standardized sampling
techniques
C. Kubwabo1*, P. E. Rasmussen1, X. Fan1, I. Kosarac1, F. Wu1, A. Zidek2, S.L. Kuchta2
1
Health Canada, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Ottawa
(Ontario), Canada K1A 0K9
2
Health Canada, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Ottawa
(Ontario), Canada K1A 0K9
*E-mail: Cariton.Kubwabo@hc-sc.gc.ca; Tel: +1 (613) 941-6081; Fax: +1 (613) 946-3573
Table S1. Published Studies on Phthalates in House Dust
Reference
Origin (number
of samples)
Øie et al., 1997
Norway (n= 38)
Phthalates
reported
Detection
Method
LOD/MDL (µg/g)
LOQ (µg/g)
Mean (µg/g)
Median (µg/g)
Range (µg/g)
GC/MS
(SIM)
DBP
100
10-1030
Rudel et al., 2003
110
0-440
640
100-1610
0-110
DEP
10
DIBP
10
0-300
DINP
100
0-1380
GC/MS
(SIM)
USA (n=120)
Fromme et al., 2004
(MRL)
DEP
4
4.98
<MRL-111
DNBP
24
20.1
<MRL-352
BzBP
3
45.4
3.87-1310
DEHP
8
340
16.7-7700
DCHP
0.8
1.88
<MRL-62.7
DEHA
0.4
5.97
0.935-391
DNHP
0.1
1.1
<MRL-30.6
DIBP
1
1.91
<MRL-39.1
DBP
Germany (n=30)
Becker et al., 2004
BzBP
DEHP
GC/MS
(SIM)
0.5
47
BzBP
0.5
86.1
29.7
DEHP
0.5
775.5
703.4
6.1
DEP
0.5
44.6
DMP
0.5
10.8
1.5
DMPP
0.5
54.6
37.5
DNOP
Not reported
DPP
Not reported
DCHP
Not reported
Germany
(n=252)
GC/MS and
LC/MS
DEHP
Bornehag et al., 2005
55.6
20
508
22-5330
GC/MS
(SIM)
Sweden (n=346)
DEP
40
31
0
0-2425
DINP
40
639
41
0-40667
DIBP
40
97
45
0-3810
BzBP
40
319
135
0-45549
DnBP
40
226
150
0-5446
DEHP
40
1310
770
0-40459
DMP
Not reported
260
280
DEP
Not reported
350
340
DnBP
Not reported
7860
9930
DEHP
Not reported
960
1050
BzBP
Not reported
320
340
DnOP
Not reported
250
300
Not
specified
Kolarik et al., 2008
Bulgaria (n=177)
Abb et al., 2009
Langer et al., 2010
Bergh et al., 2011
LC/ESIMS/MS
Germany (n=30)
BzBP
5
15.2
DBP
14
87.4
DEHP
4
604
DINP
10
129
DIDP
10
33.6
GC/MS
(SIM)
Sweden
DEP
3.1
1.7
Homes (n=497)
Daycare centers
(n=151)
DnBP
8.1
15
DiBP
16.6
27
BzBP
4.2
3.7
DEHP
220
210
Sweden (n=30)
GC/MS/MS
DMP
Not reported
0.1
0.04
DEP
Not reported
11
3.7
DiBP
Not reported
6
4
DBP
Not reported
130
130
BzBP
Not reported
31
17
DEHP
Kim et al., 2011
Guo and Kannan,
2011
Hsu et al., 2012
Gevao et al., 2012
980
680
GC/MS
(SIM)
Korea (n=335)
DEP
Not reported
19.46
DBP
0.657
118.56
29-542
BzBP
0.017
385.02
<LOD-100
DEHP
0.015
389.27
131-705
<LOD-72
GC/MS
(SIM)
China (n=75)
USA (n=33)
Not reported
DMP
0.002
2
0.2
n.d.-8.2
n.d.-45.5
DEP
0.002
2
0.4
DIBP
0.002
2
17.2
0.7-299
DBP
0.002
2
20.1
1.5-1160
DNHP
0.002
2
n.d.
n.d.-11.4
BzBP
0.002
2
0.2
n.d.-393
DCHP
0.002
2
n.d.
n.d.-0.3
DEHP
0.002
2
228
9.9-9650
DNOP
0.01
10
0.2
n.d.-45.7
GC/MS
(SIM)
Taiwan (n=101)
DMP
Not reported
DEP
Not reported
0.1
1
DBP
Not reported
20.2
BzBP
Not reported
1
DEHP
Not reported
753.3
GC/MS
(SIM)
Kuwait (n=21)
DMP
0.004
DEP
DBP
DnHP
3.15
0.01
0.03
1.5
1.8
< d. l.-0.1
0.1-16
51
45
8.3-160
0.2
0.39
< d. l.-4.0
BzBP
6.4
8.6
< d. l.-160
DcHP
0.3
2.9
< d. l.-910
1700
2256
380-7800
14
14
< d. l.-1300
DEPH
96
DnOP
This study
Canada (n =
126)
GC/MS/MS
DMP
0.04
0.13
0.12
<MDL-22
DEP
0.47
1.57
1.96
<MDL-193
DIBP
0.51
1.71
5.17
<MDL-69
DBP
0.30
0.98
16.8
<MDL-1392
DHxP
0.11
0.37
0.47
<MDL-20
BzBP
0.14
0.45
42
0.57-944
DIHepP
0.52
1.75
19
<MDL-1223
DEHP
2.93
9.76
462
36-3836
DCHP
0.17
0.58
0.21
<MDL-3
DMCHP1a
0.04
0.13
ND
<MDL-4
a
0.06
0.22
0.53
<MDL-24
DMCHP2
DBzP+
BzEHPb
0.36
1.18
3.1
<MDL-61
B79P
0.12
0.39
1
<MDL-52
DINP
1.07
3.58
112
3.3-1364
DIDP
1.22
4.06
111
5.3-1428
DUP
0.15
0.49
4
<MDL-259
a
The DMCHP standard (from ChemService Inc., West Chester, PA, USA) was listed as bis(4-methylcyclohexyl) phthalate showed
two well-resolved peaks during GC/MS analysis and they gave similar EI mass spectra. We hypothesized that the first compound
eluted earlier on ZB-5 column to be bis(1-methylcyclohexyl) and the second bis(4-methylcyclohexyl). However, their identity needs
further confirmation.
b
DBzP and BzEHP could not be separated on ZB-5 chromatographic column; they also have same MRM transitions. Therefore, the
concentration presented is the total concentration of both DBzP and BzEHP.
References
Abb, M., Heinrich, T., Sorkau, E. and Lorenz, W. (2009) Phthalates in house dust, Environ Int, 35, 965-970.
Becker, K., Seiwert, M., Angerer, J., Heger, W., Koch, H.M., Nagorka, R., Rosskamp, E., Schluter, C., Seifert, B. and Ullrich, D.
(2004) DEHP metabolites in urine of children and DEHP in house dust, Int J Hyg Environ Health, 207, 409-417.
Bergh, C., Torgrip, R., Emenius, G. and Ostman, C. (2011) Organophosphate and phthalate esters in air and settled dust - a multilocation indoor study, Indoor Air, 21, 67-76.
Bornehag, C.G., Lundgren, B., Weschler, C.J., Sigsgaard, T., Hagerhed-Engman, L. and Sundell, J. (2005) Phthalates in indoor dust
and their association with building characteristics, Environ Health Perspect, 113, 1399-1404.
Fromme, H., Lahrz, T., Piloty, M., Gebhart, H., Oddoy, A. and Ruden, H. (2004) Occurrence of phthalates and musk fragrances in
indoor air and dust from apartments and kindergartens in Berlin (Germany), Indoor Air, 14, 188-195.
Gevao, B., Al-Ghadban, A.N., Bahloul, M., Uddin, S. and Zafar, J. (2013) Phthalates in indoor dust in Kuwait: implications for nondietary human exposure, Indoor Air, 23, 126-133.
Guo, Y. and Kannan, K. (2011) Comparative assessment of human exposure to phthalate esters from house dust in China and the
United States, Environ Sci Technol, 45, 3788-3794.
Hsu, N.Y., Lee, C.C., Wang, J.Y., Li, Y.C., Chang, H.W., Chen, C.Y., Bornehag, C.G., Wu, P.C., Sundell, J. and Su, H.J. (2012)
Predicted risk of childhood allergy, asthma, and reported symptoms using measured phthalate exposure in dust and urine, Indoor
Air, 22, 186-199.
Kim, H.H., Yang, J.Y., Kim, S.D., Yang, S.H., Lee, C.S., Shin, D.C. and Lim, Y.W. (2011) Health risks assessment in children for
phthalate exposure associated with childcare facilities and indoor playgrounds, Environ Health Toxicol, 26, e2011008.
Kolarik, B., Naydenov, K., Larsson, M., Bornehag, C.G. and Sundell, J. (2008) The association between phthalates in dust and allergic
diseases among Bulgarian children, Environ Health Perspect, 116, 98-103.
Langer, S., Weschler, C.J., Fischer, A., Bekö, G., Toftum, J. and Clausen, G. (2010) Phthalate and PAH concentrations in dust
collected from Danish homes and daycare centers, Atmos Environ, 44, 2294-2301.
Øie, L., Hersoug, L.-G. and Madsen, J.Ø. (1997) Residential Exposure to Plasticizers and Its Possible Role in the Pathogenesis of
Asthma, Environ Health Perspect, 105, 972-978.
Rudel, R.A., Camann, D.E., Spengler, J.D., Korn, L.R. and Brody, J.G. (2003) Phthalates, alkylphenols, pesticides, polybrominated
diphenyl ethers, and other endocrine-disrupting compounds in indoor air and dust, Environ Sci Technol, 37, 4543-4553.