Increased Indoor Exposure to Commonly Used Disinfectants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic requires frequent disinfecting of the indoor environment. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs or “quats”) are the major class of chemicals widely used as disinfectants in consumer products. While disinfection is necessary for a safe environment during the pandemic, the increased use of QACs is concerning as exposure to these compounds has been associated with adverse effects on reproductive and respiratory systems. We have determined the occurrence and distribution of 19 QACs in 46 residential dust collected before and during the outbreak of COVID-19. All QACs were detected in more than 90% of the samples at concentrations ranging from 1.95 to 531 μg/g (median 58.9 μg/g). Higher QAC concentrations were found in dust collected before the COVID-19 pandemic and in homes with higher disinfecting frequencies (p < 0.05). In addition, 7 products most frequently used in these homes were analyzed, and QACs were detected at concentrations reaching up to 16,600 mg/L. The QAC profiles in dust and in products were similar, suggesting that these products can be a significant source of QACs. Our findings indicate that the indoor exposure to QACs is widespread, raising concerns about increased exposure to these chemicals during the ongoing pandemic.We thank the participating households for donating dust. The MapMyEnvironment program and related sampling effort is partially supported by NSF award ICER-1701132 to Filippelli and the Environmental Resilience Institute, funded by Indiana University’s Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge Initiative

Indoor Exposure to Commonly Used Disinfectants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic requires frequent disinfecting of the indoor environment. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs or “quats”) are the major class of chemicals widely used as disinfectants in consumer products. While disinfection is necessary for a safe environment during the pandemic, the increased use of QACs is concerning as exposure to these compounds has been associated with adverse effects on reproductive and respiratory systems. We have determined the occurrence and distribution of 19 QACs in 46 residential dust collected before and during the outbreak of COVID-19. All QACs were detected in more than 90% of the samples at concentrations ranging from 1.95 to 531 μg/g (median 58.9 μg/g). Higher QAC concentrations were found in dust collected before the COVID-19 pandemic and in homes with higher disinfecting frequencies (p < 0.05). In addition, 7 products most frequently used in these homes were analyzed, and QACs were detected at concentrations reaching up to 16,600 mg/L. The QAC profiles in dust and in products were similar, suggesting that these products can be a significant source of QACs. Our findings indicate that the indoor exposure to QACs is widespread, raising concerns about increased exposure to these chemicals during the ongoing pandemic

Brominated and Chlorinated Flame Retardants in Tree Bark from Around the Globe

Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants were measured in about 40 samples of tree bark from 12 locations around the globe. The analytes were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), Dechlorane Plus (DP), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromobenzene (PBBz), and tetrabromo-<i>p</i>-xylene (pTBX). The highest concentrations of these compounds were detected at an urban site in Downsview, Ontario, Canada. Total PBDE and DP concentrations ranged from 2.1 to 190 ng/g lipid weight and from 0.89 to 48 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Relatively high levels of DP (46 ± 4 ng/g lipid weight) were found at a remote site at Bukit Kototabang in Indonesia. The concentrations of total PBDE, DP, PBEB, and HBCD in the tree bark samples were significantly associated with human population in the nearby areas (<i>r</i>² = 0.21–0.56; <i>P</i> < 0.05). In addition, the concentrations of total PBDE and DP were significantly associated (<i>r</i>² = 0.40–0.64; <i>P</i> < 0.05). with the corresponding atmospheric concentrations of these compounds over a concentration range of 2–3 orders of magnitude

Elevated Levels of Ultrashort- and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Acids in US Homes and People

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) make up a large group of fluorinated organic compounds extensively used in consumer products and industrial applications. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the two perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with 8 carbons in their structure, have been phased out on a global scale because of their high environmental persistence and toxicity. As a result, shorter-chain PFAAs with less than 8 carbons in their structure are being used as their replacements and are now widely detected in the environment, raising concerns about their effects on human health. In this study, 47 PFAAs and their precursors were measured in paired samples of dust and drinking water collected from residential homes in Indiana, United States, and in blood and urine samples collected from the residents of these homes. Ultrashort- (with 2 or 3 carbons [C2–C3]) and short-chain (with 4–7 carbons [C4–C7]) PFAAs were the most abundant in all four matrices and constituted on average 69–100% of the total PFAA concentrations. Specifically, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, C2) and perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA, C3) were the predominant PFAAs in most of the samples. Significant positive correlations (n = 81; r = 0.23–0.42; p < 0.05) were found between TFA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA, C7) concentrations in dust or water and those in serum, suggesting dust ingestion and/or drinking water consumption as important exposure pathways for these compounds. This study demonstrates that ultrashort- and short-chain PFAAs are now abundant in the indoor environment and in humans and warrants further research on potential adverse health effects of these exposures

Indoor Ambient and Personal Exposures to Brominated Flame Retardants and Organophosphate Esters in Central Appalachia

Health disparities still exist in rural Appalachian coal mining communities and environmental pollution from activities of the mining industry can contribute to population health inequities.We used passive air samplers using polyurethane (PAS-PUFs) to investigate the levels of BFRs and OPEs in indoor air and silicone wristbands to examine personal exposure to these chemicals in 8 communities in central Appalachia. PAS-PUFs were deployed indoors for 30 days in 101 residential homes during March 2017 – July 2018. One resident in each of these homes wore a silicone wristband for 7 days. The median total concentrations for PBDEs, nBFRs, and OPEs were 211, 58.5, and 24,107 pg/m3 in PAS-PUFs and 50.5, 115, and 2,818 ng/g wristband in wristbands, respectively. The most abundant chemicals in both air and wristbands were BDE-47 and BDE-99 among PBDEs, 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EHTBB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP) among nBFRs, and tris[(2R)-1-chloro-2-propyl] phosphate (TCIPP) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) among OPEs. In multiple regression analysis, higher levels of self-reported illness symptoms were associated with higher PBDEs in PUFs.Ope

Revised Temporal Trends of Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations in Air around the Great Lakes

The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and several chlorinated insecticides in air have been measured every 12 days since 1991 at several sites on the shores of the North American Great Lakes. We give here the geometric mean concentrations for each of these compounds for each year and at each site. In most cases, these concentrations have been measured in both the vapor and particle phases; if concentrations were available for both phases, the two concentrations were summed, and those data are presented here. Assuming a first-order rate model for these data, we have calculated the time it takes for the concentrations to decrease by half. For most compounds, the halving times are the same for the vapor phase and for the vapor and particle phase concentrations summed together. The halving times are generally not distinguishable among the sites. Overall, the observed halving times are 8–15 years, except for that of lindane, which is disappearing with a halving time of ∼4 years

Personal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Appalachian mining communities

Coal mining activities may increase residential exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but personal PAH exposures have not been studied in mining areas. We used silicone wristbands as passive personal samplers to estimate PAH exposures in coal mining communities in Central Appalachia in the United States. Adults (N = 101) wore wristbands for one week; 51 resided in communities within approximately three miles of surface mining sites, and 50 resided 10 or more miles from mining sites. Passive indoor polyurethane foam (PUF) sampling was conducted in residents’ homes, and a sample of 16 outdoor PUF samples were also collected. Nine PAH congeners were commonly detected in wristbands (mean ± standard deviation), including phenanthrene (50.2 ± 68.7 ng/g), benz[a]anthracene (20.2 ± 58.2 ng/g), fluoranthene (19.4 ± 24.1 ng/g) and pyrene (15.2 ± 18.2 ng/g). Controlling for participant characteristics and season, participants living closer to mining sites had significantly higher levels of phenanthrene, fluorene, fluoranthene, pyrene and ∑PAHs in wristbands compared to participants living farther from mining. Indoor air showed no significant group differences except for pyrene, but outdoor air showed significant or marginally significant differences for phenanthrene, fluorene, pyrene and ∑PAHs. The results suggest that mining community residents face exposure to outdoor mining-related pollutants, and demonstrate that personal silicone wristbands can be deployed as effective passive sampling devices

Air is Still Contaminated 40 Years after the Michigan Chemical Plant Disaster in St. Louis, Michigan

The Michigan Chemical (also known as Velsicol Chemical) plant located in St. Louis, Michigan operated from 1936–1978. During this time, the plant manufactured polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), hexabromobenzene (HBB), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-<i>bis</i>(4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT), and <i>tris</i>(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBPP), among other products. Due to widespread PBB contamination of Michigan, the plant eventually became a Superfund site, and despite years of cleanup activities, many of the compounds can still be found in the local ecosystem. To investigate the current atmospheric levels and to determine their spatial distributions, we collected tree bark samples from around Michigan and measured the concentrations of these pollutants. For comparison, other organic pollutants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs), which were not manufactured at the Michigan Chemical plant, were also measured in the same tree bark samples. Our results show levels of PBBs, DDT, and HBB in tree bark collected within 10 km of the Velsicol Superfund site (43, 477, and 108 ng/g lipid wgt., respectively) are 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than at sites located more than 10 km from the site (0.36, 28, and 0.36 ng/g lipid wgt., respectively). Levels of PBDEs and OPEs did not depend on distance from St. Louis. This is the first study on the atmospheric distribution of these chemicals around the Superfund site

Halogenated Flame Retardants in Baby Food from the United States and from China and the Estimated Dietary Intakes by Infants

Three categories of baby food (formula, cereal, and puree) were bought from United States and Chinese stores in 2013 and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and related flame retardants. The primary goal of this project was to investigate whether there were differences in the levels of flame retardants between these two nations’ baby foods. The median concentrations of total PBDEs (sum of BDE-17, -28, -47, -49, -99, -100, -153, -183, and -209) were 21 and 36 pg/g fresh weight for the Unites States and Chinese baby foods, respectively. Among non-PBDE flame retardants, hexabromobenzene, Dechlorane Plus (DP), and decabromodiphenylethane were frequently detected (22–57%) with median concentrations of 1.6, 8.7, and 17 pg/g fresh weight for United States samples, and 1.3, 13, and 20 pg/g fresh weight for Chinese samples. In general, the flame retardant concentrations in the United States and Chinese samples were not statistically different, but very high DP concentrations were observed in one Chinese formula sample (4000 pg/g) and in one United States cereal sample (430 pg/g), possibly suggesting contamination of the raw materials or contamination during production of these two samples. A comparison of median estimated daily dietary intake rates of BDE-47, -99, and -153 with existing reference doses for neurodevelopmental toxicity and other existing criteria suggested no concerns for the consumption of these baby foods

Organophosphate and Halogenated Flame Retardants in Atmospheric Particles from a European Arctic Site

Levels of 13 organophosphate esters (OPEs) and 45 brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs) were measured in particle phase atmospheric samples collected at Longyearbyen on Svalbard in the European Arctic from September 2012 to May 2013. Total OPE (ΣOPEs) concentrations ranged from 33 to 1450 pg/m³, with the mean ΣOPE concentration of 430 ± 57 pg/m³. The nonchlorinated tri-<i>n</i>-butyl phosphate (TnBP) and 2-ethylhexyl-diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) were the most abundant OPE congeners measured, and the sum of all nonchlorinated OPE concentrations comprised ∼75% of the ΣOPE concentrations. The most abundant chlorinated OPE was <i>tris</i>(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP). Total BFR concentrations (ΣBFRs) were in the range of 3–77 pg/m³, with a mean concentration of 15 ± 3 pg/m³. 2-Ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and <i>bis</i>(2-ethylhexyl)­tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) were among the relatively abundant BFRs measured in these samples and comprised ∼46% and 17% of ΣBFR concentrations, respectively. Total PBDE (ΣPBDE) concentrations constituted ∼37% of ΣBFR concentrations on average and ranged from 1 to 31 pg/m³. The most abundant PBDE congener was BDE-209, which contributed 24% to ΣPBDE concentrations. Dechlorane Plus (DP) was detected in all of the samples, and ΣDP concentrations (<i>syn</i>- + <i>anti</i>-DP concentrations) ranged from 0.05 to 5 pg/m³. Overall, ΣOPE concentrations were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than the ΣBFR concentrations