Levels, distributions and correlations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in air and dust of household and workplace in Shanghai, China: implication for daily human exposure

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in air (TSP and PM2.5) and dust samples collected from 16 households and the corresponding workplaces of eight volunteer citizens in Shanghai, China. The PBDEs concentrations in the workplace air (mean: 281 ± 126 pg m−3) were over two times higher than those in the household (121 ± 44.0 pg m−3), while the mean levels of PBDEs in dust were 995 ± 547 and 544 ± 188 ng g−1 for workplace and household, respectively. BDE209 was the most abundant congener in all samples. PBDEs appeared to be composed of mostly small particles. The C particle/C dust ratios of less brominated PBDEs in PM2.5 were higher than those in TSP, while the values were approximately constant for the more brominated PBDEs. A correlation analysis by network indicated different sources and behavior of the PBDE congeners. The results of a cluster analysis were displayed on a heat map that specified the source and abundance of each PBDE congener. The daily PBDE exposure via dust ingestion was the predominant part of the total intake and was more than 10 times higher than the intake via inhalation.