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In this study, levels of 14 organophosphate flame retardants (OPEs) were measured in 101 indoor dust samples collected from dormitories, residential homes, and offices in Beijing, China. In addition, paired air samples were also analyzed to evaluate any correlation between OPE levels in air and that in corresponding dust samples. The Σ 14 OPEs levels substantially varied between individual samples. Thereinto, significantly higher OPE levels were found in dust samples from office (mean value: 14 μg g -1 ), comparing to that in dust samples from residential homes (mean value: 5.9 μg g -1 ) and dormitories (mean value: 6.9 μg g -1 ). Congener profiles of OPEs in dust samples from different microenvironments indicated that tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) was the dominant OPE in the office samples, followed by tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP). In contrast, TCPP was the dominant OPE in the residential home and dormitory samples, followed by TCEP. The mean concentration (range) of Σ 14 OPEs in the 15 air samples was 5.2 (1.0-20) ng m -3 , and TCPP was the dominated congener in these samples. The concentration of TCEP and TCPP in air was positively correlated with that in corresponding indoor dust, and OPEs with highly saturated vapor pressures have higher fractions in the air than that in the dust. The estimated daily intakes through dust ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation indicated that the exposure to OPEs in indoor environments do not result in significant health risk for the general population in Beijing., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study presents the first investigation of concentrations and congener group patterns of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) in 159 dust samples from plastic sports courts and synthetic turf in Beijing, China. The geometric mean concentration of SCCPs and MCCPs in dusts from plastic tracks (5429 and 15157 μg g -1 ) and basketball courts (5139 and 11878 μg g -1 ) were significantly higher than those from plastic tennis courts, badminton courts, and synthetic turf; meanwhile, they were 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than in dusts from other indoor environments. The friction between sneaker soles and plastic track materials may lead to the wear and decomposition of rubber, which may be an important source of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in the dust from plastic tracks. The mean estimated daily intakes of CPs from plastic tracks and basketball courts are generally higher than those estimated from dietary, breast milk, or other indoor dust sources. The margin of exposure for adults and children was greater than 1000 both at mean and high-exposure scenarios, indicating that no significant health risks were posed by CPs in the dust from plastic sports courts and synthetic turf.

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) were listed in the Stockholm Convention in 2017 yet are still used in large-tonnage in China. Diet is the main external exposure pathway of many persistent organic pollutants (POPs), but SCCP diet exposure has not been studied completely thus far. In this study, samples of 122 raw foods were collected from markets in Beijing, cooked with Chinese traditional cooking methods, and analyzed for SCCPs. Overall, SCCP levels in the raw food materials ranged from0.67 to 5100 ng g -1 wet weight (ww). SCCP elimination was found in six out of seven kinds in the cooking case study. Concentrations in the raw food used for cooking ranged from 3.6 to 52 ng g -1  ww, while the corresponding values in the cooked food ranged from 0.67 to 10.8 ng g -1  ww. The SCCP elimination rate ranged from 12% to 93%. The daily average intake of SCCPs for the general population through raw food and cooked food was assessed. The total daily SCCP intake via these foods was 403 and 145 ng kg -1  bw d -1 , which suggests that different assessing approaches may result in different estimated SCCP diet exposure amounts., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are a class of compounds that are currently produced and used in large amounts in commercial products worldwide. In this study, food, indoor air, indoor dust, and drinking water samples were collected to evaluate the external exposure levels of CPs and possible pathway for the general population in Beijing, China. Short chain CPs (SCCPs) and medium chain CPs (MCCPs) in 199 samples were analyzed using a gas chromatography tandem time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-HR-MS) method. High levels of CPs were observed in the indoor environment from residential houses, offices, and student dormitories. The geometric mean concentrations (GM) of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs in indoor dust were 92 μg g -1 and 82 μg g -1 , respectively, while in indoor air, the concentrations were 80 ng m -3 and 3.4 ng m -3 , respectively. The GM of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs in the diet were 83 ng g -1 dry weight (dw) and 56 ng g -1 dw, respectively. The most important external exposure routes to CPs to the general populations in Beijing were food intake and indoor dust ingestion. Indoor dust and indoor air posed higher risks for toddlers and infants than for adults.