1. Polydimethylsiloxane (silicone rubber) brooch as a personal passive air sampler for semi-volatile organic compounds
- Author
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Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, The Allergy, Genes and Environment Network, Health Canada, Okeme, Joseph O. [0000-0001-7604-0736], Lorenzo, María [0000-0003-1972-014X], Picó, Yolanda [0000-0002-9545-0965], Diamond, Miriam L. [0000-0001-6296-6431], Okeme, Joseph O., Nguyen, Linh, Lorenzo, María, Dhal, Suman, Picó, Yolanda, Arrandale, Victoria H., Diamond, Miriam L., Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, The Allergy, Genes and Environment Network, Health Canada, Okeme, Joseph O. [0000-0001-7604-0736], Lorenzo, María [0000-0003-1972-014X], Picó, Yolanda [0000-0002-9545-0965], Diamond, Miriam L. [0000-0001-6296-6431], Okeme, Joseph O., Nguyen, Linh, Lorenzo, María, Dhal, Suman, Picó, Yolanda, Arrandale, Victoria H., and Diamond, Miriam L.
- Abstract
Exposure assessments conducted using a personal sampler include the contribution of human activities to exposure that is neglected when using a stationary air sampler. This study evaluated the uptake characteristics and application of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS or silicone rubber) brooch as a personal passive air sampler (PPAS) for measuring concentrations of two groups of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), namely phthalates and organophosphate esters (OPEs), indoors in proximity to the breathing zone. Uptake rates of the PDMS brooch were calibrated against a personal low volume active air sampler (PLV-AAS) co-deployed on each of five study participants working in offices for 8 hs daily for four days. Sampling rates measured here ranged from 0.41 ± 0.33 to 1.33 ± 0.34 m3 day−1 dm−2 with an average value of 0.86 ± 0.29 m3 day−1 dm−2. Personal air concentrations of 1211 to 2640 ng m−3 for ∑5 phthalates and 254 to 663 ng m−3 for ∑5 OPEs were measured for three study participants who used the PDMS brooches continuously for seven days. These concentrations resulted in estimated inhalation exposures of 19,400 to 42,400 ng day−1 for ∑5 phthalates and 4,070 to 10,600 ng day−1 for ∑5 OPEs. This study demonstrated that the PDMS brooch can be used to assess inhalation exposure when worn for at least 24 h indoors, for compounds present in >4 ng m−3 in air such as individual phthalates and OPEs tested here.
- Published
- 2018