Richman, Katherine EButt, Craig MYoung, Cora J2022-01-252022-01-252017-09-11Richman, K.E., Butt, C.M., Young, C.J.* 2018 Size-resolved particle measurements of polybrominated diphenyl ethers indoors: Implications for sources and human exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 37:481-490, doi:10.1002/etc.3981.10.1002/etc.3981http://hdl.handle.net/10315/38945Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant polymer additives that are widely detected in outdoor and indoor environments. Release of PBDEs from consumer products leads to high concentrations indoors, but mechanisms of release are poorly understood. While ingestion of dust is a well-studied indoor PBDE exposure route, the importance of inhalation exposure is uncertain. To address these unknowns, dust was collected from household vacuum cleaners, and suspended particulate matter (PM) was collected from the same homes in St. John’s, Canada using a cascade impactor. Size-fractionated PM samples (0.01-18 µm diameter) were analysed for PBDEs. The sum of PBDEs in all PM ranged from 8.7 ± 0.5 to 15.7 ± 0.5 pg/m3, with >50% of PBDE mass in respirable PM (<1 µm). Mass loadings as a function of particle size suggested both abrasion and off-gassing led to the presence of PBDEs in PM. Variability in the PM mass loadings indicated emission mechanisms were both product- and location-dependent. Congener profiles in co-located vacuum dust and PM samples were different, indicating vacuum dust cannot accurately predict PBDE congeners in respirable PM. A calculated lower limit inhalation exposure to PBDEs (0.19 ng/day) is lower than exposure via diet or ingestion of dust, although the different biochemical pathways for inhalation compared to ingestion may have biological effects. This work highlights the importance of contaminant analysis in size-fractionated PM to assess human exposure via inhalation compared to traditional vacuum dust methods.enThis is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Richman, K.E., Butt, C.M., Young, C.J. 2018 Size-resolved particle measurements of polybrominated diphenyl ethers indoors: Implications for sources and human exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 37:481-490, doi:10.1002/etc.3981, which has been published in final form at https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/etc.3981. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalpolybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)flame retardantair qualitysize-resolved aerosolparticulate matterinhalation exposureArticlehttps://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/etc.3981