Small particles containing phthalic esters in the indoor environment - a pilot study

Many chemicals in polymeric materials have low vapour pressure. Hypothetically such chemicals are emitted and may stay as particles or be adsorbed onto dust particles and become airborne. The aim of this pilot study has been to validate the methods for measuring phthalates on particles in indoor environments.

Sedimented dust from the child´s bedroom in seventeen homes has been sampled using a Vacuu Mark sampler and a vacuum cleaner. The dust is collected on 90 millimetre cellulose filters, which are extracted and analysed by techniques such as HPLC and GCMS. First results have shown that phthalates and chemicals were extruded from the polymeric material.

A co-variation between the amounts of the phthalate, DEHP on the filters and the type of interior decoration on walls and floors were found.