Butte, W; Hoffmann, W; Hostrup, O; Schmidt, A; Walker, G
In the last years endocrine disrupting properties were detected for some chemicals, i.e. biocides, phthalic esters and alkylphenols. As these compounds may also be present in the indoor environment, it is of interest to know, whether residents may be exposed. Analyses of housedust are one possibility to estimate an exposition, as housedust represents a sink for semivolatile and non volatile substances. Results for the determination of endocrine disrupting biocides, phthalates and phenols in housedust are presented here. Biocides were p,p'-DDT (p, p 'dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), lindane (gamma -hexachlorocyclohexane), methoxychlor and PCP (pentachlorophenol), phthalates were di-iso-butyl-, di-n-butyl-, benzylbutyl- and di(ethylhexyl)phthalate (DnBP, DiBP, BBP, DEHP) and phenols were n-octylphenol(nOP), tert. oceylphenol (tOP), techn. nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BisA) und tert.butylmethoxyphenol (BHA). 95. percentiles, obtained for the less than or equal to 63-mum-fraction of the dust samples (n = 286) and collected by commercially available vacuum cleaners, amounted to 3,9 mg/kg for DDT, to 0,67 mg/kg for lindane, to 10 mg/kg for methoxychlor, to 8,3 mg/kg for PCP, to 130 mg/kg for DiBP, to 240 mg/kg for DnBP, to 320 mg/kg for BBP, to 2600 mg/kg for DEHP, to 1,5 mg/kg for nOP, to 0,86 mg/kg for tOP, to 18 mg/kg for NP, to 9,2 mg/kg for BisA and to 2,0 mg/kg for BHA. Results for biocides confirm those obtained on earlier studies. Alkylphenols were analysed systematically in housedust for the first time. For phthalates on the other hand no representative data are known up to. now. Results are discussed in relation to selected attributes of the households and types of habitation. Details were obtained from interviews of the participants.
