US EPA

3355724 

Journal Article 

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in indoor and outdoor dusts around a mega fluorochemical industrial park in China: Implications for human exposure 

Su, H; Lu, Y; Wang, P; Shi, Y; Li, Q; Zhou, Y; Johnson, AC 

2016 

1 

Environment International
ISSN: 0160-4120
EISSN: 1873-6750 

94 

667-673 

English 

27393120 

10.1016/j.envint.2016.07.002 

WOS:000382339000077 

The manufacture of fluorochemicals can lead to high levels of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) contaminating the surrounding environment and consequently elevated exposure to the local residents. In this study, measurements of PFAAs associated with indoor and outdoor dusts around a mega fluorochemical industrial park (FIP) were made. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (C4-C7 PFCAs) were the predominant forms in all samples. The signature of the PFAAs in dusts in the local area matched that found within the FIP complex. The contamination plume in the local area could be linked to the prevailing wind direction starting from the FIP. The dust concentrations decreased exponentially with distance from the FIP (noticeably in the first 5km). PFAAs contamination could be detected at the furthest location, 20km away from the FIP. The concentrations of PFAAs were higher in indoor dust (73-13,500ng/g, median: 979ng/g) than those in outdoor dust (5-9495ng/g, median: 62ng/g) at every location. The highest estimated daily intake of PFOA via dust ingestion (26.0ng/kg·bw/day) was for toddlers (2-5years) living 2km away from the FIP, which is posing human health risk, though exposure remains within the provisional tolerable daily intake values. 

Air Pollutants/analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis; Caprylates/analysis; Carboxylic Acids/analysis; Chemical Industry; Dust/analysis; Environmental Monitoring/methods; Fluorocarbons/analysis; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; C4-C7 PFCAs; Indoor dust; Mega fluorochemical industrial park; Outdoor dust