Spending time in vehicles can increase PBDE exposure
EURIPIDES STEPHANOU
“The main factors governing The air inside automobiles can will continue to be used in the have very high concentrations of construction of vehicles until the the PBDE concentrations inside PBDE flame retardants, accordend of stock. Alternatively, it is cars are vehicle age and car inteing to research published in possible that the legislation for rior temperature,” says the study’s ES&T (DOI 10.1021/es7030533). the ban of PBDEs has not been first author, Manolis Mandalakis, The study documents that some activated from all industries yet.” also of the University of Crete’s cars manufactured as recently as The authors argue that changes Environmental Chemical ProJanuary 2006 contain comin the levels of two key molecules cesses Laboratory. The pounds, or congeners, ages of the vehicles tested associated with the ranged from 1 month to lighter-weight Penta BDE 5.6 years, and the results and Octa BDE formulasuggest “significant outtions, which have been gassing of PBDEs from the banned from use in Euinterior surfaces of newer rope since 2004. cars,” Stephanou says. Air samples were taken The Greek researchers from 33 cars owned by probably underestimated residents of Heraklion, the presence of the Deca Greece, including vehicles BDE congenerswhich was from 15 different European, found at high levels in Japanese, and U.S. manusome carssbecause they facturers. Twenty of the did not analyze the dust cars were made after 2005, inside the cars, says Myrto and the researchers colPetreas, at the California To capture air samples from inside automobile passenger lected air samples from inDepartment of Toxic Subcabins, Manolis Mandalakis of the University of Crete conside the vehicles from structed a custom-made sampler powered by a large batstances Control. Deca BDE February 2006 to July 2007. tery (stored in the vehicle’s trunk). is mainly associated with The concentrations of PBdust particles. As research associated with Penta BDE (BDE-47 DEs in the tested cars ranged from published in ES&T (DOI 10.1021/ and BDE-99) in some cars “could 0.4 to 2644 picograms per cubic es7029625) makes clear, people be attributed to the debromination meter of air (pg/m3), with a median may take up high concentrations of of the highly brominated congeconcentration of 201 pg/m3. PBDEs from dust on their hands. ners, including [the main congener Some of the cars manufactured The new paper is the first to in Deca BDE,] BDE-209, to less after the ban was in place had document the presence of polybrominated compounds.” Deca measurable or even elevated conbrominated dibenzofurans BDE is the only PBDE formulation centrations of the lighter-weight (PBDFs) in automotive air. still in widespread use, and PBDE congeners associated with the Although the researchers exexperts agree that if it is conclubanned formulations, says the papected to find PBDFs in most of sively shown to produce molecules per’s corresponding author, Euthe samples, they found detectassociated with Penta BDE, nonripides Stephanou of the able PBDFs (61 pg/m3) in only governmental organizations are Environmental Chemical Proone vehicle. The results suggest likely to call for it to be banned. cesses Laboratory at the Univerthat PBDFs and polybrominated The new research documents sity of Crete (Greece). He and his dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) “are significant variations among cars colleagues conducted additional not important constituents of air from the same manufacturer. For tests with two cars purchased in in car interiors.” However, Manexample, the PBDE concentrations January 2006; these tests “clearly dalakis says, further research is recorded in three Fords ranged indicat[ed] the presence of Penta needed to explore the possible from 126 to 2644 pg/m3. Stuart photodegradation of PBDEs to BDE in car interiors,” according Harrad of the University of BirPBDFs and PBDDs, as well as to the paper. mingham (U.K.), who also has the outgassing of PBDF impuriStephanou’s explanation for measured PBDEs in automobile air ties from interior surfaces. these findings is that “it is posand found widely varying concen—KELLYN BETTS sible that there is a large inventrations, points out that the results tory of PBDE-treated materials highlight the complexity of modern automotive manufacturing. manufactured before 2004 that 10.1021/es801896x
2008 American Chemical Society
Published on Web 07/22/2008
September 1, 2008 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 9 6311
