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Unwelcome Guest: PBDEs in Indoor Dust Kellyn S. Betts Abstract
Although house dust is known to be a predominant source of exposure to PBDEs, it's not yet clear which part of the dust these chemicals bind to. The dust pictured above contains pet hair (rust brown) , pollen (yellow) , plant fibers (green) , dead skin cells (light to medium brown) , dirt and minerals (orange) , textile fibers (blue) , and spider silk (pink) . Researchers have known for years that house dust is a major exposure route for lead and certain pesticides. Now a growing body of evidence indicates that polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants released from a wide variety of consumer products such as electronics and upholstered furniture are finding their way into air and dust in homes, cars, and workplaces. Several states and nations have banned or are considering banning PBDEs, but because these substances have recently been shown to bioaccumulate and persist for long periods in the environment, people will continue to be exposed to them. Moreover, investigators are finding extremely high concentrations of these substances in individuals in certain segments of the U.S. population, including children and the elderly. Studies are now focusing on how these substances are ending up in dust, how and to what extent exposure is occurring, and the impact of exposure on human health.
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