Transfer of brominated flame retardants from components into dust inside television cabinets

Chemosphere. 2008 Sep;73(2):161-9. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.06.032. Epub 2008 Jul 25.

Abstract

Television (TV) set components are highly flame resistant, with their added brominated compounds such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). These compounds might be released indoors via dust, which presents a potential exposure pathway for humans in the home environment. In this study, we collected dust from inside TV sets and TV set component samples (parts of housing front cabinets, rear cabinets and circuit boards) of five sets used in Japan. We measured BFRs (i.e., PBDEs, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs)) and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PBDD/DFs). Analytical results of the TV components showed that the concentrations of PBDEs, TBBPA and PBDFs (48,000 microg/g, 19,000 microg/g and 9600 ng/g as mean values, respectively) were all highest in the rear cabinets. The SigmaPBDD concentrations (460 ng/g as a mean value) detected were highest in the circuit board samples. The respective SigmaPBDE and SigmaPBDF concentrations in the dust samples were 67-500 microg/g (mean 300 microg/g) and 180-650 ng/g (mean 410 ng/g). Such concentrations were 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported for house dust samples, which suggests that the brominated compounds are transferred from TV components into dust. Comparison of congener patterns of the brominated compounds in the dust identified the components as the source of these BFRs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Benzofurans / analysis
  • Dioxins / analysis
  • Dust / analysis*
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis
  • Flame Retardants / analysis*
  • Hydrocarbons, Brominated / analysis*
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls / analysis
  • Television*

Substances

  • Benzofurans
  • Dioxins
  • Dust
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Flame Retardants
  • Hydrocarbons, Brominated
  • Polybrominated Biphenyls
  • hexabromocyclododecane
  • tetrabromobisphenol A
  • dibenzo(1,4)dioxin