Polycyclic and nitro musks in indoor air: a primary school classroom and a women’s sport center

Abstract

Indoor air gas and particulate‐phase samples (PM_2.5) were collected from a primary school classroom and a women’s sport center because children are one of the sensitive population subgroups and women are frequent users of personal care products in addition to the high level of activity in this specific microenvironment. PM_2.5 was collected with a Harvard impactor, and polyurethane foam was used for the gas phase. Samples were ultrasonically extracted, concentrated, and analyzed with a GC‐MS. The mean gas‐phase concentrations in the classroom ranged from 0.12 ± 0.2 ng/m³ for MK to 267 ± 56 ng/m³ for HHCB, while it was from 0.08 ± 0.10 ng/m³ for AHMI to 144 ± 61 ng/m³ for HHCB in the sports center. Particulate‐phase average concentrations in the sports center ranged from 0.22 ± 0.11 ng/m³ for ATII to 1.34 ± 071 ng/m³ for AHTN, while it ranged from 0.05 ± 0.02 ng/m³ (musk xylene) to 2.50 ± 0.94 ng/m³ (HHCB) in the classroom. Exposure–risk assessment showed that inhalation route is most probably far less significant than the dermal route; however, it should be noted that the exposure duration covered in this study was not the larger fraction of the day. Synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) are found everywhere because their use in household and personal care products (laundry detergents, carpet cleaners, cleaning agents, fabric softener soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, etc.) has been increasing. These compounds are semi‐volatiles that may result in direct and indirect exposures through inhalation route. Although SMCs were found to be dominant in the gas phase, exposure via inhalable particles may be important as we found several compounds in the particulate phase (PM_2.5).