Distributions of the particle/gas and dust/gas partition coefficients for seventy-two semi-volatile organic compounds in indoor environment

Particle/gas and dust/gas partition coefficients (K-p and K-d) are two key parameters that address the partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) between gas-phase, airborne particles, and settled dust in indoor environment. A number of empirical equations to calculate the values of K-p and K-d have been reported in the literature. Therefore, the difficulty lies in the selection of a specific empirical equation in a given situation. In this study, we retrieved from the literature 38 empirical equations for calculating K-p and K-d values from the SVOC saturation vapor pressure and octanol/air partition coefficient. These values were calculated for 72 SVOCs: 9 phthalates, 9 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 11 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 22 biocides, 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 3 alkylphenols, 2 synthetic musks, tributylphosphate, and bisphenol A. The mean and median values of log(10) K-p or log(10) K-d for most SVOCs were of the same order of magnitude. The distribution of log(10) K-p values was fitted to either a normal distribution (for 27 SVOCs) or a log-normal distribution (for 45 SVOCs). This work provides a reference distribution of the log(10) K-p for 72 SVOCs, and its use may reduce the bias associated with the selection of a specific value or equation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.