Human exposure to phthalates from house dust in Bangkok, Thailand

The study determined concentrations of and estimated human exposure to house dust-ingested phthalates from 99 homes in Bangkok, Thailand. Phthalates in dust collected using a handheld vacuum cleaner was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealing a median content of 3,477 mu g g(-1), range 753-13,810 mu g g(-1), with di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) having the highest level (median = 1,739 mu g g(-1), range 467-8,172 mu g g(-1)) followed by di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP) (median = 611 mu g g(-1), range 15.2-11,052 mu g g(-1)). DEHP in house dust from multi-family apartments with polyvinyl (PVC) floor material (n = 34), multi-family apartments without PVC floor material (n = 55) and single family houses without PVC floor material (n = 10) was median and range 3,009 and 568-6,898; 1,479 and range 467-8,172 and 1,207 mu g g(-1) and 611-3518 mu g g(-1), respectively. At high-end house dust DEHP level, preschool children in all three types of homes were exposed above US Environment Protection Agency reference dose (20 mu g g(-1)). The results suggest phthalate-containing house products constitute a likely major source of phthalates in indoor home environment and pose a potential health risk to residents, particularly preschool children, in Bangkok.