Health guidelines for a mixture of phthalates in indoor settled dust

Phthalates are semi-volatile organic compounds commonly found in indoor environments, particularly in settled dust, which contributes to human exposure through ingestion. This study aimed to establish the first Indoor Settled Dust Guidelines (ISDG) for phthalates frequently detected in indoor dust, based on a cumulative risk assessment approach. Common adverse effects were sought in literature. Relative Potency Factors (RPF) were calculated, comparing benchmark doses for critical effects. Reproductive toxicity emerged as the most documented and critical effect, with DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP, DINP, and DIHP being the primary contributors to dust-related reproductive toxicity. Using DEHP as the reference compound, the corresponding RPFs were used to compute equivalent DEHP concentrations in dust. Using this approach, the ISDG was calculated as equivalent DEHP concentrations: 4244 µg.g −1 , 3251 µg.g −1 and 1935 µg.g −1 , protecting 90 %, 95 % and 99 % of the population, respectively, from reproductive toxic effects of 6 phthalates in indoor dust. • Inadvertent ingestion of indoor dust exposes humans to phthalates • Indoor Settled Dust Guidelines (ISDG) can help limit exposure • Reprotoxicity is a critical effect for cumulative risk assessment of phthalates • Relative potency factors calculated for of 6 indoor common phthalates • ISDG computed as DEHP equivalent concentrations in indoor dust, for 6 phthalates