Occurrence, Distribution, and Human Exposure of Several Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Indoor Dust: A Nationwide Study

Parabens, triclosan (TCS), triclocarban (TCC), and bisphenol A and its analogues (BPs) are used in various industrial and consumer products and are typical endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). In this study, six parabens, TCS, TCC, and eight BPs were determined in 289 indoor dusts collected from different geographical regions in China. Ten of 16 target compounds were found in >50% samples. Concentrations of Σ 6 parabens, Σ(TCS+TCC), and Σ 8 BPs in indoor dust ranged from 8.66–21,500 (median: 288), 19.6–8940 (104), and 8.80–37,400 (377) ng/g dw, respectively. The Σ(TCS+TCC) concentrations in dust from Northeast China were higher than those from Central South China ( p < 0.05). The concentrations of Σ 8 BPs in dust from Eastern China were approximately 2 times higher than those found for North China ( p < 0.05), whereas there was no significant spatial difference in concentrations of parabens among different geographical regions ( p > 0.05). Human exposure to these EDCs through indoor dust ingestion and dermal absorption was evaluated. The median and 95th percentile estimated daily intakes of Σ 16 EDCs ranged from 0.439 (adults)–4.57 (infants) and 6.26 (adults)–62.1 (infants) ng/kg bw/day, respectively, generally decreasing with increasing age. This nationwide survey establishes a baseline concentration for parabens in the indoor environment in China.