School of Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Environ Int. 2012 Sep 15;45:86-90. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2012.04.007. Epub 2012 May 9.
This study reports atmospheric concentrations of a number of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in homes, offices, and outdoor locations in Birmingham, UK during 2008 and 2009. Concentrations indoors exceed significantly those outdoors, suggesting indoor emissions are driving outdoor contamination. The exception is N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (EtFOSA), for which indoor and outdoor concentrations are statistically indistinguishable, implying other sources for this compound. Concentrations of all PFASs at 10 urban outdoor locations showed little spatial variability (RSD=53-85%). At 2 urban locations and 1 semi-rural location in England, monthly variations in outdoor concentrations were measured over 1 year and shown to be in line (RSD=39-110%) with the low spatial variability in Birmingham. This low spatial and temporal variability implies sources at locations monitored are diffuse in nature. Concentrations of N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol (EtFOSE) in outdoor air were significantly higher at one of the Birmingham urban sites than at the semi-rural location. Indoor concentrations of perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) exceeded those of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). Combined with the fact that PFHxS concentrations in outdoor air in this study exceed substantially those measured in the UK in 2005; this is consistent with the hypothesis that PFHxS use is increasing in response to restrictions on the use of PFOS. Concentrations of PFOS in offices exceed significantly those in homes. Month-to-month variations in concentrations in 4 living rooms and 1 office were measured over a year. Relative standard deviations (RSD) for individual PFASs in these locations were 47-160%, providing information about the uncertainty associated with exposure assessments based on single measurements. The observed variability could not be attributed to changes in room contents, nor to seasonality. Human exposure via inhalation appears a minor pathway.
本研究报告了 2008 年和 2009 年期间英国伯明翰市家庭、办公室和户外场所中多种全氟烷基物质（PFASs）的大气浓度。室内浓度明显高于室外，表明室内排放物正在导致室外污染。N-乙基全氟辛烷磺酰胺（EtFOSA）是个例外，其室内和室外浓度在统计学上无显著差异，表明该化合物还有其他来源。10 个城市户外地点的所有 PFASs 浓度显示出较小的空间变异性（RSD=53-85%）。在英格兰的 2 个城市和 1 个半农村地点，对 1 年中户外浓度的月度变化进行了测量，结果表明与伯明翰市的低空间变异性一致（RSD=39-110%）。这种低空间和时间变异性意味着监测地点的污染源具有弥散性质。伯明翰市一个城市地点的户外空气中 N-乙基全氟辛烷磺酰胺基乙醇（EtFOSE）浓度明显高于半农村地点。室内全氟己烷磺酸盐（PFHxS）浓度高于全氟辛烷磺酸盐（PFOS）。再加上本研究中户外空气中的 PFHxS 浓度大大超过了 2005 年英国测量的浓度；这与 PFHxS 使用量增加以应对 PFOS 使用限制的假设一致。办公室中的 PFOS 浓度明显高于家庭。对一年中 4 个客厅和 1 个办公室的浓度逐月变化进行了测量。这些地点个别 PFASs 的相对标准偏差（RSD）为 47-160%，为基于单次测量的暴露评估相关的不确定性提供了信息。观察到的变异性不能归因于房间内容的变化，也不能归因于季节性。通过吸入途径的人体暴露似乎是一个次要途径。
