Biocide and other semi-volatile organic compound concentrations in settled indoor dust of CRESPI daycare centers and implication for public health

Abstract

This study investigates the presence of biocides and other semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in cleaning products used in daycare centers and health impact through ingestion of settled dust by young children. In Paris metropolitan area, 106 daycares area were investigated between 2019–2022. Fifteen substances were analyzed in settled indoor dust by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Detection rates and concentrations ranged from 5 to 100%, and <LOD to 14,267 ng/g, respectively. Galaxolide and benzophenone showed highest median concentration respectively 884 ng/g and 819 ng/g. The daily intakes (DI) of the substances through settled dust ingestion were evaluated and compared to those from food, inhalation, and dermal contact reported in the literature. Daily intakes from settled dust for musks, triclosan, geraniol, benzophenone, 2-phenylphenol, bifenthrin, and 4-n-nonylphenol were lower than those reported in the literature. The proportion of dust ingestion to total DI was negligible, except for benzophenone (DI=34%) for children aged 3 to 11 months. The DIs were well below the respective toxicological reference values for isothiazolinones, 4-tert-butylphenol, chlorocresol, and diclosan. Our results suggest that exposure to these biocides and the other SVOCs, taken individually, by dust ingestion in daycares, is not a major public health concern. Benzophenone, presumed carcinogen for humans, may require further investigation because of its presence in several daycares.