Abstract
Total concentrations of nine potentially toxic heavy metals (Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in indoor settled dusts from houses, offices, classrooms, and laboratories in Greater Toronto Area, Canada were determined. Mercury concentrations were determined using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CVAFS), whereas the concentrations of eight other metals were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The results showed that the highest level of heavy metals was in the laboratory dusts. Metal concentrations (except those for Mn and Zn) in household, office, and classroom dusts were comparable. Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn concentrations in the laboratory dusts and Cu and Zn concentrations in household, office, and classroom dusts exceeded the Canadian Soil Guideline. Metal concentrations in the indoor dusts found in this study were, in general, consistent with those reported in literature. Among the metals studied, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn showed the greatest enrichment in the indoor environments relative to their crustal abundances.
Highlights
Indoor air quality is an environmental health concern because people spend up to 90% of their time indoors in places, such as homes, offices and schools (Klepeis et al 2001; Sharpe 2004; Health Canada 2009; Tran et al 2012)
Heavy metal concentrations in household dusts: Household settled dusts collected from 67 residences during the winter of 2012 and 2013 within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) were analyzed for the total content of heavy metals
The results showed that there were statistically no significant differences (p < 0.05) between metal concentrations in household dusts collected in the winter of 2012 and 2013 except that Mn and Zn concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the winter of 2013 than those in the winter of 2012 (Fig. 7)
Summary
Indoor air quality is an environmental health concern because people spend up to 90% of their time indoors in places, such as homes, offices and schools (Klepeis et al 2001; Sharpe 2004; Health Canada 2009; Tran et al 2012). Indoor settled dusts contain various hazardous materials including heavy metals, which can affect human health (Dundar and Atundag 2002). Indoor dusts have external and internal sources. External sources include materials, such as outdoor air particles, garden soil and road dusts, brought indoors from the outdoor environment. Combustion processes (e.g., heating, cooking), building materials (e.g., paints), abrasion from indoor items (e.g., paper, carpet and clothing), and parts from indoor living organisms including occupants, pets, bacteria, fungi, and dust mites (Butte and Heinzow 2002). The composition of indoor dusts alters markedly with the season (e.g., temperature, indoor air circulation), age of the building, quantity of furniture and carpets as well as their preservation, and the occupants’ living habits, including activities and use of personal products (Morawska and Salthammer 2003)
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