Iran Occupational Health

  Background and aims

  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) have been widely applied to different home and offices' appliances as flame retardant additives to inhibit ignition and enhance  the fire safety. Their toxicity, health effects, and resistance to environmental degradation are  matters of great interested among scientists. Airborne concentrations of PBDE in residential  homes were determined in this study.

  Methods

  In a cross sectional study, 33 residential homes were selected and airborne concentrations of PBDEs were investigated using PUF disk passive air samplers. Also in two building the concentraction of PBDEs were monitored in two rooms of a department in each building for 12 months.

  Results

  Average airborne concentration of ?PBDE (sum of congener #s 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, and 154) for all locations monitored was 52 (4-245) pgm -3 . While in one of the buildings the contaminant level of bedroom was significantly higher than the living room, PBDE

  concentrations remained relatively constant for whole monitoring period.

  Conclusion

  The range of concentrations results to a wide variation between inhalation intakes of dwellers of the lowest and the highest contaminated homes (~50 folds).