World-Wide Indoor Exposure to Polyfluoroalkyl Phosphate Esters (PAPs) and other PFASs in Household Dust
Abstract
Human exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is ongoing and in some cases increasing, despite efforts made to reduce emissions. The role of precursor compounds such as polyfluorinated phosphate esters (PAPs) has received increasing attention, but there are knowledge gaps regarding their occurrence and impact on human exposure. In this study, mono-, di-, and triPAPs, perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs), saturated, and unsaturated fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCA/FTUCAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonamides, and sulfonamidethanols (FOSA/FOSEs), and one fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (FTSA)) were compared in household dust samples from Canada, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, Greece, Spain, Nepal, Japan, and Australia. Mono-, di-, and triPAPs, including several diPAP homologues, were frequently detected in dust from all countries, revealing an ubiquitous spread in private households from diverse geographic areas, with significant differences between countries. The median levels of monoPAPs and diPAPs ranged from 3.7 ng/g to 1 023 ng/g and 3.6 ng/g to 692 ng/g, respectively, with the lowest levels found in Nepal and the highest in Japan. The levels of PAPs exceeded those of the other PFAS classes. These findings reveal the importance of PAPs as a source of PFAS exposure worldwide.
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PFAS have been shown to accumulate in house dust from multiple sources.
“PFAS have been shown to accumulate in house dust from multiple sources such as cosmetics, food packaging, carpets, and other consumer products.30−34”
From Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Street Sweepings (2022) · cites this paper as [31]
DiPAPs are commercial surfactants used in paper products including food packaging, among others.
“DiPAPs are commercial surfactants used in paper products including food packaging, 99 among others.”
From Storms mobilize organophosphate esters, bisphenols, PFASs, and vehicle-derived contaminants to San Francisco Bay watersheds (2024) · cites this paper as [99]
Frequent and extensive detection of emerging or unknown PFASs in the environment highlights the risk to humans from continuous exposure to increasing amounts of such compounds.
“Frequent and extensive detection of emerging/unknown PFASs within the environment highlights the risk to humans of continuous exposure to increasing amounts of such compounds.”
From Non-Target and Suspect Screening of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Airborne Particulate Matter in China (2018) · cites this paper as [13]
Compared with dust samples from various countries, the 6:2 diPAP-to-legacy PFAS ratio in outdoor APM was relatively low.
“Compared with the results of dust samples from different countries, 74 this ratio is relatively low”
From Non-Target and Suspect Screening of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Airborne Particulate Matter in China (2018) · cites this paper as [74]
Increased partitioning of PFAS to the solid phase within WWTPs has been associated with increasing fluoroalkyl chain length.
“The increased partitioning of PFAS to the solid phase within WWTPs has been associated with increasing fluoroalkyl chain length [11, 51, 55].”
From An investigation into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nineteen Australian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (2019) · cites this paper as [55]
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- Authors
- Eriksson, U., & Kärrman, A.
- Affiliations
- Örebro University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Eriksson, Ulrika
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2015-06-02
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 24
- Pages
- 14503-14511
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2197983629
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 8.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Keywords
- PFAS, house dust, indoor air exposure, perfluorooctanoic acid, fluorotelomer carboxylic acids, precursors, global distribution, human exposure
- MeSH terms
- Air Pollutants, Asia, Australia, Canada, Caprylates, Dust, Environmental Exposure, Esters, Europe, Family Characteristics, Fluorocarbons, Humans, Organophosphates, Air Pollution, Indoor
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