title: Comprehensive Characterization of European House Dust Contaminants: Contaminant Concentrations and Profiles, Geographical Variability, and Implications for Chemical Regulation and Health Risk
Creators: name: Peter Haglund
name: Nikiforos Alygizakis
name: Adrian Covaci
name: Lisa Melymuk
name: Pernilla Bohlin Nizzetto
name: Pawel Rostkowski
name: Alexandre Albinet
name: Sylvana Alirai
name: Dagny Aurich
name: Stefan Bieber
name: Ana Ballesteros-Gómez
name: Amanda A. Brennan
name: Hélène Budzinski
name: Gabriela Varela Castro
name: Fatima Den Ouden
name: Marie-Hélène Devier
name: Valeria Dulio
name: Yong-Lai Feng
name: Marta Gabriel
name: Christine Gallampois
name: Manuel Garcia-Vara
name: Georgios Giovanoulis
name: Stuart Harrad
name: Griet Jacobs
name: Karl J. Jobst
name: Sarit Kaserzon
name: Jolanta Kumirska
name: Francois Lestremau
name: Dimitra Lambropoulou
name: Thomas Letzel
name: Miren Lopez De Alda
name: Maja Nipen
name: Peter Oswald
name: Giulia Poma
name: Petra Přibylová
name: Elliott J. Price
name: Gaëlle Raffy
name: Bastian Schulze
name: Emma Schymanski
name: Petr Šenk
name: Si Wei
name: Jaroslav Slobodnik
name: Begoña Talavera Andújar
name: Martin Täubel
name: Nikolaos S. Thomaidis
name: Thanh Wang
name: Xianyu Wang
Publisher: name: LCSB
Year: 2024

description: This study investigated the geographical variability and concentration profiles of contaminants in house dust across
Europe. A collaborative trial (CT) was organized by the NORMAN network using a pooled dust sample and advanced
chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques combined with suspect screening and non-target screening
(NTS). Over 1200 anthropogenic compounds were tentatively identified. Additionally, the seventy-five individual
samples composing the pooled dust were subjected to target analysis and NTS. The median concentrations of most
contaminants varied less than 3-fold across Europe, and the contaminant profile of European dust was similar to that
of North American dust, which was investigated in a previous CT. This similarity may be attributed to the use of similar
consumer articles and building materials throughout the developed world. Multivariate data analysis revealed
geographical trends in contaminant distribution, with north-south gradients across Europe. Geographical trends were
more frequently found for compounds with rapid release (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, fragrances,
pesticides, biocides) and smoke-related compounds. The concentrations of chlorinated paraffins, PAHs, perfluorinated
alkyl substances and stimulants generally increased from north to south, whereas the biocides levels decreased from
north to south. Despite widespread presence of in-use contaminants in dusts, some of the highest risks come from
compounds that have been restricted for decades or more. These include di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), PCB 118
and polybrominated diphenyl ethers 47, 99, and 153. DEHP remains the most abundant contaminant in European
house dust, while the other compounds are classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Moreover, there is a
striking lack of reliable toxicity data, particularly for emerging compounds. For instance, although acceptable daily
intakes (ADIs) were examined for 202 compounds, only 46 had consensus-based ADI values. The results highlight the
need for proactive measures to prevent hazardous and environmentally hazardous chemicals from entering the
market and for careful selection of substitute chemicals, when such are needed, to avoid regrettable substitutions.