The dark side of dust

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The dark side of dust

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Particles can contain flame retardant PBDE and may be dangerous.

 

 

 

By KARIN KAPSIDELIS

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

 

 

 

Those dust bunnies hiding under your toddler's bed are scarier than you

might think.

Once viewed as just a sign of unambitious housekeeping, dust has a dark

side.

A study by the Environmental Protection Agency, for example, has linked the

dramatic rise of thyroid disease in cats to house dust laced with the flame

retardant PBDE.

Some scientists are calling cats the canary in the coal mine -- or in this

case, the living room -- and warning that chronic exposure poses a threat to

people, too.

" What's the hazard level? We really don't know, " said Robert C. Hale, a

Virginia Institute of Marine Science professor and environmental chemist who

was

among the first researchers to raise concerns about high concentrations of

PBDE in fish and sewage sludge.

But that chemical is not the only thing to worry about in dust, Hale said.

" We have this soup of chemicals in our houses, " he said. " There's a lot of

other stuff in house dust. "

No need to panic, Hale and other researchers say. But you might not want to

let your toddlers draw stick figures on the dust on your television screen.

.. . .

Though two forms of PBDE were banned in Europe and voluntarily discontinued

four years ago in this country, the fire retardant is hard to avoid in most

homes. It's found in foam furniture, carpet padding, plastic baby products and

such electronics as televisions and computers.

Small children may be especially vulnerable because, like cats, they spend a

lot of time on the floor. Dust particles can be inhaled or ingested: cats by

grooming and babies by putting their fingers in their mouths.

" It's still an early, preliminary study, " Ram Tripathi, a recently retired

toxicologist with the Virginia Department of Health, said of last year's study

of hyperthyroidism in cats. " We really don't know about human exposure yet. "

Tripathi pointed out that PBDEs also were found in the food fed the cats.

PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are a class of halogenated flame

retardants introduced in the 1970s.

Hale took part in a study that found significant correlations between PBDEs

in breast milk, and household dust and diet, especially dairy products. He is

also the lead researcher on a study that has found high levels of PBDEs in

Antarctica.

Hale said other common but toxic chemicals also have been found in dust at

very low levels. While individual levels might be low, " the sum of the parts "

is a concern.

" We're very ignorant about how they interact, " he said.

Research has found that dust contains, among other things, lead,

formaldehyde, phthalates and alkylphenols, which are used in detergents and

pesticides.

Some of these chemicals are considered endocrine disrupters because they act

as hormones.

Researchers are looking for possible connections to increased cases of

attention deficit disorder, early puberty and breast cancer, for example.

But " establishing a cause and effect is very difficult to do, " Hale said.

.. . .

Is Hale worried about PBDEs in his home? " It's not really a panic issue, " he

said.

" With the ubiquitous use of treated plastics, it would be hard to get away

from them. "

The chemicals are also found in cars, offices and schools.

" I have not taken any precautions, " said Tripathi, who said his two

now-grown children were likely exposed to such chemicals " and they are fine. "

But both have advice for minimizing exposure: Open windows to ventilate.

Dust with a damp cloth (except electrical equipment). Use a vacuum with a HEPA

filter.

Definitely don't use a vacuum that spews out as much dust as it collects,

Hale said. And keep in mind that dust will likely be most contaminated on

plastics that generate heat, such as the television and computer monitor.

If your children do the dusting, make sure they wash their hands afterward.

.. . .

Even though the two forms of PBDE considered the most toxic have been

withdrawn, products containing them may stay on the market for years. And old

furniture will continue to break down and release PBDEs into the environment.

The

chemicals are similar in structure to toxic PCBs, still an environmental

hazard despite a ban three decades ago.

When he was researching the source of PBDE in fish, Hale said, he initially

expected to find a factory as the point source.

" In reality, it could just be a couch someplace, " he said.

After those once-fluffy foam cushions get discarded, they start to

disintegrate when exposed to light, releasing PBDEs into the environment.

Because the

chemicals are not bound to the material, they also can be shed under normal

household use.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recent

studies have shown that PBDE levels in people continue to rise. Some studies

have

found U.S. levels are 10 to 100 times higher than levels of people living in

Europe.

Two forms of PBDEs were banned by the European Union after studies showed

they were accumulating in breast milk. That led to the voluntary

discontinuation of penta-BDE and octa-BDE here.

" Europeans have been leaders on the regulation of these chemicals, " Hale

said.

A third form, deca-BDE, is still in use, although its safety is also being

debated. It has been found in peregrine falcon eggs.

The chemicals are added to plastics and foams because these petroleum-based

products burn readily. Hale points out that flame retardants reduce the

numbers of fires and the environmental damage those cause.

" Fire releases all kinds of nasty stuff, " he said.

Contact Karin Kapsidelis at (804) 649-6119 or

_kkapsidelis_ (kkapsidelis) .

 

 

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Posted July 03, 2008 @ 10:29 AM by TheSmartMama

Although octa & penta BDE were phased out voluntarily in the US, they can

still be found in imported products. Phase out isn't a ban. So, foam products

from China, for example, may contain octa and penta BDEs - think of a

polyurethane foam diaper changing pad or a toy doll stuffed chair. I tested my

daughter's doll's armchair (polyurethane foam) with my XRF analyzer, and it can

back high for bromine, indicating brominated flame retardants. Jennifer

_www.thesmartmama.com_ (http://www.thesmartmama.com)