Ionic Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in PM2.5 from 10 Homes in North Carolina: Insights from the Indoor PFAS Assessment Campaign
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For the general population, the indoor environment is likely the main location for exposure to many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); however, little is known about indoor inhalation exposures. PFAS span a wide range of volatilities and several compound classes. They are commonly found in consumer products due to their heat-, stain-, and water-resistant properties, and have been associated with adverse health effects such as hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and thyroid disease. Indoor exposures are likely important because humans spend nearly 90% of their time indoors, where they use PFAS-containing products and where ventilation is limited. As part of the UNC Indoor PFAS Assessment (IPA) Campaign, 6-day integrated samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were collected at 10L/min on quartz fiber filters (QFFs) downstream of a multi-jet 2.5-µm cut point impactor at 3 occasions/home in 10 residential homes in North Carolina over a year. A second QFF was placed behind the first to assess sampling artifacts. Samples were analyzed for 27 targeted PFAS compounds with an AB SCIEX Triple Quad™ 6500 LC/MS-MS and for total organic carbon and elemental carbon with a Sunset Laboratory OC/EC Analyzer (using a second, identical sampler). Either PM2.5 or total suspended PM was also collected over 6-days on Teflon filters and analyzed for inorganic ions with a Dionex ICS-3000 and Aquion system, enabling measurement of other major aerosol species, including an estimate of aerosol water. In addition to PM2.5, living room windows in each home were sampled with methanol-wetted Kimwipes at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 7-9-month intervals. PFAS profiles and concentrations in PM2.5 and on window surfaces will be discussed and compared, as will their associations with PM2.5 properties and PFAS properties.