Sources, pathways and concentrations of potentially toxic trace metals in home environments

Carlos Ibañez-Del Rivero; Kara L. Fry; Max M. Gillings; Cynthia F. Barlow; C. Marjorie Aelion; Mark Patrick Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173

Sources, pathways and concentrations of potentially toxic trace metals in home environments

Carlos Ibañez-Del Rivero, Kara L. Fry, Max M. Gillings, Cynthia F. Barlow, C. Marjorie Aelion, Mark Patrick Taylor^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Natural Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Despite ongoing concerns about trace metal and metalloid (trace metals) exposure risks from indoor dust, there has been limited research examining their sources and relationship to outdoor soils. Here we determine the concentrations and sources for potentially toxic trace metals (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and their pathways into homes in Sydney, Australia, using home-matched indoor dust (n = 166), garden soil (n = 166), and road dust samples (n = 51). All trace metals were more elevated indoors versus their matched garden soil counterparts. Indoor Cu and Zn dust concentrations were significantly more enriched than outdoor dusts and soils, indicating indoor sources were more relevant for these elements. By contrast, even though Pb was elevated in indoor dust, garden soil concentrations were correspondingly high, indicating that it remains an important source and pathway for indoor contamination. Attributes such as home age, construction materials, recent renovations and deteriorating exterior paint status correlated with high concentrations of paint-related As, Pb, Zn, and metal sheeting-related Zn sources in garden soils and indoor dust of older homes (>50 years). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between road dust and garden soil Cu concentrations, and those of As and Zn in soil and indoor dust and Pb across all three media suggest common sources. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of indoor dust samples (n = 6) showed that 57% of particles were derived from outdoor sources. Pb isotopic compositions of soil (n = 21) and indoor dust (n = 21) were moderately correlated, confirming the relevance of outdoor contaminants to indoor environments. This study illustrates the relationship, origin, and fate of trace metals moving from the surrounding environment, around and into homes, which is of value in understanding how to reduce potentially toxic trace metal exposures in the home environment.

Original language	English
Article number	115173
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	220
Early online date	27 Dec 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2023

Keywords

Garden soil
Indoor dust
Particle image analysis
Pb health risk
Pb isotopes
Road dust

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10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173

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title = "Sources, pathways and concentrations of potentially toxic trace metals in home environments",

abstract = "Despite ongoing concerns about trace metal and metalloid (trace metals) exposure risks from indoor dust, there has been limited research examining their sources and relationship to outdoor soils. Here we determine the concentrations and sources for potentially toxic trace metals (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and their pathways into homes in Sydney, Australia, using home-matched indoor dust (n = 166), garden soil (n = 166), and road dust samples (n = 51). All trace metals were more elevated indoors versus their matched garden soil counterparts. Indoor Cu and Zn dust concentrations were significantly more enriched than outdoor dusts and soils, indicating indoor sources were more relevant for these elements. By contrast, even though Pb was elevated in indoor dust, garden soil concentrations were correspondingly high, indicating that it remains an important source and pathway for indoor contamination. Attributes such as home age, construction materials, recent renovations and deteriorating exterior paint status correlated with high concentrations of paint-related As, Pb, Zn, and metal sheeting-related Zn sources in garden soils and indoor dust of older homes (>50 years). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between road dust and garden soil Cu concentrations, and those of As and Zn in soil and indoor dust and Pb across all three media suggest common sources. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of indoor dust samples (n = 6) showed that 57\% of particles were derived from outdoor sources. Pb isotopic compositions of soil (n = 21) and indoor dust (n = 21) were moderately correlated, confirming the relevance of outdoor contaminants to indoor environments. This study illustrates the relationship, origin, and fate of trace metals moving from the surrounding environment, around and into homes, which is of value in understanding how to reduce potentially toxic trace metal exposures in the home environment.",

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author = "\{Iba{\~n}ez-Del Rivero\}, Carlos and Fry, \{Kara L.\} and Gillings, \{Max M.\} and Barlow, \{Cynthia F.\} and Aelion, \{C. Marjorie\} and Taylor, \{Mark Patrick\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173",

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T1 - Sources, pathways and concentrations of potentially toxic trace metals in home environments

AU - Ibañez-Del Rivero, Carlos

AU - Fry, Kara L.

AU - Gillings, Max M.

AU - Barlow, Cynthia F.

AU - Aelion, C. Marjorie

AU - Taylor, Mark Patrick

PY - 2023/3/1

Y1 - 2023/3/1

N2 - Despite ongoing concerns about trace metal and metalloid (trace metals) exposure risks from indoor dust, there has been limited research examining their sources and relationship to outdoor soils. Here we determine the concentrations and sources for potentially toxic trace metals (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and their pathways into homes in Sydney, Australia, using home-matched indoor dust (n = 166), garden soil (n = 166), and road dust samples (n = 51). All trace metals were more elevated indoors versus their matched garden soil counterparts. Indoor Cu and Zn dust concentrations were significantly more enriched than outdoor dusts and soils, indicating indoor sources were more relevant for these elements. By contrast, even though Pb was elevated in indoor dust, garden soil concentrations were correspondingly high, indicating that it remains an important source and pathway for indoor contamination. Attributes such as home age, construction materials, recent renovations and deteriorating exterior paint status correlated with high concentrations of paint-related As, Pb, Zn, and metal sheeting-related Zn sources in garden soils and indoor dust of older homes (>50 years). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between road dust and garden soil Cu concentrations, and those of As and Zn in soil and indoor dust and Pb across all three media suggest common sources. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of indoor dust samples (n = 6) showed that 57% of particles were derived from outdoor sources. Pb isotopic compositions of soil (n = 21) and indoor dust (n = 21) were moderately correlated, confirming the relevance of outdoor contaminants to indoor environments. This study illustrates the relationship, origin, and fate of trace metals moving from the surrounding environment, around and into homes, which is of value in understanding how to reduce potentially toxic trace metal exposures in the home environment.

AB - Despite ongoing concerns about trace metal and metalloid (trace metals) exposure risks from indoor dust, there has been limited research examining their sources and relationship to outdoor soils. Here we determine the concentrations and sources for potentially toxic trace metals (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and their pathways into homes in Sydney, Australia, using home-matched indoor dust (n = 166), garden soil (n = 166), and road dust samples (n = 51). All trace metals were more elevated indoors versus their matched garden soil counterparts. Indoor Cu and Zn dust concentrations were significantly more enriched than outdoor dusts and soils, indicating indoor sources were more relevant for these elements. By contrast, even though Pb was elevated in indoor dust, garden soil concentrations were correspondingly high, indicating that it remains an important source and pathway for indoor contamination. Attributes such as home age, construction materials, recent renovations and deteriorating exterior paint status correlated with high concentrations of paint-related As, Pb, Zn, and metal sheeting-related Zn sources in garden soils and indoor dust of older homes (>50 years). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between road dust and garden soil Cu concentrations, and those of As and Zn in soil and indoor dust and Pb across all three media suggest common sources. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of indoor dust samples (n = 6) showed that 57% of particles were derived from outdoor sources. Pb isotopic compositions of soil (n = 21) and indoor dust (n = 21) were moderately correlated, confirming the relevance of outdoor contaminants to indoor environments. This study illustrates the relationship, origin, and fate of trace metals moving from the surrounding environment, around and into homes, which is of value in understanding how to reduce potentially toxic trace metal exposures in the home environment.

KW - Garden soil

KW - Indoor dust

KW - Particle image analysis

KW - Pb health risk

KW - Pb isotopes

KW - Road dust

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85146476585

U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173

M3 - Article

C2 - 36584841

AN - SCOPUS:85146476585

SN - 0013-9351

VL - 220

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Environmental Research

JF - Environmental Research

M1 - 115173

ER -

Sources, pathways and concentrations of potentially toxic trace metals in home environments

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Keywords

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