In this study, the concentrations, size-specific distributions, and preliminary exposure assessments of 10 organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were investigated in suspended particulate matter collected from offices. OPFRs were detected in a range of 5.00-147.77 ng/m(3). Tri(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) was the most abundant analog followed by tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP). Chlorinated OPFRs (TCPP, TCEP, and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCPP)) contributed to about 77% of the total OPFRs. Size-specific distributions revealed that TCEP, tri-n-propyl phosphate (TnPP), TCPP, and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) shared a similar distribution pattern with a peak in the fraction 4.7-5.8 μm. A peak was also found in the distributions of tricresyl phosphate (TCrP), 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), and tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) but in different fractions. A bimodal distribution was observed for TDCPP, TPhP, and tributoxyethyl phosphate (TBEP). The results of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) indicated that TDCPP, TCrP, and TEHP were mainly located on ultrafine particles (≤1 μm), while TnPP, TBEP, and EHDPP mainly on fine particles (≤2.5 μm). Furthermore, MMADs of OPFRs were found to be positively correlated with their vapor pressures (Vp) (p< 0.01), indicating that OPFR analogs with low Vp were inclined to adsorb on small size particles. Preliminary exposure assessments suggested a low risk of exposure to OPFRs for people working in such offices, and inhaled OPFRs would mainly deposit in the head region of the respiratory tract.

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Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are ubiquitous in the environment and may pose potential health risks to humans. Drinking water is suspected as one possible exposure pathway of OPEs to humans. In this study, we investigated the residues of 9 OPEs in five types of drinking water in Eastern China. The median concentrations of Σ9OPEs were determined to be 3.99, 4.50, 27.6, 59.2 and 192ng/L in the bottled, well, barreled, direct drinking and tap waters, respectively. Triethyl phosphate (TEP) was the most abundant OPE in the tap water and filtered drinking water with median concentrations of 50.2 and 30.2ng/L, respectively. The mixture of tri(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tri(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), named here as TCPP, dominated in the barreled and well water with median concentrations of 8.04 and 2.49ng/L, respectively. The calculated average daily doses of OPEs ranged from 0.14 to 7.07ng/kgbw/day for people consuming the five different types of drinking water. Among the drinking water, the tap water exhibited the highest exposure doses of OPEs. The calculated non-cancer hazard quotients (10(-4)-10(-7)) from OPEs were much lower than the theoretical threshold of risk. The carcinogenic risks posed by TCEP were very low (<10(-7)) for all types of drinking water. The results revealed that there was currently low risk to human health from exposure to OPEs through drinking water in Eastern China.

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