From Clothing to Laundry Water: Investigating the Fate of Phthalates, Brominated Flame Retardants, and Organophosphate Esters

Abstract

The accumulation of phthalate esters, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs) by clothing from indoor air and transfer via laundering to outdoors were investigated. Over 30 days cotton and polyester fabrics accumulated 3475 and 1950 ng/dm(2) ∑5phthalates, 65 and 78 ng/dm(2) ∑10BFRs, and 1200 and 310 ng/dm(2) ∑8OPEs, respectively. Planar surface area concentrations of OPEs and low molecular weight phthalates were significantly greater in cotton than polyester and similar for BFRs and high molecular weight phthalates. This difference was significantly and inversely correlated with KOW, suggesting greater sorption of polar compounds to polar cotton. Chemical release from cotton and polyester to laundry water was >80% of aliphatic OPEs (log KOW < 4), < 50% of OPEs with an aromatic structure, 50-100% of low molecular weight phthalates (log KOW 4-6), and < detection-35% of higher molecular weight phthalates (log KOW > 8) and BFRs (log KOW > 6). These results support the hypothesis that clothing acts an efficient conveyer of soluble semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from indoors to outdoors through accumulation from air and then release during laundering. Clothes drying could as well contribute to the release of chemicals emitted by electric dryers. The results also have implications for dermal exposure.

Partitioning of PCBs from air to clothing materials in a Danish apartment

“…Partition coefficients for the two polyester fabrics (3 and 4) were lower than all but fabric 9 or below the limit of quantification for PCB‐52. This is similar to the observations that the equilibrium sorbed mass of nicotine and phthalates is higher on cotton than polyester, and the methamphetamine partition coefficient for cotton is much higher than for polyester . This is surprising given that lower polarity PCBs might be expected to have a greater affinity for low‐polarity polyester.…”

Dermal uptake of phthalates from clothing: Comparison of model to human participant results

“…However, <20% of DnBP was retained on the clothing after washing. Based on the findings of Gong et al 25 and Saini et al 26 and the fact that the clothing in Morrison et al 12 was washed and hot-air tumble-dried, we anticipate that most of the DEP and DnBP was removed prior to the 9-day exposure interval. In general, incomplete removal of SVOCs after laundering will increase the initial concentration in the fabric, thereby hastening the approach to equilibrium during the launderwear interval and potentially increasing exposure.…”

“…Had the clothing been tumble‐dried in a hot‐air dryer, the removal efficiency of DEP and DnBP would likely have been higher. Saini et al . observed post‐laundering retention of higher molecular weight phthalates, organophosphate esters, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers even after laundering and hot‐air drying.…”

“…Based on the findings of Gong et al . and Saini et al . and the fact that the clothing in Morrison et al .…”

“…Saini et al 26 observed post-laundering retention of higher molecular weight phthalates, organophosphate esters, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers even after laundering and hot-air drying. However, <20% of DnBP was retained on the clothing after washing.…”