Development of monitoring methods for risk assessment of indoor air contamination by chemicals and its application to termiticide (chlorpyrifos), pesticide (permethrin)

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Hazardous health effects such as "sick house syndrome" due to elevated indoor chemicals in residential buildings are increasing ill Japan. We developed monitoring methods and determined the concentrations of chlorpyrifos (organophosphorus termiticide) / permethrin (pyrethroid pesticide) in indoor air and 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP, metabolife of chlorpyrifos) / 3-phenoxy benzoic acid (PBA, metabolite of permethrin) in the residents' urine as exposure indices. Moreover, the concentrations of formaldehyde (HCHO) and 13 kinds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air were determined. The chlorpyrifos levels were 21-26 ng/m^3 in 3 of 8 houses and the levels were below indoor air quality guidelines (1000 ng/m^3 or 100 ng/m^3 for all infant) in Japan. However, urinary TCP was detected in 7 of 9 residents in 3 houses. The permethrin levels were 3-61 ng/m^3 in 5 of 8 houses and urinary PBA was detected in 5 of 12 residents in 5 houses. However, guidelines for permethrin have not been established in Japan. The HCHO levels were 10-103 pg/m^3 in 8 of 8 houses and the level in a newly-built house was higher than the guidelines (100 ug/m^3) in Japan.Thirteen kinds of VOCs were detected in indoor air of all houses and the levels of toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene in indoor air of a newly-built house were the highest (95, 34, 55 μg/m^3, respectively). However, these levels were lower than the guidelines (260, 870, 3800 μg/m^3, respectively) in Japan.The present findings suggest that it is necessary to monitor chemicals such as termiticides, pesticides, formaldehyde, VOCs (toluene, xylene, p-dichlorobenzene, etc.) contaminating indoor air and to agsess the risk of prolonged exposure to these chemicals.