Chemical analysis of semi-volatile organic compounds of concern in outdoor and indoor environments

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The long term goal of the research, for which this equipment is urgent and essential, is to work towards protecting human and ecosystem health by improving chemical management and contributing to public health policies and advice. Achieving this goal requires developing and applying engineering-based methods and tools that connect contaminant emissions to human and ecosystem exposure and ultimately adverse effects. The contaminants of concern, due to their toxicity, include legacy and emerging persistent and pseudo-persistent semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), specifically new and old halogenated and organophosphate flame retardants (FRs), phthalate esters used as plasticizers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). My lab's short-term goals are to improve our understanding of and ability to quantify: 1) indoor contaminant sources, emissions and fate, 2) human exposure from indoor contaminant sources, and 3) outdoor urban contaminant emissions and fate as a function of indoor contaminant inventories. The equipment sought (gas chromatogram with mass spectral detector or GC-MS) is necessary for accurate and efficient measurement of ambient levels of SVOCs in indoor and outdoor environments, and for developing sampling and analytical methods needed to make these measurements. The measurements are used to document the status of these compounds, to estimate human exposure, and to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation strategies to reduce exposure. The measurements are also used in models we develop for predicting exposure and informing chemical management. This proposal is being submitted now because of new funding received for developing new measurement methods and for epidemiological studies requiring SVOC measurement, and because of the aging of existing equipment.