Emissions, fate, exposure and management of chemical contaminants indoors and outdoors

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This proposal is motivated by public concern about the negative impacts of toxic chemicals. The research goal is to provide information and tools to government agencies entrusted with protecting human and ecological health through chemical management policies and regulations, and to provide advice to the public on effective ways to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals. The knowledge needed to achieve this goal includes chemical sources, emissions, transport pathways and exposures. We propose to fill this need by connecting sources and emissions through to human and ecosystem exposures to toxic chemicals or “chemicals of concern”. Those chemicals include brominated and organophosphate flame retardants, phthalate plasticizers, synthetic musk fragrances, selected current use pesticides, and other semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) prioritized by Canada’s Chemical Management Plan. The SVOCs of interest here are released from products and materials. Their concentrations are highest indoors where Canadians spend 90% of their time and hence have opportunities for exposure. The SVOCs are then released from indoors to outdoors, where outdoor urban environments and ecosystems have high concentrations due to the confluence of people and activities.