Unveiling the Characteristics of Indoor Chemical Mixtures and Their Health Risks across China

Exposure to chemicals is a significant risk factor affecting human health, yet uncovering the risks posed by complex indoor chemical mixtures remains an immense challenge. In this study, we systematically screened 969 semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in 395 indoor dust and silicone passive air samples from 31 Chinese provinces. A total of 216 SVOCs were detected across 201 bedrooms, with 95 compounds codetected in both dust and air samples. We found that SVOC concentrations in indoor air were significantly correlated with indoor temperature (r = 0.19) and relative humidity (r = −0.34) and were also significantly influenced by region, season, ventilation time, and interior finishes. Daily intakes of ΣSVOCs from indoor air were 3.15 to 13.6 times those from indoor dust for infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults. The cumulative noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of indoor SVOC mixtures were non-negligible across five age groups, with 15.9–38.8% and 9.5–50.7% of sites exceeding acceptable levels, respectively. Notably, the risk posed by inhaling gaseous SVOCs accounted for 49.6% to 82.8% of the total risk, surpassing the risk from ingestion and dermal uptake of dust. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights into indoor chemical mixtures and their health risks, informing targeted interventions.

化学品暴露是影响人类健康的重要风险因素，然而解析复杂室内化学混合物所带来的健康风险仍是一项极具挑战性的课题。本研究对采自中国31个省份的395份室内灰尘及硅基被动空气采样样品中的969种半挥发性有机化合物（semivolatile organic compounds, SVOCs）进行了系统筛查。在201个卧室采样点中共检出216种SVOCs，其中95种化合物可在灰尘与空气样品中共同检出。研究发现，室内空气中的SVOC浓度与室内温度（r=0.19）、相对湿度（r=-0.34）呈显著相关，同时还受区域、季节、通风时长及室内装修的显著影响。对于婴儿、学步儿童、儿童、青少年与成人这5个年龄群体，经室内空气摄入的总半挥发性有机化合物（ΣSVOCs）每日摄入量为经室内灰尘摄入的3.15至13.6倍。室内SVOC混合物的累积非致癌与致癌风险在5个年龄群体中均不容忽视，分别有15.9%~38.8%和9.5%~50.7%的采样点超出可接受风险水平。值得注意的是，吸入气态SVOCs所带来的风险占总风险的49.6%~82.8%，远超经灰尘摄入与皮肤接触吸收所带来的风险。综上，本研究为室内化学混合物及其健康风险提供了宝贵的研究见解，可为针对性干预措施的制定提供科学参考。