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Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Organophosphate Esters in Different Media
Summary
This review summarized the environmental distribution of organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticizers—alternatives to banned brominated compounds—across water bodies, sediments, indoor dust, and organisms, and assessed associated health risks. OPEs were found ubiquitously across all compartments, and the review identified drinking water and indoor dust as the primary human exposure routes.
Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as alternatives to traditional brominated flame retardants, which are easily released into a variety of environmental media and have potential ecological and health risks. This article aims to review the pollution characteristics of OPEs in water bodies, sediment, dust, and organisms, and also evaluate the health risks of OPEs in water and indoor dust to the population. The health risk assessment model recommended by the US EPA was used to calculate the exposure of OPEs in water bodies and indoor dust, and to evaluate their non-carcinogenic risk (HQ/ HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR). Overall, in China, the high exposure level of OPEs in water has a carcinogenic risk to humans, and to the indoor dust, there is a non-carcinogenic risk to all regions and the people at the general exposure. This article provides a reference for understanding the multimedia pollution behaviour of OPEs and its health risk assessment, and also, it provides a basis for the differentiated risk management, risk prevention, and control of OPEs.
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