Human exposure to volatile organic compounds in household tap water: the indoor inhalation pathway
This paper addresses the quantification of human exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC's) as a result of mass transfer from tap water to indoor air. A three-compartment model is developed and used to simulate the 24-h concentration profile within the shower, bathroom, and remaining household volumes of a dwelling. Mass transfers from water to air are derived from measured data for radon and adjusted to account for the difference in mass-transfer properties for VOC's. A preliminary data base for household parameters is used to calculate a range of concentrations and human exposures in U.S. dwellings. The model is used to estimate exposure factors for seven compounds-chloroform, ethylene dibromide, dibromo-chloropropane, methylchloroform, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and carbon tetrachloride. The calculated ratio of indoor-air exposure to tap water concentration is compared to measured values for one of the compounds, chloroform. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify important parameters. 21 references, 3 figures, 8 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5116417
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 21:12; ISSN ESTHA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520300* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DRINKING WATER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INFORMATION
INHALATION
INTAKE
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
VOLATILITY
WATER