TITLE
Chemical Contaminants in House Dust: Occurrence and Sources

AUTHOR(S)
John W. Roberts1, William T. Budd2, Jane Chuang3, and Robert G.
Lewis4

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
3Battelle, Columbus, OH
2Envirometrics, Inc. - Seattle, WA
1Engineering Plus, Inc., 1425 E. Prospect #3,
Seattle, WA  98112 and 4U.S. EPA, AREAL, RTP, NC  27711

SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC  27711

ABSTRACT
     Pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead
(Pb), and other metals accumulate in home soil and house dust. 
Exposure of infants and toddlers to Pb by dust may be greater than
other pathways.  Many pollutants found in carpet dust are protected
from degradation and accumulate over time.  Greater numbers of
pesticides are found in house dust than in indoor air.  Pb and PAH
concentrations appear to be magnified in house dust when compared
with midyard and walkway soil samples.  Studies using methods
developed by the U.S. EPA show evidence of track-in and/or carry-in
of Pb, PAHs and pesticides on clothes.  Preliminary results of an
eight-home study report PAHs in house dust at 1 to 100 ppm and
suggest track-in as a major source of PAHs in house dust.