Cancer risk and sick building syndrome in different regions of China: Potential hazard from particulate matter and phthalate pollutants

Phthalates (PAEs), a class of synthetic chemicals, are harmful to human health and found in indoor particulate matter (PM), air and settled dust. Current risk assessments for indoor PAEs may not accurately reflect the risks for the Chinese population because they use parameters from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA.). This study investigated the correlation among PAEs, PM and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) in Shanghai. Chinese exposure parameters were then used to assess the lifetime incremental cancer risk (ILCR) of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) for different age groups across various Chinese regions. A significant positive correlation was found between indoor PAEs, PM concentrations (PM_2.5, PM₄ and PM₁₀) and SBS. Regional differences existed in the ILCR associated with non-dietary intake (ILCR_intake) and inhalation (ILCR_inhale) of DEHP. ILCR_intake posed a higher risk than ILCR_inhale, exceeding the U.S. EPA limit (1 × 10⁻⁶) in most regions (1.19 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.93 × 10⁻⁶) with the exception of North and South China. . ILCR_inhale remained below this threshold (ranging from 0.01 × 10⁻⁶ to 0.75 × 10⁻⁶). These findings highlight that cancer risks from DEHP intake via dust warrant particular concern.