Presence of emerging organic contaminants and solvents in schools using passive sampling

Highlights: • Diffusive uptake rates of 28 target compounds were determined in a school setting. • Target compounds were monitored in indoor settings of two different types of schools. • Solvents were the most prevalent target compounds found in the schools studied. • EOCs were found in minor concentrations in all the indoor setting evaluated. • Cleaning products and materials for practicals are the main sources of EOCs and solvents. In this study, we report on the applicability of passive sampling with Carbopack X adsorbent tubes followed by thermal desorption gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC–MS) to monitor the concentrations of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) and solvents in ten indoor environments in a conventional and a vocational training school. However, if passive sampling is to be used as a reliable sampling technique, a specific diffusive uptake rate is required for each target compound. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was twofold. The first was to determine the experimental diffusive uptake rates of the target EOCs and solvents in one of the sampling sites of the vocational training school using Carbopack X adsorbent tubes and active sampling as the reference technique. The results showed experimental diffusive uptake rates between 0.46 mL min⁻¹ and 0.94 mL min⁻¹ with RSD % below 5% for the 28 target compounds. The second was to apply the uptake rates obtained experimentally to determine EOCs and solvents in schools. The monitoring results showed that solvents were ubiquitous throughout the conventional school with a concentrations range between 51.93 μg m⁻³ and 164.6 μg m⁻³, while EOCs were detected to a lesser extent. Moreover, the concentrations of EOCs in the vocational training school were much higher than those in the conventional school with concentrations of up to 562.9 μg m⁻³ for solvents and 344.3 μg m⁻³ for acrylate polymer monomers. After actively sampling for seven days in each school, we concluded that the concentrations of EOCs and solvents found are mostly linked to cleaning products (conventional school) and the activities carried out in the classroom (vocational training school).