The DustEx model is used to assess exposure to semi-volatile substances (SVOCs) in products that are introduced into the indoor environment.
The typical products considered are solid material products (e.g. flooring, wall covering, electronic devices) from which substances are released into indoor air and subsequently transported into different indoor compartments airborne particles, indoor surfaces and dust. Exposure takes place from the inhalation of the substance in the gas phase, the inhalation of substance bound to airborne particles, the dermal absorption of the substance from air (gas phase) and the oral ingestion of the substance with dust.
For SVOCs released indoors, it may not be clear beforehand which exposure pathway(s) will be relevant. The DustEx model considers all pathways and will therefore enable a more complete assessment of exposure, reducing the probability of overlooking the most crucial pathways in the exposure assessment.
Access
DustEx is accessible as an online platform at https://dustex.nl/
User help
Information and support can be found here. You can also request support via dustex@rivm.nl.
References
Sukiene V, Gerecke AC, Park YM, Zennegg M, Bakker MI, Delmaar JE, Hungerbühler K, von Goetz N. 2016. Tracking SVOCs’ transfer from products to indoor air and settled dust with deuterium-labeled substances. Env. Sci. Technol. 50(8): 4296-4303
Sukiene, V., N. Von Goetz, A. C. Gerecke, M. I. Bakker, C. J. E. Delmaar and K. Hungerbühler (2017). Direct and Air-Mediated Transfer of Labeled SVOCs from Indoor Sources to Dust. Environmental Science and Technology 51(6): 3269-3277.
