Exposure Assessment of Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Absorbers in Plastic Sports Field Dust and Indoor Dust: Are Plastic Sports Fields High Exposure Scenarios?

Benzotriazole ultraviolet absorbers (BUVs), as emerging contaminants of extensive use, especially in plastic sports fields, have aroused increasing concern due to their potential human and environmental impacts. However, BUV exposure from plastic sports field dust is still unknown. This study compared BUVs in plastic sports field dust and indoor dust for the first time. The order of the geometric mean concentrations of the total BUVs (ΣBUVs) in plastic sports field dust was indoor badminton courts (11023 ng g–1) > basketball courts (4777 ng g–1) > plastic tracks (3779 ng g–1) > synthetic turf (1920 ng g–1) > tennis courts (689 ng g–1). The geometric mean concentrations of ΣBUVs in indoor dust (1150 ng g–1) were lower than those in most plastic sports field dust. The dominant BUV was 2-hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)benzophenone (UV-531) in plastic sports field dust, while 2,2′-methylenebis[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-6-2H-benzotriazole-2-yl)phenol] (UV-360) was the dominant BUV in indoor dust. Releases from plastic track materials, sneaker soles, and friction between them might be important BUV sources in plastic track dust. The average estimated daily intakes of ΣBUVs from plastic sports field dust for general exercisers were lower than those from indoor dust, but those for exercisers with long time or professional athletes might be higher, potentially posing health risks.