Air pollution caused by phthalates and cyclic siloxanes in Hanoi, Vietnam: Levels, distribution characteristics, and implications for inhalation exposure.

Contamination status and distribution characteristics of ten phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and three cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (CSs) were determined in the air (gas and particle) samples collected from indoor and outdoor spaces of several chemistry laboratories, offices, and homes from urban area of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Air concentrations of Σ10PAEs (median 688; range 142-2390 ng m) and Σ3CSs (171; not detected-1100 ng m) in the indoor air samples were significantly higher than those measured in the outdoor ones (Σ10PAEs: 161; 34.1-515 ng m and Σ3CSs: 43.