Development and application of a prediction system for benzene series emission concentration and inhalation exposure risk of children's toys.

Children's toys possess both entertainment value and the core value of promoting children's physical and mental development. However, although children are exposed to volatile organic compounds in a variety of dyes and auxiliaries present on children's toys, the health hazard and the indoor air quality during playtime are poorly known. Specifically, reports on the exposure concentration and potential risk of volatile organic compounds released by children's toys in different timeframes and environments remain scarce. Here, we construct a prediction system for benzene series emission concentration from children's toys by integrating exposure routes, diffusion coefficients and toxicological data using the finite element method. The emission models of the benzene series from different types of children's toys are derived based on Fick's law and Green's function in this paper. The initial release concentration and diffusion coefficient of organic substances in children's toys are obtained through experiments in an environmental chamber and a thermal desorption gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Furthermore, an assessment was conducted on the inhalation exposure of different concentrations of toluene and xylene. For the first time, this system converts abstract chemical risks into immersive visual effects through presentation forms such as color and animation. This system achieved dynamic prediction of the spatial and temporal distribution concentrations of different compounds in various scenarios, and it can guide consumers in the use of children's toys and promote technological innovation in the production of children's toys.