Composition of Household Dust in Semi-urban Areas in Malaysia

A study of household dust composition was conducted in a semi-urban area around Kajang and Bandar Baru Bangi Selangor, Malaysia. Samples of household dust were collected from 31 randomly selected houses using a vacuum cleaner equipped with a changeable dust bag. Parameters analysed were anions (Cl-, SO42- 4, and NO3-), cations (K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), and heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Ni, and Pb) to deduce the possible sources and evaluate the toxicity of indoor dust. The concentration of each parameter was compared to the concentration of street dust collected outside the houses. The results showed that the composition of anions was dominated by Cl- followed by SO42- and NO3-; cations concentration by the sequence of Ca2+ > K+ > Mg2+ and for heavy metals concentration, Pb was present in the highest concentration followed by Ni > Fe > Cd > Zn. The study also showed that the concentration of most parameters analyzed were higher in household dust than street dust, suggesting that the composition of household dust is more closely related to indoor activities and the environment.