Chemicals in European residences - Part I: A review of emissions, concentrations and health effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Abstract
One of the more important classes of potentially toxic indoor air chemicals are the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). However, due to a limited understanding of the relationships between indoor concentrations of individual VOCs and health outcomes, there are currently no universal health-based guideline values for VOCs within Europe including the UK. In this study, a systematic search was conducted designed to capture evidence on concentrations, emissions from indoor sources, and health effects for VOCs measured in European residences.
We identified 65 individual VOCs, and the most commonly measured were aromatic hydrocarbons (14 chemicals), alkane hydrocarbons (9), aldehydes (8), aliphatic hydrocarbons (5), terpenes (6), chlorinated hydrocarbons (4), glycol and glycol ethers (3) and esters (2). The pathway of interest was inhalation and 8 individual aromatic hydrocarbons, 7 alkanes and 6 aldehydes were associated with respiratory health effects. Members of the chlorinated hydrocarbon family were associated with cardiovascular neurological and carcinogenic health effects and some were irritants as were esters and terpenes. Eight individual aromatic hydrocarbons, 7 alkanes and 6 aldehydes identified in European residences were associated with respiratory health effects. Of the 65 individual VOCs, 52 were from sources associated with building and construction materials (e.g. brick, wood products, adhesives and materials for flooring installation etc.), 41 were linked with consumer products (passive, electric and combustible air fresheners, hair sprays, deodorants) and 9 VOCs were associated with space heating, which may reflect the relatively small number of studies discussing emissions from this category of sources. A clear decrease in concentrations of formaldehyde was observed over the last few years, whilst acetone was found to be one of the most abundant but underreported species. A new approach based on the operational indoor air quality surveillance will both reveal trends in known VOCs and identify new compounds.- Publication:
-
Science of the Total Environment
- Pub Date:
- September 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156201
- Bibcode:
- 2022ScTEn.83956201H
- Keywords:
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- 1;
- 4-DCB;
- 1;
- 4-Dichlorobenzene;
- 4-AMCH;
- 4-Acetyl-1-methylcyclohexane;
- 4-OPA;
- 4-Oxopentanal;
- 6-MHO;
- 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one;
- ACN;
- acetonitrile;
- AM;
- Arithmetic means;
- BTX;
- Benzene;
- toluene;
- xylene;
- CEL;
- Critical exposure limit;
- CFU;
- Colony forming units;
- CI;
- Confidence Interval;
- CNS;
- Central nervous system;
- CV;
- Coefficient of Variation;
- CVD;
- Cardiovascular disease;
- DALY;
- Disability adjusted life years;
- DEHP;
- Diethylhexyl phthalate;
- DEP;
- Diethyl phthalate;
- DHC;
- Dihydrocarvone 2-methyl-5-isopropenyl-cyclohexan-1-one;
- DIBP;
- Diisobutyl phthalate;
- ECD;
- Electron capture detector;
- ECG;
- Electrocardiogram;
- EGBE;
- Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether;
- EH;
- Experimental House;
- Eo/B;
- Enhanced eosinophil/basophil;
- ETS;
- Environmental Tobacco Smoke;
- ETS;
- Environmental tobacco smoke;
- EU-LCI;
- EU-Lowest Concentration of Interest;
- FE;
- Field Experiment;
- FID;
- Flame ionization detector;
- FLEC;
- Field and Laboratory Emission Cell;
- GC/ECD;
- Gas chromatography/electron capture detector;
- GC/MS;
- Gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry;
- GC;
- Gas chromatography;
- GM;
- Geometric mean;
- GM-CSF;
- Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor;
- GSD;
- Geometric standard deviation;
- HPLC;
- High-performance liquid chromatography;
- IAQ;
- Indoor Air Quality;
- IL-4;
- Interleukin-4;
- IOP;
- Isoprene oxidation products;
- IPOH;
- 3-Isopropenyl-6-oxo-heptanal;
- LOP;
- Limonene ozone reaction product;
- MEC;
- Miniature Emissions Chamber;
- NOEL;
- No Observed Effect Level;
- OMCTS;
- Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane;
- OR;
- Odds Ratio;
- PBMC;
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells;
- PFSs;
- Passive flux sampler;
- PGME;
- Propylene glycol methyl ether;
- PID;
- Photoionisation detector;
- RH;
- Relative humidity;
- SV;
- Sample Vessel;
- SVOCs;
- Semi volatile organic compounds;
- TB;
- Time of break;
- TC;
- Test Cell or Chamber;
- TE;
- Time of expiration;
- TI;
- Time of inspiration;
- TPDDIB;
- 2;
- 2;
- 4-Trimethyl-1;
- 3-pentanediol diisobutyrate / TXIB;
- TPDMIB;
- 2;
- 2;
- 4-Trimethyl-1;
- 3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate/ texanol;
- TSP;
- Total suspended particles;
- TVOCs;
- Total volatile organic compounds;
- UV-VIS;
- Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy;
- VD;
- Mid expiratory flow rate;
- VOCs;
- Volatile organic compounds;
- VT;
- Tidal Volume;
- WAGM;
- Weighted Average Geometric Mean