top of page
Search
Jan 309 min read

Indoor Air Quality

From candles to appliances to floor cleaners, many products used in the home release chemicals into the air that can be breathed in. The result is that contrary to what one might think, indoor air can be more polluted than the air outside. The lack of ventilation in indoor spaces increases this problem because outdoor air isn't being introduced to dilute emissions and pollutants can't leave as much. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to many issues, including nervous system harm, cancer, and respiratory problems.


The concentrations of VOCs are up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. Many of these chemicals can cause cancer, harm the liver, kidneys, and nervous system, irritate the respiratory system, and cause symptoms like dizziness and headaches, among other effects. VOCs can be released from a wide variety of products like cleaners, personal care products, building materials, furniture, and air fresheners. VOCs commonly found indoors include aldehydes (like formaldehyde), benzene, toluene, and chloroform. These have been linked to a variety of harmful health effects, such as cancer, reproductive issues, asthma, and nervous system harm. Other sources of VOCs include computers, printers, photocopiers, mattresses, and paint.


Many paints release VOCs, like formaldehyde, as well as many other chemicals. Paint can contain aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, a carcinogen linked to blood, nervous system, and reproductive system harm. It also commonly contains plasticizers like phthalates, a type of endocrine-disrupting chemical that can lead to a wide variety of health concerns. Some older paints can also contain the neurotoxin lead, which can be released into the air when the paint is scraped. Additionally, various pigments and dyes are used in paint, like azo dyes, which can be carcinogenic and harmful to the nervous and reproductive systems, the liver, spleen, blood, stomach, kidneys, and fetuses, and pigments, which can contain heavy metals with a range of health effects from cancer to irritation. Because of the presence of many different chemicals, it is important to keep rooms well-ventilated when painting to minimize the inhalation of fumes.


Another source of indoor air pollution is burning. Gas stoves and gas ovens can release nitrogen dioxide, which can harm the respiratory system. In addition, natural gas can leak from these gas appliances and pollute the air with a variety of VOCs, such as benzene. Gas stoves and wood stoves can release the VOC formaldehyde, which can cause respiratory issues and cancer, among other effects. The use of gas stoves has been linked to childhood asthma. Another danger is propane-fueled heaters, which can release nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, an extremely toxic chemical that can cause brain damage, organ harm, and even death. The burning of fossil fuels (like propane) releases many toxic chemicals, like VOCs. Burning can also release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can lead to cancer and DNA damage. Particulate matter, or soot and smoke in this case, is released into the air when using fireplaces, burning candles, and cooking, among other things. Though all kinds of cooking release particulate matter, cooking on a gas stove releases higher levels. The flame on gas stoves also emits particulate matter in addition to the particulate matter released from actually cooking. Particulate matter has been linked to cardiovascular issues like strokes, kidney and digestive and reproductive system harm, immune responses and inflammation, gene damage, respiratory problems, impaired fetal development, premature birth, cancer, and nervous system issues, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's. Candles and insecticides are other sources of particulate matter. In addition, heating certain types of cookware can release toxic chemicals into the air, as well as your food. For example, non-stick coatings can emit toxic gases, like PFAS, when heated. You can read more about cookware here!


Many pollutants come from household products. Candles, air fresheners, incense, cleaning products, perfume, and nail polish, among a variety of other items, can all be sources of indoor air pollution. For example, perchloroethylene is a carcinogen released into the air from dry-cleaned clothing. Another major source of indoor pollution from common products is pesticides. A vast majority of homes use pesticides indoors, and pesticides can be brought inside on shoes and dust. This causes dangerous pesticide levels in the indoor air. You can read about the health impacts of pesticides here. Many products, like cleaning products and cosmetics, also contain PFAS, fragrance, phthalates, and parabens.


Off-gassing from furniture and building materials can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Fire retardants can be released from furniture that has been coated with them or made with materials with fire retardants, and they are also found in most types of insulation. Fire retardants can lead to a number of health effects, including diabetes, nervous system harm, behavioral issues, developmental disorders, cancer, reproductive harm, and thyroid dysfunction. Many VOCs are also released from various kinds of furniture. Formaldehyde can be emitted from pressed wood, which is used in furniture and cabinets, as well as insulation. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer, difficulty concentrating, and respiratory and skin irritation. To reduce your exposure, ask about the formaldehyde content of any pressed wood products. The carcinogen asbestos can be found in some older building parts like floor tiles, fireproof materials, and insulation. You can read about asbestos here. The radioactive gas radon is released into homes when uranium in dirt is broken down. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA recommends using a home test kit to test your house's air for radon. The material used in flooring can also be problematic. PVC and carpet flooring have been linked to asthma and other respiratory concerns. PVC flooring can release phthalates, which can contribute to the development of asthma and allergies. Carpet can also release VOCs, mainly when the carpet is new. In addition, carpet can be a source of PFAS, a toxic group of chemicals linked to reproductive harm and cancer, and flame retardants. Carpet is often made of plastic-containing fabrics, such as polyester, polyamide, and nylon, which release microplastics.


Microplastics are another contaminant in indoor air. These are very small plastic particles released from things like fabrics, paint, and plastic objects and coatings. Microplastics can accumulate both directly in the indoor air and in dust. Toxin accumulation in dust is especially concerning because children often ingest it by touching surfaces with dust (like the floor, or a table) and then touching their mouths. Inhaled microplastics can enter the lungs and the rest of the respiratory system. They have been linked to inflammation, gene damage, and respiratory irritation, and depending on the types of additives contained in the microplastic, various reproductive issues, hormonal disruptions, and cancers.


Though many toxins have been shown to contaminate dust, leading to exposure through dust inhalation, as previously discussed, dust itself is also an issue. Inhaling dust has been linked to respiratory issues, and dust can contain PFAS. It can also contain heavy metals, including lead. VOCs and semi-volatile organic compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, flame retardants, phthalates, fragrances, and pesticides, have also been found in dust. PCBs have been linked to fertility issues, including decreased semen quality, ovarian function, and anogenital distance and increased infertility, time to get pregnant, and miscarriage risk, endometriosis, endocrine disruption (including of estrogen and in the thyroid), cardiovascular issues, altered fetal development, type 2 diabetes, obesity, liver harm, nervous system issues like autism, abnormal brain development, and ADHD, immune problems, and cancers like skin cancer, breast cancer, testicular cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Some of the issues associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons include DNA harm, cancer, fetal abnormalities, immune system damage, irritation, inflammation, kidney and liver issues, respiratory problems, and red blood cell death. Fragrance is a blend of chemicals, many of which can cause cancer, reproductive issues, and cancer. Similarly, indoor air itself has been found to contain phthalates, fragrance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, PFAS, flame retardants, and chlorinated paraffins, which can cause liver, kidney, developmental, and nervous system issues, endocrine disruption, immune dysfunction, cancer, and reproductive harm. Carpet can also gather dust and particulate matter and re-release it into the air.


There are three main ways to decrease exposure to toxic chemicals in the air: reducing use of products that release pollutants, increasing ventilation, and using an air purifier. Many household products release toxic chemicals into the air, as discussed. Minimizing use of these products or choosing products (and building materials) with less toxins is important to reduce indoor air pollution. Opening windows and doors generally improves indoor air quality by circulating in cleaner air and providing a route for indoor pollutants to leave. However, in some cases, particulate matter levels may increase with windows open, perhaps due to outdoor pollution. In others, particulate matter levels can decrease with open windows. When choosing an air purifier, make sure to find one that is made for the size of the room you're placing it in. Additionally, higher fan speeds and higher clean air delivery rates (CADR) will filter more particles. Look for thick carbon air filters that eliminate air contaminants of concern, like particulate matter, VOCs, and microplastics. It's important that the air purifier be able to filter both particles and gases, so activated carbon, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters (or other filters with high CADR ratings) are good choices. The carbon filters gases, and the high CADR ratings show that the air purifier filters particles well. Some air purifiers that chemically destroy VOCs, such as with UV rays, can actually create VOCs as byproducts, so it's best to avoid these.


Here's where I got some of this info!

Comentários

I am not being influenced or compensated in any way by the brands I write about. My articles are based solely on scientific research and my own personal experiences. 

bottom of page