In the framework of the EU EPHECT project (Emissions, exposure patterns and health effects
of consumer products in the EU), irritative and respiratory effects were assessed in relation to acute
(30-min) and long-term (24-h) inhalation exposure to key and emerging indoor air pollutants emitted
during household use of selected consumer products. A detailed Health Risk Assessment (HRA) was
performed for five selected pollutants of respiratory health relevance, namely acrolein, formaldehyde,
naphthalene, d-limonene and α-pinene. For each pollutant, the Critical Exposure Limit (CEL) was
compared to indoor air concentrations and exposure estimates for the use of 15 selected consumer
products by two population groups (housekeepers and retired people) in the four geographical regions
of Europe (North, West, South, East), which were derived previously based on microenvironmental
modelling. For the present HRA, health-based CELs were derived for certain compounds in case indoor
air quality guidelines were not available by the World Health Organization for end-points relevant to
the current study. For each pollutant, the highest indoor air concentrations in each microenvironment
and exposure estimates across home microenvironments during the day were lower than the
corresponding acute and long-term CELs. However, considerable contributions, especially to acute
exposures, were obtained in some cases, such as formaldehyde emissions resulting from single product
use of a floor cleaning agent (82% CEL), a candle (10% CEL) and an electric air freshener (17% CEL).
Regarding multiple product use, the case of 30-min formaldehyde exposure reaching 34% CEL when
eight product classes were used across home microenvironments, i.e. all-purpose/kitchen/floor
cleaning agents, furniture/floor polish, combustible/electric air fresheners, and perfume, needs to be
highlighted. Such estimated values should be evaluated with caution, as these may be attributed to the
exposure scenarios specifically constructed for the present study, following a 'most-representative
worst-case scenario' approach for exposure and health risk assessment.
TRANDALLIDI Marilena;
DIMITROULOPOULOU Chrysanthi;
WOLKOFF Peder;
KEPHALOPOULOS Stylianos;
CARRER Paolo;
2016-01-06
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
JRC96189
0048-9697,
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969715301820,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC96189,
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.123,
