Clean Air Optima® Product Advice: gasses

Mixture of pollutants in the indoor environment:
VOC-TVOC

In homes, offices, workplaces, public facilities, schools and kindergartens – wherever people are present in indoor spaces for long periods of time – clean, pure breathing air is a prerequisite for staying healthy.

The most common and hazardous types of particles for inhalation of laden air in indoor spaces are certainly formaldehyde (HCHO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

VOC are substances, which even at low temperatures evaporate easily, that is to say they transform to a gas state, and thereby form a dangerous contamination of indoor air. For this reason, they are referred to as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and as Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs), as the measured sum of all VOCs in the indoor space. These gases and vapours are toxic above a certain value, for which there are recommended maximum values from the environment ministry. With prolonged exposure, they can cause serious damage to health, from respiratory infections to cancer.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

VOCs are organic compounds that evaporate easily at room temperature. They can be released from a variety of products used in the home (offices and public buildings), such as paints and detergents, cosmetics, air fresheners and building materials. VOCs can also be released from flame retardants and plasticisers in plastic from consumer products. VOCs can in the first place cause odours. In addition, upon inhalation they can cause symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and irritation of the nose, throat and eyes. Examples of VOCs in the indoor environment are formaldehyde and terpenes. Released VOCs can also end up in house dust.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is present in almost all houses (offices and public buildings). It is found in chipboard material, for example. Formaldehyde causes irritation to the mucous membranes. The concentration at which this occurs varies greatly from person to person. Sensitive people can experience discomfort and irritation even with low concentrations. Formaldehyde can cause additional symptoms in people with hypersensitive airways or asthma.

Terpenes

Terpenes often have a resinous or flowery scent and are added to air fresheners, detergents and furniture washes because of this property. They can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory organs. Terpenes can react with ozone, forming very fine particles. Not much is known yet about the health effects of these secondary reaction products.

Benzene

Benzene is a circular hydrocarbon emitted mainly by road traffic. Other sources include wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. More than half of the benzene in the air comes from abroad.

Exposure to benzene occurs mainly through inhalation. Benzene is classified by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as a carcinogen (can cause cancer) to humans. Benzene causes acute myeloid leukaemia and has also been associated with acute and chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Because benzene is carcinogenic, there is no safe concentration below which no effects occur. Health gains can always be made by reducing emissions.

Toluene

Toluene is a clear, colourless liquid with a distinctive odour - also known as an aromatic hydrocarbon. It occurs naturally in crude oil and in the tolu tree, making it insoluble in water. It can also be produced while making petrol.

Toluene is most commonly used in aviation as a solvent and as an industrial raw material. For aircraft and cars, toluene is used as an octane number in fuel.

It is also found in common household products such as paints, nail polishes, adhesives, permanent markers and certain types of glue.

Toluene hazards

Toluene is toxic to several body systems, including the nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The heart, blood vessels and blood make up the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system transports oxygen, nutrients and waste products via the blood throughout the body.

The most common exposure route for toluene in ambient air is car emissions. Cigarette smoke is also a source of toluene. Immediate effects include narcosis, fatigue, drowsiness, headache and nausea. It can also cause cardiac arrhythmias.

Flame retardants and plasticisers in house dust

Benzene is a circular hydrocarbon emitted mainly by road traffic. Other sources are wood stoves and fireplaces. More than half of the benzene in the air comes from abroad.

Flame retardants and plasticisers are semi-volatile substances that can be released from various materials into the air or into house dust. Depending on the exact form of the substance, exposure via ingestion of house dust is an important exposure route. Plasticisers that evaporate from PVC surfaces have been shown to contribute to an increased risk of asthma and allergies. However, it is not known whether exposure is through the air or through house dust.

Source: RIVM

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Too much VOC-TVOC? Troubled by odours?

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Too much particulate matter?

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