Assessment and predictor determination of indoor aldehyde levels in Paris newborn babies’ homes

Abstract

Exposure to indoor chemical air pollutants expected to be potentially involved in allergic respiratory diseases in infants is poorly documented. A specific environmental investigation included in a birth cohort study was carried out to first assess indoor airborne aldehyde levels, using passive devices and their variability within 1 year (1, 6, 9 and 12 months) in the bedroom of 196 Paris infants, and second, to identify predictors for aldehyde concentrations using interviewer administered questionnaires about housing factors. Comfort parameters and carbon dioxide levels were measured simultaneously. Aldehydes were detected in almost all dwellings and geometric mean levels (geometric standard deviation) at the first visit were respectively for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, hexanal, and pentanal 19.4 (1.7) microg/m(3), 8.9 (1.8) microg/m(3), 25.3 (3.1) microg/m(3), 3.7 (2.3) microg/m(3), consistent with earlier published results. Generalized Estimating Equation multivariate analyses showed that, apart from comfort parameters, aeration and season, the main indoor aldehyde sources were either continuous (building materials and coverings especially when they were new) or discontinuous (smoking, use of air fresheners and cleaning products, DIY etc...). Finally, the data collected by questionnaires should be sufficient to enable us to classify each infant in our cohort study according to his/her degree of exposure to the main aldehydes. This analysis contributed to document indoor aldehyde levels in Parisian homes and to identify factors determining these levels. In the major part of newborn babies' homes, indoor formaldehyde levels were above the guideline value of 10 microg/m(3) proposed by the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety for long-term exposure. Given this result, it is essential to study the health impact of exposure to aldehydes especially formaldehyde on the incidence of respiratory and allergic symptoms, particularly during the first months of life.