Abstract
Reliable exposure factors are essential to determine health risks posed by chemicals in consumer products. We analyzed five risk-concerned product categories (anti-fogging, dye, disinfectant, repellent, and preservative products) for 13 products (three car anti-fogging products, a lens anti-fogging product, two car dye products, two drain disinfectants, an air conditioner disinfectant, a chlorine-based disinfectant, a fabric repellent, an insect repellent for food, and a wood preservative) considered to be of high risk in order to determine exposure factors via web surveys and estimation of amount of product. Among the 3000 participants (1482 (49%) men) aged ≥19 years, drain disinfectants were used most frequently (38.2%); the rate of usage of the other products ranged between 1.1–24.0%. The usage rates for the consumer products differed by sex, age, income, and education. Some consumer products such as car and lens anti-fogging products, chlorine-based disinfectants, fabric repellents, and drain disinfectants were regularly used more than once a month, while car dye products, air conditioner disinfectants, insect repellents for food, and wood preservatives were not regularly used owing to the specific product purposes and seasonal needs. Our results could be used for managing or controlling chemical substances in consumer products and conducting accurate exposure assessments.
Highlights
People commonly use a variety of consumer products for household cleaning and personal care, as they improve sanitary conditions in daily life
This study focused on the frequency of use and amount of use at each application, which is necessary for accurate exposure assessments
This study investigated recent exposure factors for five categories and 13 products commonly used in daily life in Korea
Summary
People commonly use a variety of consumer products for household cleaning and personal care, as they improve sanitary conditions in daily life. There is a growing concern that people are inevitably exposed to multiple chemicals through the use of consumer products [1,2]. Previous studies have reported that chemicals in consumer products may induce adverse health effects; some of these chemicals are known to cause skin rashes, allergies, eye irritation, and respiratory irritation [3]. In Korea, the potential adverse effects of consumer products were highlighted when a consumer applied disinfectants to a humidifier to sterilize a water tank. In 2011, an unidentified case of fatal lung disease was reported, probably caused by the hazardous chemicals present in these disinfectant products [8]. According to the Korean Ministry of Environment (MOE), as of 13 January 2017, Int. J. Public Health 2018, 15, 232; doi:10.3390/ijerph15020232 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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