Abstract
Propylene glycol and glycol ether (PGE) in indoor air have recently been associated with asthma and allergies as well as sensitization in children. In this follow-up report, sources of the PGEs in indoor air were investigated in 390 homes of pre-school age children in Sweden. Professional building inspectors examined each home for water damages, mold odour, building’s structural characteristics, indoor temperature, absolute humidity and air exchange rate. They also collected air and dust samples. The samples were analyzed for four groups of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-VOCs (SVOCs), including summed concentrations of 16 PGEs, 8 terpene hydrocarbons, 2 Texanols, and the phthalates n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). Home cleaning with water and mop ≥ once/month, repainting ≥ one room prior to or following the child’s birth, and “newest” surface material in the child’s bedroom explained largest portion of total variability in PGE concentrations. High excess indoor humidity (g/m3) additionally contributed to a sustained PGE levels in indoor air far beyond several months following the paint application. No behavioral or building structural factors, except for water-based cleaning, predicted an elevated terpene level in air. No significant predictor of Texanols emerged from our analysis. Overall disparate sources and low correlations among the PGEs, terpenes, Texanols, and the phthalates further confirm the lack of confounding in the analysis reporting the associations of the PGE and the diagnoses of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, respectively.
Highlights
Inhalation exposure to evaporated components of the consumer products, building structural materials as well as their secondary reactive products at home has been associated with increased risks of asthma-like symptoms, asthma diagnosis, as well as other allergic symptoms in both adults [1] and children [2,3]
In our recent case-control investigation of the children between the ages 3 and 8, those within the top 25 % for the level of the summed 16 Propylene glycol and glycol ether (PGE) in indoor air had a 130 % higher likelihood of multiple allergic symptoms, a 100% higher likelihood of asthma diagnosis, a 320% higher likelihood of rhinitis diagnosis, a 150% higher likelihood of eczema diagnosis
The geometric mean of the PGEs linearly increased with water-based cleaning frequency, history of repainting at least one of the rooms at home, ―newest‖ age of the surface material, ―obviously poor‖ indoor air quality, impression of ―obviously‖ stuffy and unventilated air by the building inspector, growing excess indoor humidity, and higher indoor temperature
Summary
Inhalation exposure to evaporated components of the consumer products, building structural materials as well as their secondary reactive products at home has been associated with increased risks of asthma-like symptoms, asthma diagnosis, as well as other allergic symptoms in both adults [1] and children [2,3]. Occupational and non-occupational exposure to volatilized components of water-based paint, water-based cleaning products, glass cleaning, oven cleaning, dish-washing, and the use of chlorine bleach significantly increases the risks of self-reported asthma, clinically diagnosed asthma, and other acute respiratory symptoms [1,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]. The water-based paint emits smaller amounts of isobutanol, toluene, xylene, trimethylbenzenes, n-nonane, n-decane, and n-undecane [17] Due to their effectiveness as solvents, propylene glycol and glycol ethers (PGEs) are used in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, cosmetics, varnishes, inks, pigments, adhesives, detergents, agrochemicals, and processed foods [16,18]. They are used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes [19], hydraulic and brake fluids, de-icing fluids for aircrafts, and artificial theatrical smoke [20]
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