Measurements and analysis of Non-Methane VOC (NMVOC) emissions from major domestic aerosol sprays at “source”

Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOCs) from domestic aerosol sprays are emerging pollutants and have substantial negative effects on human health and the environment. This study, for the first time, carried out quantification of the NMVOC emissions from off-the-shelf domestic aerosol sprays, at “source” in the UK. These aerosol sprays contain harmful organic compounds as propellants and products. The results showed that the cosmetic category (i.e. body sprays) have higher concentrations of NMVOCs with 93.7 wt.% per can compared to households (i.e. air fresheners) with 62 wt.%. Also, water-based products showed less NMVOCs in all analyses compared to solvent-based formulations. Direct replacement of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) propellants from conventional products with ‘clean air’ (i.e. nitrogen) showed the potential emission reduction of 50%. Hair spray products, however, have the highest ozone forming potential with about 105.1 g of Ozone per litre of the product compared to other domestic aerosol sprays. The level of global warming contribution of the selected aerosol sprays in the UK was measured to be 129.8 ktCO2e in 2018 and globally, this can be projected to be 3154.6 ktCO2e in 2020. Furthermore, NMVOC emissions contribution from the domestic aerosol sprays in the UK was measured as 61.2 kt in 2018 based on annual consumption of 520 million cans. Globally this can equate to 1437.6 kt based on the projected usage of 17.5 billion cans. Therefore, it is vital to expedite replacing LPG propellant with nitrogen in a drive for a ‘near-zero’ emission in aerosol industry. The results presented in this study can also be used to steer policy makers to the potentially brewing danger from an otherwise passive emission source

Frequency of use of household products containing VOCs and indoor atmospheric concentrations in homes

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a key class of atmospheric emission released from highly complex petrochemical, transport and solvent sources both outdoors and indoors. This study established the concentrations and speciation of VOCs in 60 homes (204 individuals, 360 × 72 h samples, 40 species) in summer and winter, along with outdoor controls. Self-reported daily statistics were collected in each home on the use of cleaning, household and personal care products, all of which are known to release VOCs. Frequency of product use varied widely: deodorants: 2.9 uses home per day; sealant-mastics 0.02 uses home per day. The total concentration of VOCs indoors (range C2-C10) was highly variable between homes e.g. range 16.6-8150 μg m-3 in winter. Indoor concentrations of VOCs exceeded outdoor for 84% of households studied in summer and 100% of homes in winter. The most abundant VOCs found indoors in this study were n-butane (wintertime range: 1.5-4630 μg m-3), likely released as aerosol propellant, ethanol, acetone and propane. The cumulative use VOC-containing products over multiday timescales by occupants provided little predictive power to infer 72 hour averaged indoor concentrations. However, there was weak covariance between the cumulative usage of certain products and individual VOCs. From a domestic emissions perspective, reducing the use of hydrocarbon-based aerosol propellants indoors would likely have the largest impact

EPHECT III : Health risk assessment of exposure to household consumer products

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 \u3b1-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

Method validation by collaborative trial for the quantification of binary mixtures containing polyamide and a novel polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent fibre.

A method for the quantification of a novel polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent fibre in binary mixtures with polyamide was subjected to validation by collaborative trial conducted at European level. Considering the probable acceptance of the novel fibre in Europe, this method is needed for consumer protection to allow market surveillance and antifraud controls. The aim of the study was to extend the scope of application of method 11 of Directive 96/73/EC, based on the selective dissolution of one of the components in binary mixtures. The method foresaw sample treatment with 75 % m/m sulfuric acid at room temperature for a contact time of 1 h. In order to ensure accurate quantification of the blends under investigation, the washing procedure had to be modified with the addition of two rinsings of the residue with the reagent used for the dissolution. Following ISO 5725, a balanced uniform level test was performed on loop twisted carpet samples of three levels of concentration (25, 50 and 75 %, approximately) with the participation of seventeen European laboratories. The trueness was evaluated considering as reference values data obtained from manual separation of samples. The calculated bias varied from 0.06 to 0.49 %, rising with the increasing content of polyamide in the binary mixture. Repeatability and reproducibility limits were in the range 0.69 - 1.04 % and 0.97 - 1.87 %, respectively. In agreement with the members of the European Network of National Experts on Textile Labelling, the optimised method was judged fit-for-purpose and the reproducibility limit was established at 2 %. Based on this study, the scope of application of method 11 can be extended with the insertion of the novel fibre as the insoluble component (d factor 1.005) and polyamide as the soluble one, provided that the modifications are adopted.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

EPHECT II: Exposure assessment to household consumer products

Within the framework of the EPHECT project (Emissions, exposure patterns and health effects of consumer products in the EU), irritative and respiratory health effects were assessed in relation to acute and long-term exposure to key and emerging indoor air pollutants emitted during household use of selected consumer products. In this context, inhalation exposure assessment was carried out for six selected 'target' compounds (acrolein, formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene, d-limonene and \u3b1-pinene). This paper presents the methodology and the outcomes from the micro-environmental modelling of the 'target' pollutants following single or multiple use of selected consumer products and the subsequent exposure assessment. The results indicate that emissions from consumer products of benzene and \u3b1-pinene were not considered to contribute significantly to the EU indoor background levels, in contrast to some cases of formaldehyde and d-limonene emissions in Eastern Europe (mainly from cleaning products). The group of housekeepers in East Europe appears to experience the highest exposures to acrolein, formaldehyde and benzene, followed by the group of the retired people in North, who experiences the highest exposures to naphthalene and \u3b1-pinene. High exposure may be attributed to the scenarios developed within this project, which follow a 'most-representative worst-case scenario' strategy for exposure and health risk assessment. Despite the above limitations, this is the first comprehensive study that provides exposure estimates for 8 population groups across Europe exposed to 6 priority pollutants, as a result of the use of 15 consumer product classes in households, while accounting for regional differences in uses, use scenarios and ventilation conditions of each region

Establishment of quantification methods for novel polypropylene/polyamide 6 - based bicomponent fibre in textile binary mixtures

This study was aimed at establishing quantification methods for binary mixtures containing a new polypropylene/polyamide 6 - based bicomponent fibre, for which a new generic fibre name has been requested to the European Commission. Application of such methods is requested by EU legislation (Directive 96/73/EC) to enable market surveillance regarding the textile composition data on labels that are compulsory. The methodology for quantification of fibre mixtures is usually based either on manual separation or on chemical dissolution methods. In both cases, a sample pre-treatment, able to remove non-fibrous material, is needed. The key experimental parameters that need to be established for the novel fibre are: its moisture regain in standard atmosphere (agreed allowance), its mass loss due to pre-treatment (b coefficient) and its mass losses in the methods where it is insoluble (d correction factors). Results of this study showed that the b coefficient for the new fibre, using the normal pre-treatment, is equal to 0 %. As expected from the chemical composition and synthetic character of the novel fibre, the experimental value for the agreed allowance was low and equal to 0.54 %. The new fibre was insoluble in ten out of the 14 dissolution methods tested and the correspondent ten d correction factors were evaluated. Three of them were also validated through a collaborative trial organised at European level following the internationally accepted guideline ISO 5725-2:1994. The d correction factors obtained throughout the study were in the range of 1.00-1.01, meaning that the fibre was completely insoluble or at maximum 1 % soluble in the dissolution reagent. Based on the results of this study, laboratories across the EU and beyond have now at their disposal methods to quantify the new fibre in binary mixtures with polyester, elastomultiester, polyamide, chlorofibres, certain acrylic and modacrylic fibres, acetate, triacetate, polylactide, certain cellulose fibres and certain protein fibres.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin