Estimating person-to-person variability in VOC emissions from personal care products used during showering

TY - JOUR

T1 - Estimating person-to-person variability in VOC emissions from personal care products used during showering

AU - Yeoman, Amber M.

AU - Shaw, Marvin

AU - Lewis, Alastair C.

N1 - © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021/2/22

Y1 - 2021/2/22

N2 - Abstract An increasing fraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions come from the domestic use of solvents, contained within myriad commonplace consumer products. Emission rates are often poorly characterized and depend significantly on individual behavior and specific product formulation and usage. Time-concentration profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) arising from the use of a representative selection of personal care products (PCPs) during showering are generated, and person-to-person variability in emissions calculated. A panel of 18 participants used a standardized set of products, dosages, and application times during showering in a controlled indoor bathroom setting. Proton transfer mass spectrometry was used to measure the in-room VOC evolution of limonene (representing the sum of monoterpenes), benzyl alcohol, and ethanol. The release of VOCs had reproducible patterns between users, but noticeable variations in absolute peak concentrations, despite identical amounts of material being used. The amounts of VOC emitted to air for one showering activity were as follows: limonene (1.77 mg ± 42, benzyl alcohol (1.07 mg ± 41, and ethanol (0.33 mg ± 78. Real-world emissions to air were between 1.3 and 11 times lower than bottom-up estimates based on dynamic headspace measurements of product emissions rates, likely a result of PCPs being washed away before VOC evaporation could occur.

AB - Abstract An increasing fraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions come from the domestic use of solvents, contained within myriad commonplace consumer products. Emission rates are often poorly characterized and depend significantly on individual behavior and specific product formulation and usage. Time-concentration profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) arising from the use of a representative selection of personal care products (PCPs) during showering are generated, and person-to-person variability in emissions calculated. A panel of 18 participants used a standardized set of products, dosages, and application times during showering in a controlled indoor bathroom setting. Proton transfer mass spectrometry was used to measure the in-room VOC evolution of limonene (representing the sum of monoterpenes), benzyl alcohol, and ethanol. The release of VOCs had reproducible patterns between users, but noticeable variations in absolute peak concentrations, despite identical amounts of material being used. The amounts of VOC emitted to air for one showering activity were as follows: limonene (1.77 mg ± 42, benzyl alcohol (1.07 mg ± 41, and ethanol (0.33 mg ± 78. Real-world emissions to air were between 1.3 and 11 times lower than bottom-up estimates based on dynamic headspace measurements of product emissions rates, likely a result of PCPs being washed away before VOC evaporation could occur.

KW - fragrance

KW - indoor air quality

KW - mass spectrometry

KW - personal care products

KW - PTR-MS

KW - VOCs

U2 - 10.1111/ina.12811

DO - 10.1111/ina.12811

M3 - Article

SN - 0905-6947

JO - Indoor air

JF - Indoor air

ER -