Elsevier

Environmental Pollution

Volume 194, November 2014, Pages 145-151
Environmental Pollution

Residential exposure to volatile organic compounds and lung function: Results from a population-based cross-sectional survey

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2014.07.020Get rights and content
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open access

Highlights

  • We investigate the association between indoor air VOCs and lung function.

  • Exposure to 10 VOCs was negatively associated with FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC.

  • More statistically significant associations were observed in the under 38 age group.

  • Indoor residential exposure to VOCs may have adverse effects on respiratory health.

Abstract

Exposure to residential volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is ubiquitous in homes, and may influence respiratory health with important public health implications. To investigate the association between VOCs measured in residential indoor air and lung function in the Canadian population Cycle 2 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey – a population based cross-sectional survey designed to be representative of the Canadian population – was carried out between 2009 and 2011. Of the 84 VOCs measured, 47 were detectable in at least 50% of homes and ten were negatively associated with lung function: decanal, 2-furancarboxaldehyde, hexanal, nonanal, octanal, benzene, styrene, α-pinene, 2-methyl-1,2-butadiene and naphthalene. Differences were observed between males and females, as well as by age, and significant associations were most frequent in those under 17 years. These results provide evidence that some VOCs measured indoors are negatively associated with lung function in the Canadian population.

Keywords

Asthma
Volatile organic compounds
Air quality
Pulmonary diseases
Indoor air

Abbreviations

VOC
volatile organic compounds
FEVl
1-second forced expiratory volume
FVC
forced vital capacity
FEVl/FVC
the FEV1/FVC ratio

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