Gas-Phase and Surface-Initiated Reactions of Household Bleach and Terpene-Containing Cleaning Products Yield Chlorination and Oxidation Products Adsorbed onto Indoor Relevant Surfaces.

The use of household bleach cleaning products results in emissions of highly oxidative gaseous species, such as hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and chlorine (Cl2). These species readily react with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as limonene, one of the most abundant compounds found in indoor enviroments. In this study, reactions of HOCl/Cl2 with limonene in the gas phase and on indoor relevant surfaces were investigated. Using an environmental Teflon chamber, we show that silica (SiO2), a proxy for window glass, and rutile (TiO2), a component of paint and self-cleaning surfaces, act as a reservoir for adsorption of gas-phase products formed between HOCl/Cl2 and limonene. Furthermore, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) shows that the gas-phase reaction products of HOCl/Cl2 and limonene readily adsorb on both SiO2 and TiO2. Surface-mediated reactions can also occur, leading to the formation of new chlorine- and oxygen-containing products. Transmission Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of adsorption and desorption of bleach and terpene oxidation products indicates that these chlorine- and oxygen-containing products strongly adsorb on both SiO2 and TiO2 surfaces for days, providing potential sources of human exposure and sinks for additional heterogeneous reactions.

Maternal preconception occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants and offspring asthma.

BACKGROUND: Emerging research suggests health effects in offspring after parental chemical exposures before conception. Many future mothers are exposed to potent chemicals at work, but potential offspring health effects are hardly investigated. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate childhood asthma in relation to mother's occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants before conception. METHODS: The multicenter Respiratory Health In Northern Europe/Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study investigated asthma and wheeze starting at age less than 10 years in 3318 mother-offspring pairs. From an asthma-specific Job-Exposure Matrix and mothers' occupational history, we defined maternal occupational exposure to indoor cleaning agents (cleaning products/detergents and disinfectants) starting before conception, in the 2-year period around conception and pregnancy, or after birth. Never-employed mothers were excluded. Exposed groups include cleaners, health care workers, cooks, and so forth. Associations were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regression and ordinary logistic regression with clustered robust SEs and adjustment for maternal education. RESULTS: Maternal occupational exposure to indoor cleaning starting preconception and continuing (n = 610) was associated with offspring's childhood asthma: odds ratio 1.56 (95% CI, 1.05-2.31), childhood asthma with nasal allergies: 1.77 (1.13-2.77), and childhood wheeze and/or asthma: 1.71 (95% CI, 1.19-2.44). Exposure starting around conception and pregnancy (n = 77) was associated with increased childhood wheeze and/or asthma: 2.25 (95% CI, 1.03-4.91). Exposure starting after birth was not associated with asthma outcomes (1.13 [95% CI, 0.71-1.80], 1.15 [95% CI, 0.67-1.97], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.69-1.67]). CONCLUSIONS: Mother's occupational exposure to indoor cleaning agents starting before conception, or around conception and pregnancy, was associated with more childhood asthma and wheeze in offspring. Considering potential implications for vast numbers of women in childbearing age using cleaning agents, and their children, further research is imperative.

Household use of green and homemade cleaning products, wipe application mode, and asthma among French adults from the CONSTANCES cohort.

While exposure to irritant and sprayed cleaning products at home is known to have a harmful role in asthma, the potential health effect of other categories or forms has not been investigated. We studied the associations of household use of cleaning products, including green, homemade products, and disinfecting wipes, with asthma based on data from the large French population-based CONSTANCES cohort. Participants completed standardized questionnaires on respiratory health and household use of cleaning products. Cross-sectional associations of cleaning products with current asthma, adjusted for gender, age, smoking status, BMI, and educational level, were evaluated by logistic regressions. Analyses were conducted in 41 570 participants (mean age: 47 years, 56% women, weekly use of the six specific products/forms studied varied from 11% to 37%). Weekly use of irritants (OR = 1.23 [1.13-1.35]), scented (OR = 1.15 [1.06-1.26]), green (OR = 1.09 [1.00-1.20]), and homemade products (OR = 1.19 [1.06-1.34]), as well as sprays (OR = 1.18 [1.08-1.29]), disinfecting wipes (OR = 1.21 [1.09-1.34]) were significantly associated with asthma, with significant trends according to the frequency of use. When they were not co-used with irritants/sprays, associations were reduced and persisted only for disinfecting wipes. Weekly use of disinfecting wipes at home was associated with current asthma, but fewer risks were observed for the use of green and homemade products.

Air concentrations of volatile organic compounds associated with conventional and "green" cleaning products in real-world and laboratory settings.

The use of household cleaning products can result in exposure to potentially hazardous volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs). "Green" cleaning products have become increasingly available, but there is no official "green" standard, and it is difficult for consumers to know what chemicals they may be exposed to while cleaning. We measured air concentrations of 46 VOCs and SVOCs of concern released from conventional and "green" cleaning products during both real-world household cleaning and a controlled chamber environment, with a focus on chemicals that might increase women's risk of breast cancer, including possible carcinogens, reproductive/developmental toxicants, or endocrine disruptors. Air samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. First, in a study of 50 women cleaning their own homes using either conventional or "green" cleaning products, we recorded the products used and collected air samples from the breathing zone to determine whether specific products or types of products were associated with increased concentrations of specific VOCs and SVOCs. The results showed that women who used conventional bleach products, disinfecting wipes, and dish soap had higher breathing zone air concentrations of several VOCs, including chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, hexaldahyde, and 1,4-dioxane, than women who did not use these products. While fewer "green" products were associated with increases in VOC air concentrations, use of "green" all-purpose cleaners was associated with increases in air concentrations of some fragrance chemicals of concern. In the laboratory, we then selected 9 of the most common conventional products and 7 "green" products used in the in-home study for measurement of the same VOCs using a continuous stirred cylindrical flow-through chamber. We found that 75% of the highest VOC emissions were emitted by conventional cleaning products, but we also identified VOC emissions of concern from green products. VOC emissions in the chamber largely agreed with the modeled associations from real-world cleaning.

Association between household cleaning product profiles evaluated by the Ménag'Score® index and asthma symptoms among women from the SEPAGES cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Considering household disinfectants and cleaning products (HDCP) as mixture of ingredients, rather than each ingredient individually, might help in characterizing their role in asthma. We investigated the association between HDCP and asthma, using the recently developed Ménag'Score®, a health risk assessment score based on exhaustive ingredient lists of HDCP. METHODS: The study is based on 103 female volunteers of the SEPAGES cohort (2014-2019), with repeated data (up to 3 collection times, 200 observations). HDCP use was assessed from a barcode-based smartphone application linked with an ingredient database. The Ménag'score® risks for health and environment were computed for each weekly used HDCP from their exhaustive ingredient data (from A: no known risk to E: highest risk). The association between the use of HDCP with a poor Ménag'score® (D or E; overall, health, environment scores) and asthma symptoms, was estimated by generalized estimating equations models adjusted for age, BMI and smoking status. RESULTS: Participants were on average 33 years old, 11% smoked and 20% had at least one asthma symptom. The Ménag'score® was computed for 540 HDCP scanned by participants. Weekly use of HDCP with a poor Ménag'score®-health (around 60% of the participants) was associated with a higher risk of asthma symptoms (OR 3.13, 95% CI [1.32-7.43]). No association was observed for the Ménag'score®-environment. CONCLUSION: The use of HDCP with a poor Ménag'score®-health was associated with asthma symptoms. The results support the use of the Ménag'score®-health to further evaluate the health risks of HDCP in observational studies and as a potential public health tool.

Ultrafine particle emission from floor cleaning products.

The new particle formation due to the use of cleaning products containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments is well documented in the scientific literature. Indeed, the physical-chemical process occurring in particle nucleation due to VOC-ozone reactions was deepened as well as the effect of the main influencing parameters (ie, temperature, ozone). Nonetheless, proper quantification of the emission under actual meteo-climatic conditions and ozone concentrations is not available. To this end, in the present paper the emission factors of newly generated ultrafine particles due to the use of different floor cleaning products under actual temperature and relative humidity conditions and ozone concentrations typical of the summer periods were evaluated. Tests in a chamber and in an actual indoor environment were performed measuring continuously particle number concentrations and size distributions during cleaning activities. The tests revealed that a significant particle emission in the nucleation mode was present for half of the products under investigation with emission factors up to 1.1 × 1011 part./m2 (8.8 × 1010 part./mLproduct ), then leading to an overall particle emission comparable to other well-known indoor sources when cleaning wide surfaces.

Correlations between the Type of Aggregates in the Bulk Phase and the Functionality and Safety of All-Purpose Cleaners.

The article shows that the type and concentration of inorganic salt can be translated into the structure of the bulk phase and the performance properties of ecological all-purpose cleaners (APC). A base APC formulation was developed. Thereafter, two types of salt (sodium chloride and magnesium chloride) were added at various concentrations to obtain different structures in the bulk phase. The salt addition resulted in the formation of spherical micelles and-upon addition of more electrolyte-of aggregates having a lamellar structure. The formulations had constant viscosities (ab. 500 mPa·s), comparable to those of commercial products. Essential physical-chemical and performance properties of the four formulations varying in salt types and concentrations were evaluated. It was found that the addition of magnesium salt resulted in more favorable characteristics due to the surface activity of the formulations, which translated into adequately high wettability of the investigated hydrophobic surfaces, and their ability to emulsify fat. A decreasing relationship was observed in foaming properties: higher salt concentrations lead to worse foaming properties and foam stability of the solutions. For the magnesium chloride composition, the effect was significantly more pronounced, as compared to the sodium chloride-based formulations. As far as safety of use is concerned, the formulations in which magnesium salt was used caused a much lesser irritation compared with the other investigated formulations. The zein value was observed to decrease with increasing concentrations of the given type of salt in the composition.

The effect of bleaching agents on the DNA analysis of bloodstains on different floor coverings.

Blood at crime scenes is one of the most significant traces of evidence in investigation proceedings. Cleaning up these traces with household cleaning products, often containing bleaching agents, inhibits or complicates the detection of DNA. In this study, human blood was applied onto different floor coverings (carpet, laminate, parquet, PVC, tile) and subsequently cleaned with water and bleaching agents (hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, DanKlorix®, Vanish Oxi Action®) at different times. Samples have been collected afterwards from the floors. The samples underwent a quantitative and qualitative DNA analysis. Cleaning smooth surfaces with water is usually sufficed to prohibit retrieving a DNA profile in most of the cases. Cleaning carpets was more difficult due to their absorbent surface whereas the use of bleaching agents caused an additional reduction of verifiable DNA concentrations. Retrieving partial or complete profiles after the use of bleaching agents was only possible when cleaning with low concentrations of 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Isothiazolinones in cleaning products: Analysis with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry of samples from sensitized patients and market.

BACKGROUND: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) and methylisothiazolinone (MI) contact dermatitis is a severe problem. The high concentrations of these substances and other isothiazolinones such as benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and octylisothiazolinone (OIT) contained in cleaning products may cause allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the exposure to isothiazolinones contained in cleaning products on the market and from sensitized patients, and to verify the accuracy of labeling. METHODS: A total of 34 cleaning products were collected (17 supplied by sensitized patients and 17 bought randomly). Analysis was made of the concentrations of MI, MCI, BIT, and OIT using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS: MI and BIT were the components most frequently detected. Of all the products analyzed, 76.5% contained at least one isothiazolinone. Twelve products had an MI concentration above the permitted level for rinse-off cosmetics. Most of them were coming into direct contact with the skin in daily use. Mislabeling occurred in eight products. CONCLUSIONS: Some cleaning products with high concentrations of isothiazolinones may cause cutaneous symptoms in sensitized patients, especially in spray form. The labeling should be correct, also regarding the use of each article.

Occupational exposure to disinfectants and asthma incidence in U.S. nurses: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to disinfectants among healthcare workers has been associated with respiratory health effects, in particular, asthma. However, most studies are cross-sectional and the role of disinfectant exposures in asthma development requires longitudinal studies. We investigated the association between occupational exposure to disinfectants and incident asthma in a large cohort of U.S. female nurses. METHODS: The Nurses' Health Study II is a prospective cohort of 116 429 female nurses enrolled in 1989. Analyses included 61 539 participants who were still in a nursing job and with no history of asthma in 2009 (baseline; mean age: 55 years). During 277 744 person-years of follow-up (2009-2015), 370 nurses reported incident physician-diagnosed asthma. Occupational exposure was evaluated by questionnaire and a Job-Task-Exposure Matrix (JTEM). We examined the association between disinfectant exposure and subsequent asthma development, adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, smoking status, and body mass index. RESULTS: Weekly use of disinfectants to clean surfaces only (23% exposed) or to clean medical instruments (19% exposed) was not associated with incident asthma (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] for surfaces, 1.12 [0.87-1.43]; for instruments, 1.13 [0.87-1.48]). No association was observed between high-level exposure to specific disinfectants/cleaning products evaluated by the JTEM (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol quats, or enzymatic cleaners) and asthma incidence. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of late career nurses, we observed no significant association between exposure to disinfectants and asthma incidence. A potential role of disinfectant exposures in asthma development warrants further study among healthcare workers at earlier career stage to limit the healthy worker effect.

Eye hazard classification according to UN GHS / EU CLP and the severity of eye symptoms caused by accidental exposures to detergents and cleaning products.

The use of lower cut-off values/concentration limits for the calculation of mixture classification in UN GHS/EU CLP versus the previous regulatory scheme (EU Dangerous Preparations Directive, DPD), has resulted in an increased number of classifications in the highest eye hazard category. Herein, a semi-quantitative categorisation of severity of eye effects, following accidental human exposures to detergents, was compared to the classification category of the products. Three schemes were evaluated: EU DPD; EU CLP (based on all available data and information, including weight of evidence); and EU CLP (based entirely on the calculation method). As reported by four EU Poison Centres, the vast majority of exposures had caused minor or no symptoms. Classification was a poor predictor of effects in man subjected to accidental exposure. Note however that this is also because effects are not only driven by the intrinsic hazard (as reflected in the classification), but also by the exposure conditions and mitigation (i.e. rinsing). EU CLP classification using all available data and information was more predictive of medically relevant symptoms than the EU CLP calculation method. The latter led to a poorer differentiation between irritating products versus products potentially causing serious eye damage.

Development of a bar code-based exposure assessment method to evaluate occupational exposure to disinfectants and cleaning products: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Healthcare workers are highly exposed to various types of disinfectants and cleaning products. Assessment of exposure to these products remains a challenge. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of a method, based on a smartphone application and bar codes, to improve occupational exposure assessment among hospital/cleaning workers in epidemiological studies. METHODS: A database of disinfectants and cleaning products used in French hospitals, including their names, bar codes and composition, was developed using several sources: ProdHyBase (a database of disinfectants managed by hospital hygiene experts), and specific regulatory agencies and industrial websites. A smartphone application has been created to scan bar codes of products and fill a short questionnaire. The application was tested in a French hospital. The ease of use and the ability to record information through this new approach were estimated. RESULTS: The method was tested in a French hospital (7 units, 14 participants). Through the application, 126 records (one record referred to one product entered by one participant/unit) were registered, majority of which were liquids (55.5%) or sprays (23.8%); 20.6% were used to clean surfaces and 15.9% to clean toilets. Workers used mostly products with alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds (>90% with weekly use), followed by hypochlorite bleach and hydrogen peroxide (28.6%). For most records, information was available on the name (93.7%) and bar code (77.0%). Information on product compounds was available for all products and recorded in the database. CONCLUSION: This innovative and easy-to-use method could help to improve the assessment of occupational exposure to disinfectants/cleaning products in epidemiological studies.

Occurrence and concentrations of isothiazolinones in detergents and cosmetics in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the frequency of contact allergy to isothiazolinones has increased alarmingly in Europe, but only limited data are available on concentrations of isothiazolinones in consumer products. OBJECTIVES: To examine the current frequency of isothiazolinones [methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT), and octylisothiazolinone (OIT)] in a wide array of detergents and cosmetics relevant for the Swiss population. METHODS: By means of a market survey, the occurrence of isothiazolinones was investigated in 1948 consumer products. Of these, 88 products were analysed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry after ultrasonic extraction. RESULTS: Only 7.6% of all cosmetics contained isothiazolinones, but the prevalence in detergents was much higher (42.9%). The measured concentration ranges in detergents were 4.3­10, 3.5­279, 3.8­186 and 7.9 ppm (one product only) for MCI, MI, BIT, and OIT, respectively [corrected]. For cosmetics, these were 1.3-133 and 4.8 ppm (one product only) for MI and MCI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that high concentrations of isothiazolinones (including MI) can be found in a large variety of products, in particular in detergents. Therefore, the safe use of these preservatives should be re-evaluated by including detergents in the exposure assessment.

Determinants of disinfectant use among nurses in U.S. healthcare facilities.

BACKGROUND: Disinfectant use among healthcare workers has been associated with respiratory disorders, especially asthma. We aimed to describe disinfectants used by U.S. nurses, and to investigate qualitative and quantitative differences according to workplace characteristics and region. METHODS: Disinfectant use was assessed by questionnaire in 8,851 nurses. Hospital characteristics were obtained from the American Hospital Association database. RESULTS: Working in a hospital was associated with higher disinfectant use (OR: 2.06 [95%CI: 1.89-2.24]), but lower spray use (0.74 [0.66-0.82]). Nurses working in smaller hospitals (<50 beds vs. ≥200 beds) were more likely to use disinfectants (1.69 [1.23-2.32]) and sprays (1.69 [1.20-2.38]). Spray use was lower in the West than in the Northeast (0.75 [0.58-0.97]). CONCLUSION: Disinfectant use was more common among nurses working in smaller hospitals, possibly because they perform more diverse tasks. Variations in spray use by hospital size and region suggest additional targets for future efforts to prevent occupational asthma. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:131-140, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Consumers' Risk Perception of Household Cleaning and Washing Products.

A large share of accidental and nonaccidental poisonings are caused by household cleaning and washing products, such as drain cleaner or laundry detergent. The main goal of this article was to investigate consumers' risk perception and misconceptions of a variety of cleaning and washing products in order to inform future risk communication efforts. For this, a sorting task including 33 commonly available household cleaning and washing products was implemented. A total of 60 female consumers were asked to place the cleaning and washing products on a reference line 3 m in length with the poles "dangerous" and "not dangerous." The gathered data were analyzed qualitatively and by means of multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, and linear regression. The dimensionality of the sorting data suggests that both analytically (i.e., written and graphical hazard notes and perceived effectiveness) and intuitively driven risk judgments (i.e., eco vs. regular products) were applied by the participants. Furthermore, results suggest the presence of misconceptions, particularly related to consumers' perceptions of eco cleaning products, which were generally regarded as safer than their regular counterparts. Future risk communication should aim at dispelling these misconceptions and promoting accurate risk perceptions of particular household cleaning and washing products.

Frequent use of household cleaning products is associated with rhinitis in Chinese children.

BACKGROUND: Despite the popular use of household cleaning products worldwide, there is no published study investigating the health effects of these products on rhinitis in children. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the household use of cleaning products and rhinitis patterns in Chinese children. METHODS: A total of 2299 children were recruited from 21 primary schools with wide geographic coverage in Hong Kong. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by parents/guardians to collect detailed information on respiratory symptoms and household use of 14 types of chemical cleaning products, as well as clean water. Students were categorized into 4 mutually exclusive rhinitis patterns (never, occasional, frequent, and persistent). The total chemical burden (TCB) score was used as the exposure indicator by calculating the total time of exposure to the 14 cleaning products. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between rhinitis patterns and the use of household cleaning products. RESULTS: Every 10-unit increment of TCB score was associated with an increase in the odds of occasional (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.05-1.41), frequent (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13-1.60), and persistent (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.56) rhinitis after adjustment for a wide range of potential confounders. Compared with the children within the lowest tertile of TCB scores, the adjusted ORs of occasional, frequent, and persistent rhinitis in children within the highest tertile were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.01-1.65), 1.97 (95% CI, 1.40-2.76), and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.10-2.54), respectively. CONCLUSION: Frequent use of chemical cleaning products at home is associated with an increase in the odds of rhinitis in Chinese primary school children.

Cleaning practices and cleaning products in nurseries and schools: to what extent can they impact indoor air quality?

In the framework of a nationwide survey on indoor air quality conducted from September 2009 to June 2011 in 310 nurseries, kindergartens, and elementary schools in all regions of France, cleaning practices and products were described through an extensive questionnaire completed on-site by expert building inspectors. The questionnaire included the cleaning frequencies and periods, cleaning techniques, whether windows were open during cleaning, and the commercial names of the products used. Analysis of the questionnaire responses showed that cleaning was generally performed daily for furniture and floors. It was performed mostly in the evening with wet mopping and with one or more windows open. Five hundred eighty-four different cleaning products were listed, among which 218 safety data sheets (SDSs) were available and analyzed. One hundred fifty-two chemical substances were identified in the SDSs. The typical substances in cleaning products included alcohols, chlorides, terpenes, aldehydes, and ethers; more than half of them are irritants. Two endocrine disruptors, 2-phenylphenol and Galaxolide, were identified in two cleaning products used every day to clean the floors, in seven kindergartens and in a nursery respectively. Eleven reactive substances containing C=C double bonds, mostly terpenes, were identified in a wide variety of cleaning products.

Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry for the quantification of ethylene glycol ethers in different household cleaning products.

A rapid and simple procedure is reported for the determination of six ethylene glycol ethers in cleaning products and detergents using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The analytes were extracted from 2.0 g samples in acetonitrile (3 mL) and the extract was submitted to a clean-up step by QuEChERS method, using a mixture containing 0.3 g magnesium sulfate, 0.15 g primary/secondary amine, and 0.05 g C18 . The clean acetonitrile extract (1 µL) was injected into the chromatographic system. No matrix effect was observed, so the quantification of the samples was carried out against external standards. Detection limits were in the range 3.0-27 ng/g for the six ethylene glycol ethers. The recoveries obtained, using the optimized procedure, were in the 89.4-118% range, with relative standard deviations lower than 14%. Twenty-three different household cleaning products, including glass cleaner, degreaser, floor, softeners, and clothes and dishwashing detergents, were analyzed. Large interindividual variations were observed between samples and compounds.

Characterization of cleaning and disinfecting tasks and product use among hospital occupations.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers have an elevated prevalence of asthma and related symptoms associated with the use of cleaning/disinfecting products. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize cleaning/disinfecting tasks and products used among hospital occupations. METHODS: Workers from 14 occupations at five hospitals were monitored for 216 shifts, and work tasks and products used were recorded at five-minute intervals. The major chemical constituents of each product were identified from safety data sheets. RESULTS: Cleaning and disinfecting tasks were performed with a high frequency at least once per shift in many occupations. Medical equipment preparers, housekeepers, floor strippers/waxers, and endoscopy technicians spent on average 108-177 min/shift performing cleaning/disinfecting tasks. Many occupations used products containing amines and quaternary ammonium compounds for >100 min/shift. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates that many occupations besides housekeeping incur exposures to cleaning/disinfecting products, albeit for different durations and using products containing different chemicals.

Airborne exposures to monoethanolamine, glycol ethers, and benzyl alcohol during professional cleaning: a pilot study.

UNLABELLED: A growing body of epidemiologic evidence suggests an association between exposure to cleaning products and respiratory dysfunction. Due to the lack of quantitative assessments of respiratory exposures to airborne irritants and sensitizers among professional cleaners, the culpable substances have yet to be identified. PURPOSE: Focusing on previously identified irritants, our aims were to determine (i) airborne concentrations of monoethanolamine (MEA), glycol ethers, and benzyl alcohol (BA) during different cleaning tasks performed by professional cleaning workers and assess their determinants; and (ii) air concentrations of formaldehyde, a known indoor air contaminant. METHODS: Personal air samples were collected in 12 cleaning companies, and analyzed by conventional methods. RESULTS: Nearly all air concentrations [MEA (n = 68), glycol ethers (n = 79), BA (n = 15), and formaldehyde (n = 45)] were far below (<1/10) of the corresponding Swiss occupational exposure limits (OEL), except for ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether (EGBE). For butoxypropanol and BA, no OELs exist. Although only detected once, EGBE air concentrations (n = 4) were high (49.48-58.72mg m(-3)), and close to the Swiss OEL (49mg m(-3)). When substances were not noted as present in safety data sheets of cleaning products used but were measured, air concentrations showed no presence of MEA, while the glycol ethers were often present, and formaldehyde was universally detected. Exposure to MEA was affected by its amount used (P = 0.036), and spraying (P = 0.000) and exposure to butoxypropanol was affected by spraying (P = 0.007) and cross-ventilation (P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Professional cleaners were found to be exposed to multiple airborne irritants at low concentrations, thus these substances should be considered in investigations of respiratory dysfunctions in the cleaning industry; especially in specialized cleaning tasks such as intensive floor cleaning.