Health Hazards in Household Cleaners Exposed

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Most people with asthma instinctively avoid these types of products, said Dr. David Rosenstreich, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. But, he added, the study on VOCs "suggests that other people should probably avoid them, especially considering the way we live in our homes today, tightly wrapped inside, so that if there are any chemicals present, we're constantly breathing them in."

VOCs are found in cleaning products, paints, tobacco smoke and other household chemicals, according to the study, which appeared in a recent issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. Benzene and acetone are two commonly used VOCs. The volatile organic compound known as 1,4 DCB is the chemical that gives mothballs their distinctive odor. It's also found in room deodorizers, insecticides and in urinal blocks.

While it's known that perfumes and chemical products can trigger asthma, researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reviewed data from nearly 1,000 adults who provided information on VOC exposure for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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They found an average decrease in lung function of 4 percent was associated with exposure to 1,4 DCB.

The second study was conducted in Europe and included 3,500 people from 10 countries. The study, published recently in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that regular use of cleaning sprays -- such as air fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass cleaners -- was linked to a 30 percent to 50 percent increased risk of asthma.

"Everybody knows that cigarette smoke and car emissions are the kinds of chemicals that can trigger asthma, but maybe we better look at things that are in our everyday life, like air fresheners," said Appleyard. She also pointed out that, ironically, a chemical marketed to reduce allergens if you sprinkle it on your carpets is a significant irritant to people with asthma.

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