Do you use air fresheners, wax melts or other scented products? If so, they may be creating harmful air pollutants, researchers caution.
A team from Purdue University studied the impact of common household activities involving scented products on the air quality in a tiny house lab built by engineers at the school.
The researchers found that the products emit new air pollutants once they interact with ozone. These pollutants are small enough to spread to other organs when a person breathes them. In some cases, products may create as many or more nanoparticles as gas stoves and car engines, which could pose hazards to respiratory health.
“A forest is a pristine environment, but if you’re using cleaning and aromatherapy products full of chemically manufactured scents to recreate a forest in your home, you’re actually creating a tremendous amount of indoor air pollution that you shouldn’t be breathing in,” said study co-author Nusrat Jung, an assistant professor of civil engineering.
Added co-author and civil engineering professor Brandon Boor: “Indoor air quality is often overlooked in the design and management of the buildings we live and work in, yet it has a direct impact on our health every day.
“With data from the tiny house lab, we aim to bridge that gap – transforming fundamental research into real-world solutions for healthier indoor environments for everyone.”
The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
