What are the human health and environmental concerns of using optical brighteners?
A recent study indicated for the first time that sodium hypochlorite and organic chemicals (e.g., surfactants, fragrances) contained in several household cleaning products react to generate chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chlorinated compounds are emitted during cleaning applications and most of them are toxic and probable human carcinogens. The study showed that indoor air concentrations significantly increase (8-52 times for chloroform and 1-1170 times for carbon tetrachloride) during the use of bleach containing products. The significant increases observed in indoor air concentrations of several chlorinated VOCs (especially carbon tetrachloride and chloroform) indicate that the household bleach use is a newly identified source that could be important in terms of inhalation exposure to these compounds. Preliminary risk assessment suggested that using these cleaning products may significantly increase cancer risk. In addition to its direct toxic effects on living
Related Questions
- Can the H2H project proceed if it has disproportionately high adverse effects on human health and environmental effects on low-income and minority populations?
- What are the health and environmental concerns of using Optical Brighteners in my wash?
- What are the human health and environmental concerns of using optical brighteners?
