Love Your Lungs

Learn more about the most common home chemicals linked to respiratory irritation and lung cancer.
May/June 2015

http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/love-your-lungs-zmfz15mjzhou.aspx
By Linda B. White

Airborne chemicals are among the leading causes of lung cancer.

Photo by iStock

Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, more than 200,000 Americans were diagnosed with the illness in 2011. Because lung cancer typically
produces few symptoms until the disease is advanced, most cases are diagnosed after the cancer has spread. Its the
most common cause of death from cancer. While smoking remains the No. 1 risk factor for lung cancer, the EPA lists
radon and other airborne chemicals as the second-leading cause of the disease. Eliminate the following risk factors
from your home.
All About VOCs

Youve probably heard the term VOCs bandied about in just about any discussion of indoor air quality. But do you
know exactly what VOCs are, which ones are most dangerous and how to reduce them in your home?
VOCs are volatile organic compounds. Volatile means these chemicals have a low boiling point and go into gaseous
states at low temperatures, making them airborne and easily inhaled. A long list of chemicals fits under the VOC
umbrella. Many VOCs are known irritants and toxicants with adverse health effects of acute and chronic exposure,
including asthma and other respiratory diseases; liver and kidney dysfunction; neurologic impairment; and cancer.
Possible signs of acute exposure include irritation to the nose, throat and eyes; breathlessness; headache; nausea;
dizziness; and fatigue. People with asthma may have worsened symptoms.
However, not all VOCs are bad. Take, for instance, plant essential oils such as lavender, peppermint or eucalyptusall
VOCs. When you peel an orange, you smell natural VOCs. (Youll often notice an odor from VOCs.) Yet, when levels
of ozone (an air pollutant) are high, even seemingly harmless chemicals in citrus and pine essential oils (used in air

fresheners and to scent many cleaning agents) can react with ozone to form formaldehyde, other VOCs and ultrafine
particles, which can damage the heart and lungs. Speaking of ozone, some people make the mistake of using storebought air purifiers that add this gas to the air. Paul Ziemann and Jose Jimenez, professors at the Department of
Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Colorado, advise against that. Formed by joining three oxygen atoms
together, ozone disinfects but also irritates tissues, especially the lungs. It also forms dangerous compounds from
reactions with VOCs.
An EPA study found levels of about a dozen common VOCs to be two to five times higher inside homes than outside.
For certain activities, such as stripping paint, exposure is high during use and can persist for hours afterward. In 2014, a
team led by Stuart Batterman, a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, determined
prominent personal VOC exposures. Outside the house, the top causes of exposure included gasoline vapors, vehicle
exhaust and chlorinated solvents. Inside the house, exposure came primarily from disinfection byproducts (bleach and,
in some cities, chlorinated drinking water), cleaning products and odorants (product fragrances).
At least three factors determine whether or not any given VOC can cause adverse effects:
1. Concentration: A toxic chemical is less likely to harm you if youre exposed to small amounts for short periods of
time.
2. Toxicity Level: Not all VOCs are harmful to our health. Menthol from peppermint, for example, is used to flavor
candy.
3. Length of Time and Frequency: Workers chronically exposed to high levels of a substance are more at risk than
consumers.
Other Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Tobacco: Smoking remains the No. 1 risk factor for cancer. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals and
several carcinogens, including arsenic and cadmium. Smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke can lead to exposure to
VOCs such as benzene, ethylbenzene, acetone (generally found in nail polish remover), styrene, toluene and
formaldehyde. Other poisonous substances include ammonia, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide.
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is commonly referred to as secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contributes to
about 49,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. But ETS also creates third-hand smoke, the residual chemicals that settle
on indoor surfaces as well as clothes and hair. Nonsmoking adults, infants and children can pick up these toxins from
furniture, drapes, bedding, walls and carpetsand airing out the room wont eliminate the residue.
Radon: The second-leading cause of lung cancer, radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas emitted as radium (a
product of uranium) decays. Airborne particles are inhaled. All homes should be tested for radon, regardless of
geographic location, according to the EPA. To find out if your home is high in radon, order a test kit. For more
information, visit the EPA website. If levels are high, contact a professional about sealing foundation cracks and holes,
and venting air to the outside.
Asbestos: Asbestos exposure is another serious risk factor, especially among people who smoke. The substance was
once widely used to fire-proof construction materials, including structures in buildings such as heating systems; ceiling
and wall insulation; roof shingles; and floor and ceiling tiles. In older homes, these materials can break down to release
airborne fibers that may become inhaled. Dealing with asbestos is tricky, as removal is not always the best choice. The
EPA only requires asbestos removal to prevent significant public exposure; generally, they recommend an in-place
management program when asbestos has been discovered and is in good condition. If materials in your older home
(from the 1970s or earlier) are decaying, and you think they could contain asbestos, contact a professional.
Chlorine: Liquid chlorine bleach is a 5.25 percent solution of sodium hypochlorite. The fumes are irritating to the eyes,
nose, throat and lungs. Chlorine can combine with compounds in water to form trihalomethanes, a group of VOCs also

referred to as disinfection byproducts (DBPs). These DBPs have been linked to cancer, miscarriages and birth defects.
If bleach contacts your skin, rinse with soap and water for several minutes to minimize irritation.
Never mix chlorine bleach with other cleaning agents. All-purpose cleaners may contain ammonia, which, combined
with chlorine, forms chloramine. Breathing fumes from this chemical reaction can be fatal. Instead of cleaning with
bleach, turn to natural cleaners (find recipes in our Guide to Homemade Cleaners).
Chlorine is also used to disinfect municipal drinking water in order to eliminate germs such as salmonella and
norovirus. Water coming into the house contains chlorine and DBPs. You drink the water. Chlorine and DBPs also
contact the skin while washing. DBPs can be inhaled in the shower or when the dishwasher and washing machine are
running. A carbon filter attached to the kitchen faucet can reduce chlorine there, but a whole-house filter is required to
treat other water sources, including the dishwasher, washing machine and shower.
If you want more information about the potential health effects of household products, check out the Household
Products Database, maintained by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Learn how to avoid VOCs in 12 Tips to Reduce Exposure to Dangerous Household Chemicals.

Products That May Release VOCs

* Pesticides
* Mothballs
* Household cleaning supplies
* Citrus and pine oil cleaners
* Furniture polishes
* Dry-cleaning chemicals

* Spot removers
* Fabric and leather cleaners
* Permanent markers
* Dry-erase markers
* Copiers and printers
* Building and upholstery materials
* Paints (especially spray paints)
* Varnishes
* Paint strippers
* Some glues, adhesives and adhesive removers
* Refrigerant from air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and dehumidifiers
* Nail polish and nail polish remover
* Rubbing alcohol
* Perfumes
* Hair spray
* Air fresheners
* Emissions from gas- and diesel-combusting engines
* Auto-maintenance products

Common VOCs to Avoid

Name of VOC
Benzene

Examples of Products Containing It

Possible Ill Health Effects

Gasoline * Paints and some art supplies *

Lab and animal studies link inhalation to
Motor vehicle exhaust * Cigarette smoke *
leukemia and other blood cell cancers.
Industrial solvents

Inhalation can cause cancer of lungs, liver and

Paint stripper * Film coatings * Metal
benign mammary (breast) gland tumors in
Methylene Chloride cleaning * Aerosols for paints, automotive
animals. Noncancer effects in humans include
products and insect sprays
headaches, nausea, dizziness and memory loss.
Bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and
Tetrachloroethylene
multiple myeloma is higher in workers exposed to
Dry cleaning * Textile processing * Metal
(perchloroethylene or
the chemical. Living closer to a PERC dry cleaner
degreasing
PERC)
is associated with an increased risk of developing
kidney disease.
Tobacco smoke * Pressed-wood products *
Fertilizers * Glues * Certain types of
Inhalation may lead to nose and throat cancer,
insulation * Unvented fuel-burning
Formaldehyde
leukemia, respiratory allergies in kids and asthma
appliances (wood stoves, gas stoves,
attacks in susceptible people.
kerosene heaters) * Some disinfectants,
antibacterial soaps and beauty products
Inhalation can lead to chronic lung irritation,
Industry and tailpipe emissions *
cataracts and retinal damage, as well as a special
Woodstoves * Mothballs and moth flakes * kind of anemia (hemolytic anemia) in infants born
Naphthalene*
Cigarettes * Toilet and diaper pail
to mothers who sniffed and ingested mothballs
deodorizers
during pregnancy. Animal studies have linked
exposure to lung and other cancers.
It's harmful to the liver, skin and central nervous
system. It can cause liver cancer and reduced
Para-dichlorobenzene* Pesticides to control moths and insects * sperm count in animals. Because it's linked as a
(also known as PDCB Deodorizers for toilet bowls and diaper
possible carcinogen in humans, California has
or 1,4-dichlorobenze) pails
restricted sales of consumer goods and New York
has restricted sales of PDCB-containing toilet
deodorizers.

*A word about naphthalene and para-dichlorobenzene. Both have numerous uses, including as pesticides, especially
against moths (mothballs and moth flakes) and deodorizers (in toilet bowls and diaper pails). Research by Professor
Stuart Batterman and colleagues shows that, in homes where naphthalene is used liberally, this chemical appears to
eclipse risks attributable to other indoor air pollutants that have been identified to pose chronic health risks with the
exception of particulate matter and perhaps radon. His group states that the most efficient way to prevent high
exposures is to ban the use of naphthalene-containing mothballs. Para-dichlorobenzene, which has become a substitute
for naphthalene, has its own health risks and should also be avoided.