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Exposure to cleaning products has been associated with harm to the respiratory system, neurotoxicity, harm to the reproductive system, and elevated risk of cancer, with greatest adverse impacts for workers exposed in an occupational setting. Social and consumer interest in cleaning products that are safer for health created a market category of "green" products defined here as products advertised as healthier, non-toxic, or free from harmful chemicals as well as products with a third-party certification for safety or environmental features. In the present study we examined the air quality impacts of cleaning products and air fresheners, measuring the number, concentrations, and emission factors of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in an air chamber following product application. Across seven common product categories, 30 products were tested overall including 14 conventional, 9 identified as "green" with fragrance, and 7 identified as "green" and fragrance-free. A total of 530 unique VOCs were quantified with 205 additional VOCs detected below the limits of quantification. Of the quantifiable VOCs, 193 were considered hazardous according to either the California's Department of Toxic Substances Control Candidate Chemicals List or the European Chemical Agency's Classification and Labeling Inventory. The total concentration of VOCs and total emission factors across all products with detections ranged from below limits of detection to 18,708 μg/m3, 38,035 μg/g product and 3803 μg/application. Greater total concentration, total emission factors, and numbers of VOCs were generally observed in conventional cleaning products compared to products identified as "green", particularly compared to fragrance-free products. A hazard index approach was utilized to assess relative risk from measured VOC emissions. The five products with the highest hazard indices were conventional products with emissions of 2-butoxyethanol, isopropanol, toluene and chloroform. Overall, this analysis suggests that the use of "green" cleaning products, especially fragrance-free products, may reduce exposure to VOC emissions. [Display omitted] • Air chamber testing of 28 cleaning products and 2 air fresheners detected 530 VOCs. • The number and concentrations of VOCs were lower in "green" products. • Fragrance-free products had significantly lower numbers and concentrations of VOCs. • Exposure limits were used to calculate relative risk for each product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paired PM 10 and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) samples were collected indoor and outdoor at a fully mechanically ventilated high school in the ultraindustrialized ship channel region of Houston, Texas over a two-month period. The primary foci of this research are to measure the elemental composition of ambient outdoor and indoor coarse particulate matter (PM 10-2.5), characterize aerosol infiltration/ventilation, and obtain clues to their origins. Several metallic hazardous air pollutants were detected inside the school but at concentrations lower than even the most rigorous indoor air quality benchmarks. Only chromium may have potentially posed a hazard based on indoor air quality standards set by the California Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) mass abundance ratios for some metals (Li, Be, Si, Ti, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Se, Zr, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hf, and Pb) were significantly greater than 1 in PM 10-2.5 , suggesting corresponding indoor sources in the PM 10-2.5 size range. Some other metals (Al, K, Ca, V, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, Yb, and U) in PM 10-2.5 had I/O ratios close to one suggesting they had predominantly outdoor origins. Enrichment factors of several metals including light rare earths (e.g. Cu, Sb, Pb, Mo, Cd, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Sm) with respect to local soil were overall the highest both indoors and outdoors, illustrating their anthropogenic origins. Several lines of evidence including light lanthanoid ratios, simultaneous La–Ce-Sm variations (ternary diagrams), and correlations with cracking catalysts indicated that petroleum refineries are principally responsible for the elevated lanthanoid concentrations. Rare earth element analysis revealed shifts between transient catalyst releases from petroleum refining operations and windblown soil resuspension as their dominant sources. • Numerous metals measured in paired coarse PM indoors and outdoors of a school. • All indoor metals were at very low levels and below health standards (except Cr). • Metals traced to petroleum refining, oil combustion, soil/road dust, and vehicles. • Most rare earths and many indoor metals infiltrated/ventilated from outside. • Li, Be, Si, Sc, Ti, Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Se, Zr, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hf, W, Pb, Co had indoor sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]