Cleaning Products and Air Freshners: Emissions and Resulting Concentrations of Glycol Ethers and Terpenoids

Publication Type

Journal Article

Authors

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to quantify emissions and concentrations of glycol ethers and terpenoids from cleaning product and air freshener use in a 50-m3 room ventilated at ~0.5 h-1. Five cleaning products were applied full-strength (FS); three were additionally used in dilute solution. FS application of pine-oil cleaner (POC) yielded 1-h concentrations of 10-1300 ìg m-3 for individual terpenoids, including á-terpinene (90-120), d-limonene (1000-1100), terpinolene (900-1300), and á-terpineol (260-700). One-hour concentrations of 2-butoxyethanol and/or d-limonene were 300-6000 µg m-3 after FS use of other products. During FS application including rinsing with sponge and wiping with towels, fractional emissions (mass volatilized / dispensed) of 2-butoxyethanol and d-limonene were 50-100% with towels retained, ~25-50% when towels were removed after cleaning. Lower fractions (2-11%) resulted from dilute use. Fractional emissions of terpenes from FS use of POC were ~35-70% with towels retained, 20-50% with towels removed. During floor cleaning with dilute solution of POC, 7-12% of dispensed terpenes were emitted. Terpene alcohols were emitted at lower fractions: 7-30% (FS, towels retained), 2-9% (FS, towels removed), and 2-5% (dilute). During air-freshener use, d-limonene, dihydromyrcenol, linalool, linalyl acetate, and â-citronellol) were emitted at 35-180 mg d-1 over three days while air concentrations averaged 30-160 µg m-3.

Journal

Indoor Air

Volume

16

Year of Publication

2006

Issue

3

Organization

Research Areas