Northwest Hazardous Materials Management Conference June 2013

Cheri Zehner, MPH

Indoor Air QualityParticulate Matter

Endocrine Disruptors

WARNING: May

Cause Dizziness

Toxicology for Blondes

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Indoor Air Pollutants

GASES VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) Semi-Volatile Compounds CO (Carbon Monoxide) Combustion Products

PARTICLES Asbestos Organic Matter Combustion Products Heavy Metals

BIOLOGICALSDust Mites, Mold, Yeast, Bacteria, Plant Matter

RADIATION Radon, EMFs 3

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VOCs in the Spotlight• Building Product Certifications• Formaldehyde• Occupational Awareness

PARTICLES The Over-looked

Pollutant

• Most airborne particles - 10-100 microns (μm),

– Settle on the FLOOR or

– Filtered out by the nose and trachea

• PM10

- Particle matter < 10μm inhaled into lungs

• PM2.5

– can reach the alveoli of the lungs

Indoor Dust Particles

• Stay suspended in air

• Build-up in carpets and furniture

• Re-suspended by activity such as walking, sitting,

vacuuming

• Pesticides, PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs piggy-back on

particles

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Intrinsic Nature of Buildings

• Reservoir or Sink• Stack Effect

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House DustMacro-composition

•Skin flakes (dander) from humans and pets

•Plant and biological material•Tracked-in soil•Combustion by products

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House dust is about 40 wt% organic matter

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House Dust Contaminants Fate & Transport

• Hydrophobic - high octanol/water partition coefficient - Kow

• Larger organic contaminant molecules

• Less likely to biodegrade

• More likely to adhere to sediment particles and sediment organic carbon matter

• Persistent organic contaminants are likely to bioaccumulate (EPA 2000).9

The Duwamish River Analogy

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A Multi-element Profile of House Dust in Relation to Exterior Dust and Soils in the City of Ottawa, Canada Science of the Total Environment 2001

Concentration of Metal Contaminants in Indoor Dust

Semi-volatile CompoundsConcern for persistence, bioaccumulation,

long-range transport, and toxicity

• Pesticides• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)• Polybrominated diphenyl esters (PBDEs) – flame retardants• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – combustion by-

products• Phthalate esters - plasticizer • Nicotine – cigarette smoke

Semi-volatile Compounds Environmental Exposures

Diisocyanates - Polyurethane (foam padding) - Bronchial irritation and asthmagen

Halogenated flame retardants (PBDEs) - Polyurethane, in furniture, mattresses, plastics (TVs, computers) - Endocrine disruptor

Perflurochemicals - Water repellents, stain repellents, non-stick coatings - Endocrine disruptor

PAHs - coal, crude oil, gasoline, coal-tar pitch, creosote and asphalt - Cataracts, kidney and liver damage, jaundice, skin irritation and cancer, Endocrine disruptor

PCBs - fluorescent light ballasts - Liver, kidney and nervous system, reproductive effects, probable human carcinogen, Endocrine disruptor

Pesticides, organochlorines, - Soils, carpet, furniture - (Chlordane - probable human carcinogen, liver and nervous system effects, Endocrine disruptor

Phthalates BBP, DBP - PVC Flooring, perfume fixative, “inert” ingredient in pesticides- Endocrine disruptor, suspect correlation with autism

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CAPE CODEBreast Cancer Study

Eleven of 15 Cape towns were found to have breast cancer rates at least 15 % higher than those of the rest of Massachusetts (1993).

Environmental Science & Technology, 2003

67 Endocrine Disruptors in the Air and Dust

Homes averaged 19 for air 26 for dustsilentspring.org

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POPs found in Cape Cod Study

Number of Analytes Found in Household Dust, Air and in Urine (n = 120)

Chemical Group

Dust Air Urine

Pesticides 38 39 13

Alkyloids 7 7 -

Phthalates 10 9 8

PCBs, PAHs, PBDEs

10 10 -

Parabens (preservative)

3 3 -

Other Estrogenic

phenols

18 20 -

Rudel, Ruthann A; Camann, David E.; Spengler, John D.; Enviorn. Sci. Technol

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VACUUM CARPETSREDUCE DUST, LEAD, AND DUST MITES

MEDIAN SURFACE LOADING ON CARPET

CONTAMINANT START FINISH % REDUCTION

Fine Dust 1.30 g/m2 0.102 g/m2 91%

Lead 147 ug/m2 86 ug/m2 82%

Dust Mites 282 ug/m2 0.28 ug/m2 90%

Reductions required 6 to 45 min/m2 of vacuuming - John Roberts, 1999 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Microscopic ID Airborne Nonfungal Dust Constituents

Residential Buildings descending order N=133

Particle Median Level % of Buildings

particles/M3

Amorphous 45,000 100

Crystalline 5,833 100

Dander 16,667 99

Paint spheres/chips 100 89

Charred wood fragments 100 83

Starch 95 77

Paper fibers 40 74

Tire fragments 53 64

Manufactured fibers 20 62

Copyright 2003, Healthy Buildings Inc.

Nonfungal Airborne Dust Constituents continued

Particle Median Level – p/M3 % of Buildings

Cotton fibers 27 61

Feather barbs 20 55

Mineral wool 33 53

Insect hair 17 46

Paper fragments 20 41

Algae 60 40

Soot 27 35

Pollen 17 29

Plant fragments 17 23

Rust fragments 27 23

Metal fragments 13 17

Insect frass 27 15

Dermestid hastiseta 10 13Copyright 2003, Healthy Buildings Inc.

Nonfungal Airborne Dust Constituents continued

Particle Median Level – p/M3 % of BuildingsCenospheres 17 10

Gypsum 20,000 7

Hair, nonstriated 7 7

Moth scales 10 7

Spider webs 9 6

Glassy spheres 33 5

Hair 20 4

Mite exuviae 13 2

Wood Fragments 50 1

From Air-O-Cell samples collected in Northwest homes and offices by Healthy Buildings Inc.

Lab analysis by Dr. George Muller at GML Labs, Mountlake Terrace, WA

Copyright 2003, Healthy Buildings Inc.

Particulate Sample from Spore Trap – Very Dusty HomeDr. George Muller, GML Labs, Mountlake Terrace

Spore Trap Samples Assist in Diagnosis of IAQ Problems

• High counts of glass fibers – might indicate communication with walls, crawlspace, attic

• High counts of soot – might indicate communication with built-in garage, faulty furnace, too many candles

• High counts of crystalline particles indicates foot traffic from outdoors and could indicate lead source

• High counts of amorphous particles might indicate moisture intrusion, poor housekeeping, and lack of air filtration & ventilation

Spore Trap, Particulate Counter, & Q Trak for CO &CO2

Control contaminants in

• Design & Product Selection

• Construction

• Operation and maintenance

Avoid – omit or remove from the building

Isolate or Seal - what you can’t avoid

Ventilate - add O2 and flush pollutants

Clean & Filter – clean carpets, filter air

Control is the Goal

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How to Reduce Your Exposure• Remove shoes at the door

• Minimize carpeting or consider replacing it. Vacuum at least 1/wk with a HEPA vacuum (dust mask recommended) Use hot-steam extraction twice yearly

• Don’t burn firewood – consider switching to a gas or electric insert

• Don’t burn cigarettes indoors and consider quitting smoking for the health of you and your family

• Don’t burn candles or incense or if you do, do so infrequently

• If you have an oil or gas furnace, have it inspected annually

• Avoid pesticides

• Don’t use plug-in air fresheners or oil sticks – they contain chemicals that may harm you

• Use fragrance-free cleaners and use baking soda and vinegar formulations for house cleaning

• Discard worn or frayed upholstered furniture and cushions

• Use 3rd party certification for selecting home furnishings and building materials

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Reduce Exposure

Reduce exposure to indoor dust

Reduce exposure to combustion by-products

Reduce exposure to pesticides

Reduce exposure to synthetic fibers

Reduce exposure to fragrance

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Third Party Certification Programs

• Collaborative for High Performance Schools - adhesives, sealants, concrete sealers, acoustical ceilings, wall panels, wood flooring, composite wood boards, resilient flooring (includes rubber) and carpet

• FloorScore - resilient flooring

• Greenguard - for Certification for Children & Schools - furniture & indoor finishes

• Greenlabel Plus - Carpet & Rug Institute

• Indoor Advantage Gold - wall coverings, systems furniture, casework, insulation and other non-flooring interior products

• Greenseal Certified Products - paints & coatings

• Pharos - membership required, extensive filter system

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Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013

“Toxic Right to Know Law”• Require Safety Evaluations for All Chemicals

• Protect Public Health from Unsafe Chemicals

• Prioritize Chemicals for Review

• Screen New Chemicals for Safety

• Secure Necessary Health and Safety Information

• Promote Innovation and Safer Chemistry

• Protect Children and Pregnant Women

• Give States and Municipalities a Say

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Stop Using Humans

as Guinea Pigs

Apply the Precautionary Principle

Thank YouThank You

Cheri Zehner, MPH

www.cherizehner.com

206.799.6382