Levels and sources of volatile organic compounds in homes of children with asthma
Open accessAbstract
UNLABELLED: Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are classified as known or possible carcinogens, irritants, and toxicants, and VOC exposure has been associated with the onset and exacerbation of asthma. This study characterizes VOC levels in 126 homes of children with asthma in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The total target VOC concentration ranged from 14 to 2274 μg/m(3) (mean = 150 μg/m(3); median = 91 μg/m(3)); 56 VOCs were quantified; and d-limonene, toluene, p, m-xylene, and ethyl acetate had the highest concentrations. Based on the potential for adverse health effects, priority VOCs included naphthalene, benzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, isopropylbenzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethylene. Concentrations varied mostly due to between-residence and seasonal variation. Identified emission sources included cigarette smoking, solvent-related emissions, renovations, household products, and pesticides. The effect of nearby traffic on indoor VOC levels was not distinguished. While concentrations in the Detroit homes were lower than levels found in other North American studies, many homes had elevated VOC levels, including compounds that are known health hazards. Thus, the identification and control of VOC sources are important and prudent, especially for vulnerable individuals. Actions and policies to reduce VOC exposures, for example, sales restrictions, improved product labeling, and consumer education, are recommended. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Total target VOC concentrations in the Detroit homes ranged from 14 to 2274 lg/m3, generally lower than found in earlier studies. However, a subset of houses had elevated concentrations, and levels of 1,4-dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and benzene reached levels commensurate with excess individual cancer risks of 10(-2), 10(-3), and 10(-4), respectively. VOC concentrations varied mostly due to between-residence and season effects. The most important sources included cigarette smoking, vehicle-related emissions, building renovation, solvents, household products, and pesticides.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In 126 homes in Detroit, TTVOC concentrations averaged 150 μg/m3 (range 14-2274 μg/m3).
“For example, in 126 homes in Detroit, Michigan, USA, TTVOC concentrations averaged 150 μg/m3 (range: 14−2274 μg/m3) [31].”
From Occupational exposure and health risks of volatile organic compounds of hotel housekeepers: Field measurements of exposure and health risks (2021) · cites this paper as [31]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Air quality guidelines for Europe.
(2000) · PubMed · Cited by 1,324 · see citing works
Cleaning products and air fresheners: exposure to primary and secondary air pollutants
Nazaroff, W. W., & Weschler, C. J. (2004) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.02.040 · Cited by 846 · see citing works
Concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor Air - A Review
Brown, S. K., Sim, M. R., Abramson, M. J., & Gray, C. N. (1994) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1994.t01-2-00007.x · Cited by 559 · see citing works
Association of domestic exposure to volatile organic compounds with asthma in young children
Rumchev, K. (2004) · Thorax · doi:10.1136/thx.2003.013680 · Cited by 466 · see citing works
Mendell, M. J. (2007) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2007.00478.x · Cited by 438 · see citing works
Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures
Swanson, M. C. (2001) · Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology · doi:10.1016/s1081-1206(10)62329-0 · Cited by 393 · see citing works
Wieslander, G., Norbäck, D., Bjornsson, E. H., Janson, C., & Boman, G. (1996) · International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health · doi:10.1007/s004200050125 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
Asthmatic symptoms and volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide in dwellings.
Norbäck, D., Bjornsson, E. H., Janson, C., Widström, J., & Boman, G. (1995) · Occupational and Environmental Medicine · doi:10.1136/oem.52.6.388 · Cited by 331 · see citing works
A Critical Review of Naphthalene Sources and Exposures Relevant to Indoor and Outdoor Air
Jia, C., & Batterman, S. (2010) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph7072903 · Cited by 315 · see citing works
Self-citationHazard assessment of chemical air contaminants measured in residences
Logue, J. M., McKone, T. E., Sherman, M. H., & Singer, B. C. (2010) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2010.00683.x · Cited by 268 · see citing works
Jia, C., Batterman, S., & Godwin, C. (2008) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.11.055 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Self-citationEdwards, R. D., Jurvelin, J., Saarela, K., et al. (2001) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/s1352-2310(01)00230-8 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
Asthma among secondary schoolchildren in relation to the school environment
Smedje, G., Norbäck, D., & Edling, C. (1997) · Clinical & Experimental Allergy · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1997.tb01171.x · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Sexton, K., Adgate, J. L., Ramachandran, G., Pratt, G. C., Mongin, S. J., Stock, T. H., & Morandi, M. T. (2003) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es030319u · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Lin, C.-C., Yu, K., Zhao, P., et al. (2008) · Building and Environment · doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2008.04.015 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
Diez, U., Kroeßner, T., Rehwagen, M., et al. (2000) · International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health · doi:10.1078/s1438-4639(04)70004-8 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
Weisel, C. P., Zhang, J. J., Turpin, B. J., Morandi, M. T., Colome, S. D., Stock, T. H., Spektor, D. M., Korn, L. R., Winer, A. M., Kwon, J., et al. (2005) · PubMed · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Migration of volatile organic compounds from attached garages to residences: A major exposure source
Batterman, S., Jia, C., & Hatzivasilis, G. (2007) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2007.01.008 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Self-citationParker, E. A., Israel, B. A., Robins, T. G., Mentz, G. B., Lin, X., Brakefield-Caldwell, W., Ramirez, E., Edgren, K. K., Salinas, M., & Lewis, T. C. (2007) · Health Education & Behavior · doi:10.1177/1090198106290622 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Self-citationJia, C., Batterman, S., & Godwin, C. (2007) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.11.047 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Self-citationThe INDEX project: executive summary of a European Union project on indoor air pollutants
Koistinen, K. J., Kotzias, D., Kephalopoulos, S., Schlitt, C., Carrer, P., Jantunen, M. J., Kirchner, S., McLaughlin, J., Mølhave, L., Fernandes, E. D. O., et al. (2008) · Allergy · doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2008.01740.x · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Chambers, D. M., Ocariz, J. M., Sampson, M. M., et al. (2011) · Environment International · doi:10.1016/j.envint.2011.05.016 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Venn, A. J. (2003) · Thorax · doi:10.1136/thorax.58.11.955 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Seasonal cycle of VOCs in apartments
Rehwagen, M., Schlink, U., & Herbarth, O. (2003) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1034/j.1600-0668.2003.00206.x · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Batterman, S., Du, L., Mentz, G. B., Mukherjee, B., Parker, E. A., Godwin, C., Chin, J.-Y., O’Toole, A., Robins, T. G., Rowe, Z. E., et al. (2011) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2011.00761.x · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Self-citationSelected Volatile Organic Compounds in Residential Air in the City of Ottawa, Canada
Zhu, J., Newhook, R., Marro, L., & Chan, C. C. (2005) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es050173u · Cited by 115 · see citing works
H UMAN E XPOSURE TO V OLATILE O RGANIC P OLLUTANTS : Implications for Indoor Air Studies
Wallace, L. A. (2001) · Annual Review of Energy and the Environment · doi:10.1146/annurev.energy.26.1.269 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Peng, C., & Batterman, S. (2000) · Journal of Environmental Monitoring · doi:10.1039/b003385p · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Self-citationAir change rate and concentration of formaldehyde in residential indoor air
Gilbert, N. L., Guay, M., Gauvin, D., et al. (2008) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.12.017 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
Determinants of personal, indoor and outdoor VOC concentrations: An analysis of the RIOPA data
Su, F., Mukherjee, B., & Batterman, S. (2013) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2013.08.005 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationQuantile regression of indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Schlink, U., Thiem, A., Kohajda, T., et al. (2010) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.12.002 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Dodson, R. E., Levy, J. I., Spengler, J. D., et al. (2007) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.10.088 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Chin, J.-Y., & Batterman, S. (2011) · Chemosphere · doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.11.017 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Self-citationDu, L., Batterman, S., Parker, E. A., et al. (2011) · Building and Environment · doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.05.012 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Self-citationComposition and emissions of VOCs in main- and side-stream smoke of research cigarettes
Charles, S. M., Batterman, S., & Jia, C. (2007) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.02.020 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationVOC and Particulate Emissions from Commercial Cigarettes: Analysis of 2,5-DMF as an ETS Tracer
Charles, S. M., Jia, C., Batterman, S., et al. (2008) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es072062w · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationConcentrations and emissions of gasoline and other vapors from residential vehicle garages
Batterman, S., Hatzivasilis, G., & Jia, C. (2005) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.11.017 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationBrowning reaction systems as sources of mutagens and antimutagens.
Powrie, W. D., Wu, C., & Molund, V. P. (1986) · Environmental Health Perspectives · doi:10.1289/ehp.866747 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Temporal variability of selected air toxics in the United States
McCarthy, M. C., Hafner, H. R., Chinkin, L. R., et al. (2007) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.05.037 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Integrated IAQ model for prediction of VOC emissions from building material
Haghighat, F., & Huang, H. (2003) · Building and Environment · doi:10.1016/s0360-1323(03)00064-7 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Du, L., Batterman, S., Godwin, C., Chin, J.-Y., Parker, E. A., Breen, M. S., Brakefield-Caldwell, W., Robins, T. G., & Lewis, T. C. (2012) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph9124639 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Self-citationVariability of indoor and outdoor VOC measurements: An analysis using variance components
Jia, C., Batterman, S., & Relyea, G. E. (2011) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2011.09.024 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Self-citationIlgen, E., Levsen, K., Angerer, J., Schneider, P., Heinrich, J., & Wichmann, H. ‐. (2001) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/s1352-2310(00)00490-8 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Breen, M. S., Breen, M., Williams, R. W., & Schultz, B. D. (2010) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es101800k · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Batterman, S., Jia, C., Hatzivasilis, G., et al. (2006) · Journal of Environmental Monitoring · doi:10.1039/b514899e · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationJia, C., Batterman, S., & Chernyak, S. M. (2006) · Journal of Environmental Monitoring · doi:10.1039/b607042f · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Self-citationStocco, C., MacNeill, M., Wang, D., et al. (2008) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.03.024 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Concentrations and risks ofp-dichlorobenzene in indoor and outdoor air
Chin, J.-Y., Godwin, C., Jia, C., et al. (2012) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2012.00796.x · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citationThe effect of environmental and structural factors on indoor air quality of apartments in Korea
Jo, W. K., & Sohn, J.-Y. (2008) · Building and Environment · doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2008.12.003 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Johnson, M., Williams, R. W., Fan, Z. T., Lin, L., Hudgens, E., Gallagher, J. E., Vette, A. F., Neas, L., & Özkaynak, H. (2010) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.08.027 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Toxics use reduction in the home: lessons learned from household exposure studies
Dunagan, S. C., Dodson, R. E., Rudel, R. A., & Brody, J. G. (2010) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.06.012 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
A Case-Control Study: Exposure Assessment of VOCs and Formaldehyde for Asthma in Children
Hwang, G., Yoon, C., & Choi, J. W. (2011) · Aerosol and Air Quality Research · doi:10.4209/aaqr.2011.05.0072 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Diffusive uptake in passive and active adsorbent sampling using thermal desorption tubes
Batterman, S., Metts, T. A., & Kalliokoski, P. (2002) · Journal of Environmental Monitoring · doi:10.1039/b204835c · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Self-citationSu, F., Mukherjee, B., & Batterman, S. (2011) · Atmospheric Environment · doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.06.016 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Self-citationWang, T. H., Shanfield, H., & Zlatkis, A. (1983) · Chromatographia · doi:10.1007/bf02262920 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Use of free-standing filters in an asthma intervention study
Batterman, S., Du, L., Parker, E. A., Robins, T. G., Lewis, T. C., Mukherjee, B., Ramirez, E., Rowe, Z. E., & Brakefield-Caldwell, W. (2013) · Air Quality Atmosphere & Health · doi:10.1007/s11869-013-0216-9 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Self-citationLin, S., Gómez, M. I., Hwang, S., Munsie, J. P., & Fitzgerald, E. F. (2008) · Journal of Asthma · doi:10.1080/02770900801930285 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Weichenthal, S., Dufresne, A., & Infante‐Rivard, C. (2007) · Indoor and Built Environment · doi:10.1177/1420326x07082730 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
A participant-based approach to indoor/outdoor air monitoring in community health studies
Johnson, M., Hudgens, E., Williams, R. W., et al. (2008) · Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology · doi:10.1038/jes.2008.39 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Aronson, D., Bosch, S. J., Gray, D. A., et al. (2007) · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B · doi:10.1080/15287390600975103 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Environmental Factors in Children's Asthma and Respiratory Effects
Sly, P. D., Kusel, M. M. H., Franklin, P., & Holt, P. G. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-52272-6.00018-0 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Benzene: Environmental Exposure
Alexopoulos, E. C., & Bakeas, E. B. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-52272-6.00430-x · Cited by 3 · see citing works
A Dominant Source of VOC Exposure: Attached Garages
Batterman, S., Jia, C., Godwin, C., et al. (2006) · Epidemiology · doi:10.1097/00001648-200611001-00928 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Indoor Exposure to Selected Air Pollutants in the Home Environment: A Systematic Review
Vardoulakis, S., Giagloglou, E., Steinle, S., Davis, A., Sleeuwenhoek, A., Galea, K. S., Dixon, K., & Crawford, J. O. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17238972 · Cited by 545 · see citing works
Source apportionment of indoor and outdoor volatile organic compounds at homes in Edmonton, Canada
Bari, M. A., Kindzierski, W. B., Wheeler, A. J., Héroux, M.-È., & Wallace, L. A. (2015) · Building and Environment · doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.03.023 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
VOC sources and exposures in nail salons: a pilot study in Michigan, USA
Zhong, L., Batterman, S., & Milando, C. W. (2019) · International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health · doi:10.1007/s00420-018-1353-0 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Self-citationLin, N., Rosemberg, M., Li, W., Meza‐Wilson, E., Godwin, C., & Batterman, S. (2021) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/ina.12709 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Chin, J.-Y., Godwin, C., Parker, E., Robins, T., Lewis, T., Harbin, P., & Batterman, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- University of Iowa (US)
- Institute for Population Health; Detroit MI USA
- Corresponding author
- Batterman, S.
- Venue
- Indoor Air
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-01-13
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 403-415
- ISSN
- 0905-6947 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4057989
- OpenAlex
- W2099214822
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6
- FWCI
- 4.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Indoor Air (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Deep Blue (University of Michigan) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30ES017885)
- National Institutes of Health (R01-ESO14566-01A1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Energy and Environment Impacts
- Keywords
- volatile organic compounds, indoor air quality, childhood asthma, emission sources, cigarette smoking, building renovation, household products, pesticides, solvents, benzene, naphthalene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, vehicle emissions, seasonal variation, cancer risk, Detroit
- MeSH terms
- Air Pollutants, Asthma, Child, Environmental Exposure, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Housing, Humans, Michigan, Random Allocation, Seasons, Urban Population, Air Pollution, Indoor, Volatile Organic Compounds
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
