When you think you're safe at the comfort of your home, you might want to think again. Household dust holds potential toxic chemicals which are linked to various health hazards, a new study found.
Household dust does more than just collect on unread books, corners of the house and window panels. A new study by scientists at the George Washington University has found that about 45 toxic chemicals are present in household dust, with 10 chemicals found in 90 percent of homes across the country.
In the first study to analyze the potential dangers of household dust, the investigators collated the findings of 26 peer-reviewed studies and one unpublished data on indoor dust samples from about 14 states. All samples were collected from urban, rural and suburban locations including homes, schools and offices.
The findings, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, suggest that each day, household dust exposes most people in the U.S. to chemicals that are linked to various health problems. Infants and children are at most risk of developing these diseases due to their fragile and developing bodies.
The researchers said that these chemicals are either inhaled or ingested in small amounts over a period of time. Some of the toxic chemicals found in household dust are flame retardants, phenols, and phthalates.
The most abundant toxic chemical found in the meta-analysis was di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). This chemical is used to produce plastics, cosmetics, and other personal hygiene products. However, it has been associated with various health hazards such as liver cancer and male reproductive problems in mice.
On the other hand, when ranked based on how much of this chemical was likely to be ingested by pre-schoolers, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate, a flame retardant, came first. This chemical has been linked to health problems in mice like brain damage and cancer.
"We also found that many chemicals in dust share hazard traits such as reproductive and endocrine toxicity. We offer recommendations to maximize comparability of studies and advance indoor exposure science," the researchers concluded in the study.
"This information is critical in shaping future exposure and health studies, especially related to cumulative exposures, and in providing evidence for intervention development and public policy," they added.
