Grantee Research Project Results

In-home Formation of Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Implications for Human Exposure and Indoor Air Quality

EPA Grant Number: U915929
Title: In-home Formation of Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Implications for Human Exposure and Indoor Air Quality
Investigators: Olson, David A.
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 2001 through January 1, 2002
Project Amount: $83,146
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (2001) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Safer Chemicals , Fellowship - Civil Engineering

Objective:

This research project involves the measurement of halogenated volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from residential dishwashers. Recent studies have shown that drinking water can be an important source of indoor air pollution, and that for many chemicals, a much greater risk is posed when these chemicals are emitted from residential water sources and are inhaled (i.e., relative to risks by ingestion). Ingestion has traditionally been regarded as the most important exposure pathway for these chemicals. Preliminary results indicate that inhalation exposure to chloroform from dishwashers is several times that of ingestion exposure. The objectives of this research project are to: (1) characterize chemical emissions from dishwashers experimentally; and (2) complete an exposure assessment comparing dishwashers with other sources of chlorinated organics.

Approach:

Liquid and gas samples will be collected for each experiment. All liquid samples will be analyzed using a purge and trap autosampler plumbed to a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a mass selective detector (MSD). Gas samples will be collected by drawing headspace air through Tenax™ adsorbent tubes. Gas samples also will be analyzed using a GC/MSD. Other parameters that will be measured include total organic carbon, free and total chlorine, UV-254 absorbance, liquid temperature, air headspace temperature, and pH.

Supplemental Keywords:

fellowship, volatile organic compounds, VOCs, emissions, residential dishwaters, dishwasher emissions, human exposure, exposure, air, air quality, air pollution, ingestion, ingestion exposure, exposure pathway, inhalation, inhalation exposure, total organic carbon, TOC., Scientific Discipline, Health, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Air, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Health Risk Assessment, air toxics, Environmental Chemistry, Chemicals, Risk Assessments, Physical Processes, indoor air, home, indoor VOC compounds, indoor exposure, ambient air, exposure, VOCs, household, indoor air chemistry, residential water usage, inhalation, residential dishwashers, human exposure, chlorinated organics, chlorinated VOCs, indoor air quality, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Progress and Final Reports:

Final