Consumer products represent a significant and growing source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments, contributing to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and potential health risks for occupants. This study investigates the VOC content, emission characteristics, and health implications of common consumer products in Taiwan, with a specific focus on two high-usage categories: liquid cleaners and personal care products. The total VOC content was determined using the gravimetric and gas chromatographic techniques specified in CARB Method 310, while dynamic emission behaviors were assessed using a standard 0.036 m3 environmental chamber. The results revealed a dramatic disparity in VOC content based on product formulation. Liquid cleaners, particularly solvent-based adhesive removers, contained up to 98.9% VOCs, whereas personal care products such as facial cleansers and body washes contained approximately 0.1%. Furthermore, field experiments on ventilation strategies demonstrated that natural ventilation significantly accelerates pollutant decay, whereas closed environments lead to the accumulation and prolonged persistence of VOCs. A screening-level health risk assessment indicated that while the lifetime carcinogenic risk (L12×10−8) and non-cancer hazard index (0.76) were within acceptable limits under standard usage, the margin of safety is narrow for acute exposures in unventilated spaces. These findings underscore the critical need for source control and active ventilation management.
Lin et al. (Tue,) studied this question.