Quantitative Assessment of US Home Care Aides’ Respiratory Exposures During Residential Bathroom Cleaning and Disinfecting Using Household Products

Details

• Personal Author:
  Galligan C ; Gore R ; LeBouf, Ryan F. ; Lindberg J ; Markkanen, Pia ; Quinn M ; Sama S ; Virji, M. Abbas
• Description:
  Introduction: In the USA, home care (HC) aide visits to clients' homes typically involve cleaning and disinfecting (C&D). Some ingredients in household C&D products are associated with respiratory illness: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study assessed quantitatively HC aides' airborne exposures during bathroom cleaning using conventional and "green" C&D products. Methodology: Aides performed C&D tasks in a simulated residential bathroom constructed in an environmental air sampling laboratory. Breathing zone samples were collected according to a balanced experimental design; each aide per formed two 20-minute cleaning sessions using one of three C&D spray products (bleach-based, 1-5% sodium hypo chlorite by weight; QACs-based, 0.1 - 1%; and "green," 0.5% thymol). Results: We completed 169 air sampling sessions with 22 aides. VOCs were generated by all products: QACs-based mean total VOCs (TVOC) concentration was 1,210 ppb; bleach-based mean TVOC 593 ppb; and green TVOC 498 ppb. Seven VOCs were quantified above the limit of detection in 50% or more of whole air canister samples: acetaldehyde, acetone, chloroform, d-limonene, alpha-pinene, ethanol, isopropanol. Only the QACs-based product generated QACs: Benzalkonium chloride (BAC)12 (6975 ng/m3), BAC14 (2971 ng/m3), BAC16 (782 ng/m3); the 3 QACs combined (10857 ng/m3). When using the bleach-based product, 13 aides (65%) experienced peak chlorine exposures above the US OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit ceiling limit (1 ppm). Conclusions: During typical bathroom cleaning with household C&D products, HC aides can generate airborne exposures that present respiratory health risks. Use of a spray bleach product can produce over-exposure to chlorine. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Disinfectants Environmental Monitoring Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory System Safety
• Keywords:
  Airborne Particulates Air Sampling Breathing Zone Cleaning Compounds Respiratory Irritants
• ISSN:
  2398-7308
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  68
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069848
• Citation:
  Ann Work Expo Health 2024 Jun; 68(Suppl 1):i48
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Work Exposures and Health. Book of abstracts: 13th International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) International Scientific Conference, June 9-13, 2024, Dublin, Ireland
• Supplement:
  1
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:27f53c59c328bce60a9e20cce27a4f86dc50f685907ca01164a7439198743058a9aebf7003f413eedc6c399052b9f76e21325bc2c352959025741d51c862de42
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208194/cdc_208194_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 73.64 KB ]