BPB Reports

Paper Details

BPB Reports
Vol. 4 No. 6 p.182-192 2021
Report
Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Bedding Products
  • Shinobu Sakai (Division of Environmental Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences / s-sakai@nihs.go.jp)
Naohiro Oshima , Maiko Tahara , Shinobu Sakai , Yoshiaki Ikarashi
Division of Environmental Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences
Received: September 13, 2021;   Accepted: November 06, 2021;   Released: November 29, 2021
Keywords: indoor air, emission test, sampling bag method, volatile organic compounds, aldehydes
Abstracts

In this study, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from a sample of bedding products. These items are intended for long-term use indoors and therefore will be present for long periods of time in the breathing zone of household occupants. Forty bedding products (20 pillows and 20 mattresses) were obtained from the Japanese domestic market for analysis. We have pioneered the measurement of VOCs from bedding products using the sampling bag method, and our measurements showed that a variety of VOCs were emitted from the items. In the pillow sample, polyethylene pillows emitted the most aliphatic hydrocarbons, while buckwheat hull pillows emitted fewer chemicals overall. All pillows emitted tetradecane, toluene, and xylene. VOCs emissions from the mattresses tended to be higher than from the pillows. The mattresses emitted 2-ethyl-1-hexanoic acid frequently and at high concentrations. To further understand the effects of indoor air pollution, it is necessary to continue research into testing the emissions from bedding products and other household items.