In summer, when we use roll-on or spray deodorant, dry shampoo or even hand cream, while our bathroom window is open, we create a cocktail of pollutants more extreme than those in the bathroom. found in the city center of Zurich, for example. The fault is a higher concentration of ozone in the air during the summer months. A recent EPFL study, published in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology Letters”, demonstrates that when these hygiene products are used in a room and they come into contact with this gas, they have a significant impact on indoor air quality.
Researchers explain that without ozone, more than 200 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were emitted by these products, before they dissipated with ventilation. Among the most abundant molecules that have been found: ethanol and monoterpenes, generally used in deodorants and other perfumes. But by introducing ozone into the room, new VOCs but also new particles were generated, with a concentration exceeding those found in heavily polluted urban areas.
“Certain molecules form new particles that can coagulate into larger fine particles, and which can easily infiltrate our lungs,” explains Dusan Licina, director of the Human-Oriented Environmental Laboratory (HOBEL) at EPFL. But further toxicological studies will be needed to determine the extent to which daily inhalation of these particles affects our respiratory health.
“I know this is hard to hear, but we should reduce our dependence on these products or, if possible, replace them with more natural alternatives containing odorous compounds with low chemical reactivity,” recommends Dusan Licina, director of the Human-Oriented Environmental Laboratory (HOBEL) at EPFL. To limit the effect of cosmetic products on indoor air quality, it is also necessary to increase ventilation during their use, incorporate air purification devices and limit the concentration of ozone inside buildings. .
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