write:5.2. 1 Plasticizers Plasticizer compounds such as phthalic acid esters are ubiquitous contaminants of indoor air and dust. They are used in vinyl products to make them soft and rel

including solvents; long-chained alkanes
aldehydes
and acids; pesticides; PAHs; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and plasticizers. Concentrations of selected SVOCs identified in Danish buildings are summarized in Table 11.4. Many of these are plasticizers
present in relatively low concentrations. 11.3.5.2.1 Plasticizers Plasticizer compounds such as phthalic acid esters are ubiquitous contaminants of indoor air and dust. They are used in vinyl products to make them soft and relatively flexible. They typically comprise 25 to 50% of the weight of resilient vinyl floor covering. As such materials lose their plasticizers
they become hard and brittle and subsequently crack. Some scientists have suggested that exposures to phthalic acid ester plasticizers may be partly responsible for the significant increase in asthma observed in devel- Table 11.3 Dose-Response Model Relationships between TVOC Exposures and Discomfort/Health Effects TVOC Concentration (mg/m3) Response Exposure Range <0.20 No effects Comfort range 0.20–3.0 Irritation/discomfort possible Multifactorial exposure range 3.0–25.0 Irritation and discomfort; headache possible Discomfort range >25.0 Neurotoxic effects Toxic range Source: From Molhave
L.
Proc. 5th Int. Conf. Indoor Air Qual. Climate
Toronto
5
15
1990. Indoor air quality 395