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A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research
May 2013
Implementation of the indoor air component of cycle 2 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey
by Jennifer Patry-Parisien, Jiping Zhu and Suzy L. Wong
Organic chemicals are present in a wide variety of common household products such as paints, paint strippers and other solvents, aerosol sprays, cleansers and disinfectants, air fresheners, and hobby supplies. These products can emit gases known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while they are being used, and even when they are stored. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outside. In fact, indoor air is the largest contributor of human inhalation exposure to VOCs.
Predictors of indoor BTEX concentrations in Canadian residences
by Amanda J. Wheeler, Suzy L. Wong, Cheryl Khoury and Jiping Zhu
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-, p-xylenes and o-xylene (BTEX) are a group of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Indoor sources include paints, cigarette smoke and building materials. As well, vehicle combustion gases and evaporative emissions can migrate from attached garages. These VOCs are ubiquitous in residential settings, with exposures 2 to 100 times higher indoors than outside.
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