Respiratory quaternary ammonium and volatile organic compound exposures experienced by home care aides during residential bathroom cleaning using conventional and green products.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

US home care (HC) aide visits to clients' homes typically involve cleaning and disinfecting (C&D) environmental surfaces, particularly in bathrooms. Some ingredients in C&D products are associated with respiratory illness: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study assessed and compared aides' respiratory exposures to specific VOCs and QACs while using 2 conventional and 1 "green" household C&D spray products during bathroom cleaning. Measured exposures were compared to ingredients listed on publicly available sources.

Methods

Three C&D products were selected with principal active disinfecting ingredients: 1% to 5% sodium hypochlorite by weight ("bleach-based"); 0.1% to 1% QACs ("QACs-bas

SUBMITTER: Quinn MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11858560 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature