A new study concluded that we may not be aware of many health issues surrounding us, and warned against the overuse of nonflammable chemical materials that may be found in children toys, carpets, furniture, and electrical devices.
The study said that in the course of time, these materials transform into "toxic dust" that scatter around the house and affect its residents, which may expose them to many health risks such as cancer.
The Science of The Total Environment journal reported the main conclusions reached by the study, before its official release in February 2019. The research gathered dust samples from cities including Cairo, Vancouver, and Istanbul, and involved researchers from Egypt, Canada, and Turkey.
Dr. Tamer Shouaib, a chemistry professor at the American University of Cairo and the study lead author said: "With time, amounts of these materials known as "Organophosphate esters" leak out from the objects found in our houses, and transform into dust".
The research team used the samples to estimate the amounts of these materials and to determine whether they are safe or not. According to Shouaib, the findings showed that "the highest rate of the toxic materials, which are 12, was found in the dust sample taken from Vancouver with around 41,000 nanograms (ng) in each one gram (g) of dust, followed by Cairo with over 14,000 ng/g, and Istanbul with over 2,400 ng/g."
The lead author wrote that the highest rate of these materials has been found in Vancouver's dust may be due to Canada's highly restricted measures in applying fire codes, which increases the use of these materials that slow products' flammability. Despite their difference among the three cities, the rates were safe that the body can deal with, Shouaib added.
He adds that the most common material among the Organophosphate esters found in the three cities was the "TBOEP", which stands at 92% in Cairo, 56% in Vancouver, and 14% in Istanbul. The human body can handle 1,500 ng of this material for each kilogram of weight per day.
Shouaib notes: "Although these findings were comforting, they emphasize the importance of not overusing these chemicals in the different industries, as large quantities of them may expose people to major risks such as cancers and infertility."
This article has been adapted from its original source.
