Volatile Compounds

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Volatile organic compounds are known to be among the major culprits of indoor air pollution. A study shows that infants and young children are three times more likely to develop eczema even when exposed to volatile organic compounds that fall below permissible levels.

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This three-year-old suffers from severe eczema. A test showed that the density of volatile organic compounds in the room where the child spends most of the time was 760 micrograms per cubic meter, which is well above the permissible level of 500 micrograms. A team of researchers from a domestic university has studied the correlation between the density of volatile organic compounds in household bedrooms and eczema in some 250 six-month-old infants. Although all of the surveyed rooms were found to have VOC density below the permissible levels, health checks conducted on the infants two and a half years later revealed that children who lived in rooms with high VOC density were three times more likely to suffer from eczema. The study also revealed that children who were exposed to low-density VOC also had a risk of eczema.

[Soundbite] Prof. Yoo Young(Korea Univ. Anam Hospital) : "Such substances easily penetrate the skin and lungs of young children, causing strong allergic reactions."

Experts recommend removing books and plastic products from rooms where babies sleep as such products may contribute to VOC density in the room. It's also essential to ventilate the room at least three times a day 30 minutes at a time on smog-free days to minimize VOC density.