Children are more susceptible to environmental pollutants or contaminants such as semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) than adults. This is mainly because of their greater skin surface area (three times greater than adults), higher inhalation rates (ten times higher), and behaviors like mouthing objects and hand-to-mouth contact. Infants and children from newborns to 4 years of age spend much time (approximately 18 hours/day) in sleeping microenvironments (SMEs). The mattresses may release SVOCs, including organophosphate esters (OPEs), phthalates (PAEs), and UV-filters (like phenolic, benzotriazoles, salicylates, and benzophenones). All these SVOCs are not chemically bound to mattress materials. As a result, they can be released into the surrounding area and can be transferred to dust, toys, bedding items, and children’s skin. The European Union, the United States, and Canada have limited the use of PAEs and OPEs and established concentration limits due to their health risks.
A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters estimated that mattresses are a significant source of emissions contributing to early-life exposure. It assessed the SVOCs levels in the bedrooms and SMEs of 25 Canadian children.
In the home study, a total of 25 children aged 6 months to 4 years were recruited in 2022-2023 from the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa, Canada. All field-deployed samplers (n = 75), along with laboratory blanks (n = 25) and field blanks (n = 21), were used in this study. The concentration of SVOCs was measured in bedroom air, mattress, and SME in all participants’ bedrooms. A total of 51 SVOCs were analyzed, including OPEs (n = 29), benzophenones (n = 3), PAEs (n = 8), benzotriazoles (n = 6), and salicylates (n = 5). Detailed qualitative data were obtained from written questionnaires, whereas quantitative analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman’s rank analysis, and chi-square test.
Results showed that 30 SVOCs were found in mattresses, 28 in bedroom air, and 31 in SME air. In mattresses, SVOC detection frequencies (DFs) ranged from 8% for UV-327 and UV-350 to 88% for tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP). Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), phenyl salicylate (P-SAL), and ∑TCPP isomers had the highest median amounts for each class. However, concentrations of UV-328 were found to be low in all these samples of bedroom air, SME, and mattress. Additionally, 3 times higher concentrations of diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), 10 times of BP, and 3 times of P-SAL were reported in bedroom air compared to office air, which only had one mattress when testing.
In the Mann–Whitney U test, SVOCs levels were higher in SME air than bedroom air, with two exceptions (BP and diethyl phthalate [DEP]). This suggests that SME environments contribute more significantly to exposure. There was a significant difference observed in SME for DnBP (p < 0.05), BP (p < 0.01), DEP (p < 0.01), BP-3 (p < 0.01), and TCPP-1 (p < 0.01). A higher concentration of two PAEs and five OPEs was observed in the mattress than in the SME samples. This showed that mattresses were a source.
In Spearman’s rank test, bedding items like pillows, blankets, sheets, and mattress protectors were significantly correlated with TBOEP (ρ = 0.95) and DiBP (ρ = 0.95). This is mainly due to 60% of participants utilizing mattress protectors. TBOEP concentration of SME samplers was significantly higher than in the mattress. The higher amounts of BzBP (ρ = 0.62) and DEHP (ρ = 0.57) were observed in the old mattress. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between skincare products and H-SAL concentrations with ρ = 0.87.
In conclusion, this study highlights that children are exposed to harmful chemical substances while sleeping in their bedrooms. Limiting toys and regularly cleaning bedding are two ways to minimize exposure in SMEs. Moreover, these findings must contribute to more stringent laws and increased accountability from manufacturers of dangerous chemical components used in mattresses and SME products.
Reference: Vaezafshar S, Wolk S, Arrandale VH, et al. Young Children’s Exposure to Chemicals of Concern in Their Sleeping Environment: An In-Home Study. Environ Sci Technol Lett. 2025; doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00051
