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I don't get it. Soap doesn't seem very volatile. The article leads with deodorant and soap but the rest is about paint and lacquer, which seem way more volatile

by twtw 9y ago

I don't get it. Soap doesn't seem very volatile. The article leads with deodorant and soap but the rest is about paint and lacquer, which seem way more volatile than soap. How does my soap get into the air? Is it volatile and I just don't know?

24gttghh 9y ago
The study[0] in ScienceMag this article revolves around seems to focus on on Volatile Chemical Products (VCP's) derived from petrochemicals. From the abstract: >We show that human exposure to carbonaceous aerosols of fossil origin is transitioning away from transportation-related sources and toward VCP's. and from the study itself: >Most organic compounds in soaps and detergents dissolve in water and end up in sewer systems (20), with negligible amounts emitted from wastewater treatment plants (21). And my takeaway is: e.g. organic compounds in the soaps used for dish-washing and showering don't VOC-off, but instead are carried away by the drain and are almost entirely captured in wastewater treatment. So, when this article mentions soaps, I'd hazard to restrict that to spray soaps derived from petrochemicals. [0]http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6377/760.full http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6377/760.full
- guelo 9y ago
  In the study's supplemental materials there's a table that breaks out personal care into Hair Care, Perfumes, Lotions, Shaving & Mouthwashes, and Other Cosmetics. No mention of soap.
  - 24gttghh 9y ago
    Indeed, the study mentions soap by word only once (my second quote), in what I took as a counter-example to the products you listed.
dpark 9y ago
The scents that many soaps are filled with are volatile. Which is why you can smell them. It’s not clear how much soaps really contribute, though, given that all consumer products were lumped together.
f4rker 9y ago
Its ok the author works for the nytimes and hasnt smelled soap or paint lacquer in some time.

by twtw 9y ago

24gttghh 9y ago

The study[0] in ScienceMag this article revolves around seems to focus on on Volatile Chemical Products (VCP's) derived from petrochemicals. From the abstract: >We show that human exposure to carbonaceous aerosols of fossil origin is transitioning away from transportation-related sources and toward VCP's. and from the study itself: >Most organic compounds in soaps and detergents dissolve in water and end up in sewer systems (20), with negligible amounts emitted from wastewater treatment plants (21). And my takeaway is: e.g. organic compounds in the soaps used for dish-washing and showering don't VOC-off, but instead are carried away by the drain and are almost entirely captured in wastewater treatment. So, when this article mentions soaps, I'd hazard to restrict that to spray soaps derived from petrochemicals. [0]http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6377/760.full http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6377/760.full

guelo 9y ago
In the study's supplemental materials there's a table that breaks out personal care into Hair Care, Perfumes, Lotions, Shaving & Mouthwashes, and Other Cosmetics. No mention of soap.
- 24gttghh 9y ago
  Indeed, the study mentions soap by word only once (my second quote), in what I took as a counter-example to the products you listed.

dpark 9y ago

The scents that many soaps are filled with are volatile. Which is why you can smell them. It’s not clear how much soaps really contribute, though, given that all consumer products were lumped together.

f4rker 9y ago

Its ok the author works for the nytimes and hasnt smelled soap or paint lacquer in some time.