TOXICOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF EMISSIONS FROM CARPET SAMPLES

This study investigated findings that the off-gassing of certain carpe ts caused sensory and pulmonary irritation, changes in neurobehavioral signs, and death in exposed mice. Two standard test method measures-o ne for estimating sensory irritancy (ASTM-E981-84), the other for eval uating the neurotoxic potential of chemicals (functional observational battery)-were coupled with a postmortem assessment to ascertain the m echanism of toxicity. The postmortem evaluation included measurements of hemoglobin, serum clinical chemistries, blood and lung lavage white cell counts and differential, organ weights, and a gross necropsy wit h a microscopic evaluation of all major organs. The study evaluated th ree treatment groups composed of two preheated carpet emission exposur es and one preheated air-control exposure. No toxic effects were assoc iated with exposure to the off-gassing of the two tested carpets. Clin ical chemistry and histopathological alternations were observed with e xposure to either filter-air or carpet when compared to nonexposed unr estrained control mice, indicating that the exposure procedure caused significant effects unrelated to carpet emissions. A detailed chemical and microbial evaluation of the carpets and carpet emissions showed v olatile organic compounds, pesticide residues, and microbiological flo ra, but at insufficient quantities to result in acute toxicity. Based on this assessment, there was no indication that exposure to emissions from these two carpets poses a serious health risk.