Study Says Ozone Reacts With Deodorant, Skin To Form
Vexing Chemicals
It appears Jean-Paul
Sartre was onto something, when he uttered his famous line "Hell is
other people"... especially when it comes to commercial airline
travel.
That's not an observation on the sorry state of the airlines
from a customer relations standpoint... but rather the findings of
a study conducted by one Charles J. Weschler, of the University of
Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
The report says the diverse (and occasionally putrid --
Ed.) combination of chemicals found in
airliner cabins may be responsible for several of the ailments
passengers complain about, according to the New York Times.
Furthermore, the study adds... passengers only have themselves
to blame.
Don't be too quick to throw your stale dinner roll at the guy
wearing too much cologne, though... because chances are, your own
clothing is also adding to the list of irritants found in airline
cabins.
The problem lies in the elevated levels of ozone found in air
taken in by planes when traveling at high altitudes. That ozone
reacts with the chemicals found in deodorants, perfumes, cigarette
smoke on clothes, et al -- as well as a person's own skin, hair and
clothing -- to form aldehydes, and other potentially irritating
compounds.
Weschler and his colleagues conducted their tests using a
rebuilt section of cabin from a Boeing 767, set within a
climate-control chamber. They found that during "flights" with 16
passengers, and with ozone levels typical of higher altitudes, the
formation of volatile byproducts such as acetone and acetic acid
increased.
The elevated ozone levels aren't very high, at around 70 parts
per billion, according to the NYT. The phenomenon also affects
people traveling aboard smaller planes more so than on larger
airliners -- bigger planes usually have ozone scrubbers -- and the
ozone also reacts with compounds used in the seats and
carpeting.
Still, more than half the resulting byproducts stemmed from
reactions with passengers' clothing, and natural oils found on skin
and hair, according to the study published in Environmental Science
and Technology.
Over time, levels of those volatile ozone-related chemicals can
build up and create compounds that could cause health problems, the
researchers add.
And let's face it... coming from New Jersey, those researchers
probably know a thing or two about irritating chemicals...
especially if they've ever driven the Jersey Turnpike...