Volatilization of Hazardous Contaminants from Drinking Water to Indoor Air: The Role of Residential Washing Macines

摘要

Previous research has indicated that residential washing machines are potential indoor air pollution sources due to the associated use of chemicals found in consumer products, e.g., ethanol in laundry detergent and chlorine in bleach (1,2). Washing machines may also emit potentially hazardous air pollutants found in contaminated drinking water. To better understand the extent and impact of chemical emissions from tap water, 30 experiments were completed using a residential washing machine and a cocktail of chemical tracers representing a wide range of physicochemical properties. Variable operating conditions for these experiments included water temperature, amount of clothes present, water volume, and level of wash water agitation.