Babies can be exposed to high levels of chemical emission from mattresses as they sleep, a new study has found.Researchers tested the the foam padding in crib mattresses, and found they release significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), potentially harmful chemicals also found in household items such as cleaners and scented sprays.Today they warned parents to air mattresses properly to minimise the risk. The researchers say that mattresses release potentially harmful chemicals when a baby's body heat warms them. WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO?Findings suggest reuse of an older crib or an extended airing-out period may help reduce infant VOC exposures.However, the team say reuse of crib mattress must be considered carefully because older mattresses might contain toxic substances, such as flame retardants, that have been banned. The researchers studied samples of polyurethane foam and polyester foam padding from 20 new and old crib mattresses for the study in the February issue of Environmental Science & Technology.The 20 mattress samples are from 10 manufacturers.
The researchers chose not to disclose the names of the manufacturers studied so that their results could draw general attention to the product segment without focusing on specific brands.Boor decided to conduct the study after finding out that infants spend 50 to 60 percent of their day sleeping. Infants are considered highly susceptible to the adverse health effects of exposure to indoor air pollutants.'I wanted to know more about the chemicals they may inhale as they sleep during their early stages of development,' said, who led the study. 'This research also helps to raise awareness about the various chemicals that may be found in crib mattresses, which are not typically listed by manufacturers.'New crib mattresses release about four times as many VOCs as old crib mattresses, the team found, and body heat increases emissions.Chemical emissions are strongest in the sleeping infant’s immediate breathing zone, they said. The researchers identified more than 30 VOCs in the mattresses, including phenol, neodecanoic acid and linalool.
At present, not much is known about the health effects that occur from the levels of VOCs found in homes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Among the many chemicals considered VOCs are formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, perchlorethylene and acetone. The crib mattresses analyzed in this study did not contain those organic compounds. The researchers concluded that, on average, mattresses emitted VOCs at a rate of 87.1 micrograms per square meter per hour, while older mattresses emitted VOCs at a rate of 22.1 micrograms per square meter per hour. Overall, Boor said crib mattresses release VOCs at rates comparable to other consumer products and indoor materials, including laminate flooring (20 to 35 micrograms per square meter per hour) and wall covering (51 micrograms per square meter per hour).The researchers identified more than 30 VOCs in the mattresses, including phenol, neodecanoic acid and linalool. The most abundant chemicals identified in the crib mattress foam, such as limonene (a chemical that gives products a lemon scent), are routinely found in many cleaning and consumer products.
Chemist and indoor air quality expert Charles J. Weschler, adjunct professor in environmental and occupational medicine at Rutgers University, said he does not think the levels of chemical concentration found in the mattresses are alarming, but he considers the research valuable.'It’s good to be alerted to the fact that crib mattresses are a significant source of chemicals in an infant’s environment,' said Weschler, who noted crib mattresses might one day be analyzed for noxious chemicals as a result of such research.The researchers found that VOC levels were significantly higher in a sleeping infant’s breathing zone when compared with bulk room air, exposing infants to about twice the VOC levels as people standing in the same room. Additionally, because infants inhale significantly higher air volume per body weight than adults and sleep a longer time, they experience about 10 times as much inhalation exposure as adults when exposed to the same level of VOCs, the researchers said.'Our findings suggest the reuse of an older crib or an extended airing-out period may help reduce infant VOC exposures,' said assistant professor Ying Xu.Although used mattresses may appear to be a good alternative
, the researchers noted that older mattresses might contain other harmful chemicals such as flame retardants now banned in mattress foams.Graduate student Brandon Boor, in the Cockrell School’s Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, conducted the study under the supervision of assistant professor Ying Xu and associate professor Atila Novoselac. Boor also worked with senior researcher Helena Järnström from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The 20 mattress samples are from 10 manufacturers. The crib mattresses analyzed in this study did not contain those organic compounds.Understanding the sleeping environment is important to the health of infants and adults, added Richard Corsi, chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering.“We need to better understand the complex sleep microenvironment to improve it and reduce the harmful effects of related pollutants on infants,” Corsi said.The National Science Foundation and the Nordic Research Opportunity program funded the project.
Boor conducted the research in Finland, where he currently lives.The University of Texas at Austin is committed to transparency and disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. All UT investigators involved with this research have filed their required financial disclosure forms with the university. None of the researchers have reported receiving any research funding that would create a conflict of interest or the appearance of such a conflict.Notes for ParentsFindings suggest reuse of an older crib or an extended airing-out period may help reduce infant VOC exposures.Reuse of crib mattress must be considered carefully because older mattresses might contain toxic substances, such as flame retardants, that have been banned.We’re here to alleviate your OGA, or Off-Gassing Anxiety. The struggle is real. Off-gassing is a legitimate concern and you deserve to know what’s happening so you can choose what to do about it. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your household.
One trip to your local Big Name mattress dealer and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by options: so many different makers and models, all of them with different features and benefits promised. Take a spin around the store and you’re likely to see latex mattresses, Memory Foam mattresses, air mattresses (i.e. Select Comfort calling itself the Sleep Number bed), innerspring coil mattresses (what you probably slept on as a kid), and futon mattresses. Your mind might be whirling after just 30 minutes. These days, there are numerous types of foam and batting materials being used in mattresses. And many of those materials have mystery or chemical components. So which types of mattress materials are safest and least likely to be chemical-laden and prone to off-gassing? Where should a shopper start researching? Avoid off-gassing while you sleepOur selection of natural & organic mattresses are as pure as can be. Create a healthy sleep environment from the foundation up. BROWSE NATURAL & ORGANIC MATTRESSES NOW
First of all, let’s get clear on the basics. Synthetic mattress foams are made with chemicals — mostly petroleum-based chemicals, but also some fire-retarding agents. YES, these chemicals emit fumes and can cause potentially adverse reactions in people with chemical sensitivities. Some chemicals used in mattresses have NOT been tested on young children or in the amount people are exposed to when sleeping on a mattress for 8 hours a day (which is, uh, kind of the point of having a mattress). If you have concerns about off-gassing, do your research and know exactly what chemicals are used in your mattress and how they’re likely to affect a person’s system over time. How would you know if your mattress is off-gassing? Start by identifying which type of mattress you have. A memory foam mattress is likely made of 5-6″ of standard polyurethane foam topped with a visco-elastic layer (an open-celled poly foam that recovers slowly from compression, hence the effect that it ‘conforms to your body’).
Both the polyurethane foam and the visco-elastic layer will off-gas. Smelling an odor from your memory foam mattress? This odor is from chemicals used in the manufacturing process. These mattress chemicals are potentially harmful to small children and people sensitive to chemical emissions. Your coil mattress may be made with pocketed coil, a continuous coil system, or another type of coil. There will be an insulator pad between the coils and the comfort layers above. The insulator pad may be made from a high-density polyurethane foam or from recycled fabric layers (similar to a carpet pad). Comfort layers are attached on top of the insulator to add plushness. These comfort layers are mostly what differentiates one coil mattress’s feel from another. Some manufacturers, in an effort to be more ‘green,’ are using some soy or non-soy vegetable-based mattress foams. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, because soy foams use only 20% soy oil and the rest is petroleum-based, the use of soy does not eliminate the off-gassing.
Finally, the mattress is wrapped with a quilting layer to give it a ‘finished’ look. The puff in the quilt is usually made from polyurethane foam — even in mattresses labeled as ‘natural.’ An innerspring mattress can be made ‘natural’ and non-off-gassing with the use of a natural insulator such as latex or wool, and/or with cotton comfort layers, and/or a quilt layer containing one of the same fillers. Note that some mainstream manufacturers will label their mattresses ‘natural’ or ‘eco’ even with only ONE natural fiber component to it, never mind the chemical compounds in the other layers. Does this sound natural to you? There are different processes for creating latex (Dunlop, Talalay, and Continuous Pour). By definition, latex is a compound that starts with sap from the rubber tree. However, most latex is created in a lab using petro-chemicals, and they still call it latex (for shame). These petro-chemicals will off-gas, but it’s likely to be a better choice than polyurethane.
Botanicore™, the purest latex available, comes 100% straight from rubber trees grown in some of the best-managed forest systems in the world, all within 10 degrees of the equator in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The extraction process is similar to tapping maple trees for syrup. (Anyone else visualizing pancakes right now?) After harvesting, we thoroughly and scrupulously wash out potentially allergenic proteins. Then we mold our latex foam cores with no added chemicals. With NO added chemicals to off-gas, all-botanical latex foam mattresses are the best choice for healthy sleep. Botanicore™, unlike other latex foams used for mattresses, ensures a consistent feel to your sleep surface and maximum durability over time. It’s also available in different densities for a feel that matches your comfort preferences. Beware: not every latex foam rubber mattress on the market is made like ours. Some manufacturers mix layers of latex with other, less expensive layers, such as poly foam.
You should verify the composition of any mattress you’re interested in. Air beds use vinyl or polyurethane bladders in place of innersprings or foam cores. The air chambers are protected by polyurethane foam and are often topped with it for comfort. It would be possible to make an airbed with comfort layers of wool, latex, or cotton — as that would eliminate much off-gassing potential, although the vinyl bladder would still off-gas — but we’re unaware of any company producing such a mattress. Most futon mattresses these days contain synthetic foam plus a synthetic fire barrier. But it’s easy to make a non-off-gassing futon. Such a futon would be free of polyurethane foam layers and would use wool or cotton as the fill. It’s also possible to layer latex with those batting materials to add durability. As a rule, futon mattresses tend to ‘mat’ and harden up over time. Cotton, a popular filling for futon mattresses, is a cheap non-toxic batting material, but isn’t a long-term solution for a consistent surface feel.
Yes, there are mattresses that are far less likely to off-gas than others, or won’t off-gas at all. It’s important for you, as a consumer, to know your stuff because you can’t always trust some retailers and salespeople to have or share correct information. A little time spent researching construction materials can pay dividends when searching for the lowest chemical emission mattresses. The following non-off-gassing mattresses are comparable to other better quality mattresses. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you and your family aren’t being exposed daily to potentially unhealthy fumes. For the most bed dollar-for-dollar, with the least potential for off-gassing, check out the Meridian Premier, Thackeray, and the Woodland Park, which use botanical latex cores along with plant-based fibers. For a coil option with wool and cotton, check out the Kai. Check out our full line of all-botanical latex mattresses, as well as our selection of natural and organic mattresses.