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Leukemia link to home decor
By Cai Wenjun |
January 11, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A STUDY of children with leukemia found that half came from homes decorated or furnished with materials which did not meet environmental standards.
Researchers in a project by Shanghai Children's Medical Center and Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association visited the homes of 30 children with leukemia last year. They discovered that at the time 15 of the children showed symptoms or were diagnosed with the disease, their homes contained furniture or were decorated with materials with excessive formaldehyde discharge.
In one case, the father and family members of a newborn boy with leukemia all worked as decorators.
"It is still difficult to say exactly what role formaldehyde plays in children's leukemia," said Xia Lin, an official from Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "It is definitely a risk, and we want to establish how much of a risk it is."
The study will look at the relationship between formaldehyde and genetic and environmental causes of children's leukemia.
In a separate study, the association tested 1,243 families and found 67.5 percent showed excessive formaldehyde discharge and 54.2 percent had high levels of total volatile organic compound, or TVOC.
TVOC is a major indoor pollutant including aldehyde and benzene and other harmful chemicals from paint, glues and decorating materials like carpet and wall paper.
Researchers say a report will be ready in two months.
The association offers free indoor pollutant testing. Visit www.shaepi.org.cn.
Researchers in a project by Shanghai Children's Medical Center and Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association visited the homes of 30 children with leukemia last year. They discovered that at the time 15 of the children showed symptoms or were diagnosed with the disease, their homes contained furniture or were decorated with materials with excessive formaldehyde discharge.
In one case, the father and family members of a newborn boy with leukemia all worked as decorators.
"It is still difficult to say exactly what role formaldehyde plays in children's leukemia," said Xia Lin, an official from Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "It is definitely a risk, and we want to establish how much of a risk it is."
The study will look at the relationship between formaldehyde and genetic and environmental causes of children's leukemia.
In a separate study, the association tested 1,243 families and found 67.5 percent showed excessive formaldehyde discharge and 54.2 percent had high levels of total volatile organic compound, or TVOC.
TVOC is a major indoor pollutant including aldehyde and benzene and other harmful chemicals from paint, glues and decorating materials like carpet and wall paper.
Researchers say a report will be ready in two months.
The association offers free indoor pollutant testing. Visit www.shaepi.org.cn.
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