Fragrances and lotions don't just change the way people smell, they actively alter the indoor air chemistry around the wearer, disrupting a critical natural process the body uses to protect itself from pollution, according to an international research team that includes scientists from Penn State.
Fragrances and lotions don't just change the way people smell, they actively alter the indoor air chemistry around the wearer, disrupting a critical natural process the body uses to protect itself from pollution, according to an international research team that includes scientists from Penn State.
The new study, published in the journal Science Advances, revealed that personal care products like perfumes and even unscented lotions alter the chemical composition of the “human oxidation field,” a natural protective air shield around a person’s breathing zone and skin.
The study suggests that the products disrupt how skin oils naturally react with indoor ozone to produce highly reactive hydroxyl (OH) radicals. Those radicals play a key role in forming an invisible chemical field around the person that protects them from ozone exposure, explained Donghyun Rim, associate professor of architectural engineering at Penn State and co-author on the study.
Read more at: Penn State University
Donghyun Rim, associate professor of architectural engineering, gestures toward a test chamber to evaluate performance of low-cost air quality sensors. Rim studies the impact of human presence on indoor air quality and discovered reactions that impact indoor air quality. Credit: Jeff Xu/Penn State.
