The dust that settles throughout our homes and offices almost always contains bits of chemicals that can cause problems for the human endocrine system, scientists say.
The dust that settles throughout our homes and offices almost always contains bits of chemicals that can cause problems for the human endocrine system, scientists say. But a new study indicates that the microbes we track into buildings—the microscopic bacteria and other microorganisms that thrive on our skin and outdoors—can help break those chemicals down.
The study, published online in the journal Environmental Sciences: Process Impacts, is the first of its kind to show that microbes can break down these chemicals, called phthalates. Microbes grow rapidly in humid environments, breaking down harmful chemicals as they grow. But that humidity—and that microbial growth—could cause even more problems, including mold and musty air, the study found.
Still, the study is a starting point to understanding how to deal with harmful chemicals indoors.
“Previously, people thought there really wasn’t a lot of microbial activity happening in the indoor environment,” said Karen Dannemiller, director of the Indoor Environmental Quality Laboratory at The Ohio State University and co-author of the study. “We knew microbes were shed from human skin or tracked in from outdoors, and we thought they sat there and didn’t do anything. This study shows that is not always the case.”
Continue reading at Ohio State University.
Image via Ohio State University.
