Your Computer Could be Making You Sick
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Posted by Nick Costis in Science section |
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New research presented in the Sept. 15 edition of Environmental Science & Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society, suggests that emission from the plastic of you computer monitor just might be affecting your health.
The Swedish study reports that Triphenyl phosphate - a chemical compound used as a flame retardant in monitors and other products - is known to cause allergic reactions in some people. Reactions ranging from itching and nasal congestion to headaches have been reported.
When the temperature rises during routine operation, the monitor emits the compound, said Conny Ostman from Stockholm University in Sweden, lead author of the study. He adds, “It is unknown how much exposure can cause an allergic reaction. What is known is that new computers emit more of the compound than older ones.”
“We have focused our interest on this compound since it has been proven to be a contact allergen to man and due to the fact that a number of workers in Sweden have acquired health problems related to computer work,” Ostman said.
The researchers measured the level of the compound in the “breathing zone,” approximately two feet in front of the screen. Temperatures ranged between 122 degrees and 131 degrees Fahrenheit. The researchers also tested the CPU’s, but found no significant amounts of the compound.
The researchers found that emissions levels dropped dramatically after 8 days of continuous operation, but remained 10 times higher than the background level even after 183 days - roughly equivalent to approximately 2 years of working use.
Ostman says in the report that computers are a significant source of allergenic emissions in small indoor environments like offices. Even with adequate ventilation, the compound may be a potential health hazard for computer users, he continued.
The researchers tested 18 new monitors and found the compound in 10 of them. Ostman declined to mention the manufacturers of the monitors, saying that most manufacturers use the same flame-retardant compound. It seems that the key factor in the presence and levels of triphenyl phosphate in monitors was dependent on the place of manufacture, he explained.
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