Episode 75: Identifying Chemicals in Consumer Products

Technology Today

Southwest Research Institute

Technology

4.8 • 19 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

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Summary

SwRI researchers used the machine-learning tool Highlight™ to evaluate dozens of consumer products for chemicals, and the potential for human exposure. They looked at clothing, upholstery, fabrics, rubber and plastics samples and subjected them to various heat settings and solvents. They determined what chemicals were present and whether they could be emitted or extracted with normal use. Researchers identified both chemicals known to be harmful to human health and safe chemicals in the household products. The collaborative study with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was published in the Environmental Science & Technology Journal. Listen now as SwRI analytical chemist Dr. Kristin Favela and chemical engineer William Watson discuss how the study will advance the field of exposomics, the type of products that tested as most risky and the SwRI software tool that illuminated the data.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to a new year of listening and learning. We're starting 2025 with a conversation on chemicals in consumer products.
0:08.5	An SWRI-led study explored the chemical composition of common household items and the possibility of human exposure.
0:18.0	What researchers uncovered and the SWRI tool that illuminated the data. Next on this
0:24.2	episode of Technology Today. We live with technology, science, engineering, and the results of
0:33.7	innovative research every day. Now, let's understand it better. You're listening to the Technology Today podcast presented by Southwest Research Institute.
0:42.6	From deep sea to deep space, we develop solutions to benefit humankind.
0:47.4	Transcript and photos for this episode and all episodes are available at podcast.swri.org.
0:53.8	Share the podcast and hit that subscribe button on your
0:56.7	favorite podcast platform. Hello and welcome to technology today. I'm Lisa Benia. SWRI collaborated with
1:04.6	the Environmental Protection Agency to study household products, examining their chemical makeup,
1:10.4	and evaluating the potential for human exposure.
1:14.3	They looked at clothing, upholstery, and products made of rubber and plastics to determine if chemicals
1:20.6	could be extracted or emitted by normal use.
1:24.1	The study was published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal.
1:28.8	Our guests today are the SWRI researchers who led the study, analytical chemist,
1:34.2	Dr. Kristen Favela, and research engineer William Watson. They're here to tell us about
1:39.2	their findings and an innovative SWRI tool used to analyze the chemicals.
1:45.5	Thank you for being here, Kristen and William, and for being our first guests of 2025.
1:50.8	Thank you for having us.
1:51.9	Yes, thanks for having us.
1:53.2	All right.
1:53.6	So let's start with an overview of this important study.
	...

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