David Volz

Scientists are shocked by what’s really in the air we breathe every day

tomwt — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:56:57 +0000

Scientists are shocked by what’s really in the air we breathe every day tomwt Fri, 03/06/2026 - 10:56 More CNAS in the Media Nathalie Mayer & Xavier Demeersman | FUTURA March 06, 2026

FUTURA - These substances are known as plasticisers. They are chemical compounds added to materials to make them softer, more flexible and easier to use. While that might sound harmless, their widespread presence in everyday objects means our exposure is constant.

You can find plasticisers in many common household items. Food storage containers, shower curtains, garden hoses and even upholstery fabrics often contain them. The issue, however, is that several of these chemicals have been identified as toxic.

Among the most well known are compounds called ortho phthalates. Because of growing health and environmental concerns, these substances have gradually been removed from certain manufacturing processes. In response, manufacturers have introduced alternative compounds known as non ortho phthalates.

Yet these substitutes remain something of a mystery. Scientists still know very little about their potential long term effects on human health.

Large quantities of plasticisers detected in the air
Researchers from the University of California have recently highlighted just how widespread these chemicals have become. Their findings show that the air breathed daily by residents of Southern California contains notable levels of both ortho phthalates and their substitutes.

For the scientists involved, the discovery was unexpected.

‘We did not anticipate this,’ explained David Volz, professor of environmental sciences, in a statement released by the University of California Riverside. ‘Because of this, we felt it was important for people to be informed about the results of this study.’

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Department of Environmental Sciences

David Volz

Yep, you’re probably breathing in plastic chemicals, study finds

tomwt — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:46:42 +0000

Yep, you’re probably breathing in plastic chemicals, study finds tomwt Thu, 10/10/2024 - 10:46 More CNAS in the Media Elly Yu | LAist October 08, 2024

LAIST - Chances are you’re inhaling the toxic chemicals used to make plastics more flexible, according to a new study by UC Riverside and Duke researchers.

Plasticizers are used in a variety of everyday products like lunch boxes, shower curtains, and garden hoses. The chemicals in this study — known as phthalates — have been linked to cancer, birth complications, and reproductive harm.

What researchers learned
Researchers tracked groups of UCR students to measure how much they were absorbing chemical compounds in the air. Each student wore a silicone wristband continuously for five days, with the band acting like a sponge. The levels of plasticizers “were through the roof,” said David Volz, a professor of environmental toxicology at UC Riverside.

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Department of Environmental Sciences

David Volz

Researchers Shocked at Daily Level of Plasticizers in California's Air

tomwt — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:26:40 +0000

Researchers Shocked at Daily Level of Plasticizers in California's Air tomwt Tue, 10/08/2024 - 08:26 More CNAS in the Media Carly Cassella | Science Alert October 08, 2024

SCIENCE ALERT - We live in a world where it is virtually impossible to escape plastics and their associated chemicals.

New evidence suggests that in southern California, the average urban resident's exposure to plasticizers – the substances used to soften plastics and make them more flexible – is "through the roof".

"No matter who you are, or where you are, your daily level of exposure to these plasticizer chemicals is high and persistent," concludes toxicologist David Volz from the University of California, Riverside (UCR).

"They are ubiquitous."

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Department of Environmental Sciences

David Volz

Airborne plastic chemicals have reached shocking levels

tomwt — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:28:29 +0000

Airborne plastic chemicals have reached shocking levels tomwt Wed, 10/02/2024 - 09:28 More CNAS in the Media Sanjana Gajbhiye | Earth.com October 02, 2024

EARTH.COM - Every day, we are unknowingly exposed to a multitude of chemicals. Among these are a group of toxic airborne chemicals known as plasticizers.

If you think these are limited to children’s toys, beauty products, or even plastic bags, think again. These robust substances are everywhere, from your lunchbox to your shower curtain, and even your garden hose.

Airborne plastic chemicals are as intrusive as they are pervasive. They are silently invading our homes, our bodies, and our environment.

Not all plasticizers are born equal

David Volz, an esteemed professor of environmental sciences at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), has made some shocking discoveries about these elusive chemicals.

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Department of Environmental Sciences

David Volz

California Airborne Toxin Levels 'Through the Roof,' Study Warns

tomwt — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:58:27 +0000

California Airborne Toxin Levels 'Through the Roof,' Study Warns tomwt Wed, 10/02/2024 - 08:58 More CNAS in the Media Pandora Dewan | Newsweek October 02, 2024

NEWSWEEK - Toxic airborne chemicals known as plasticizers could be making their way into our nostrils on a daily basis, scientists have warned.

Exposure to these chemicals has been associated with fertility issues and neurodevelopmental disorders as well as childhood asthma, despite their use in a wide variety of products.

"The levels of these compounds are through the roof," David Volz, environmental sciences professor at UC Riverside, said in a statement. "No matter who you are, or where you are, your daily level of exposure to these plasticizer chemicals is high and persistent. They are ubiquitous."

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Department of Environmental Sciences

David Volz