“Recently, I had one of the popular memory-foam mattresses tested by a reputable laboratory using methods that complied with ASTM Standards D-5116-97 and D-56670-01 92,8 and the EPA’s ETV protocol (9). The entire mattress was placed in a sealed stainless-steel environmental chamber, where chemical emissions were collected, measured, and analyzed over a 96-hour period. The VOC measurements were taken by gas chromotography together with mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS). While some of the chemicals detected cannot be identified with 100 percent certainty, mass spectral libraries made available from NISST, the USEPA, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) were used to characterize compounds. Combined with the testing laboratories’ own databases, these data provide a high level of identification reliability.

In total, the memory-foam mattress emitted 61 VOC chemicals. Here is the list:

1,2,4-Methenoazulene, decahydro-1,5,5,8a methyl
1,2-Propanediol (Propylene Glycol)
1,4-Dioxane
1,6-Octadiene, 7 -methyl-3-methylene (Myrcene)
1-Butanol (N-Butyl alcohol)
1-Dodecene
1-Hexanol, 2-ethyl
1-Propanol, 2-chloro-*
2-Butanol, 3-methyl
2-Pentanal, 2-methyl
2-Propanol (Isopropanol)
2-Propanol, 1,3-diehloro-
2-Propanol, 1-(2-Dropenyloxy)
2-Propanol, 1 – [1-methyl-2-(2-propenyloxy) ethoxy*
Azulene, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-oetahydro-1,4-dimethyl-7- 12.6 (1-methylethylidine)
Benzadehyde
Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl
Benzene, 1,3-diehloro
Benzene, 1,4-diehloro
Benzene, 1-methylethyl (Cumene)
Bicyclo [3.1.1]hept-2-ene-2–carboxaldehyde
Bicyclo [3.1.1]heptan-3-one,2,6,6-trimethyl-.1a2b5a*
Chlorobenzene
Cyclohexane, 1,1-dimethyl-2-propyl*
Cyclohexane, octyl*
Cyclohexasiloxane, dodecamethyle*
Cyclohexene, 1-mthyl-4-(1-methylethylidene)*
Cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl
Cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl
Decane, 3-methyl
Decane, 5-methyl*
Dodecane
Dodecane, 3-methyl
Heptylcyclohexane*
Hexanal
Hexasiloxane, tetradecamethyl (8CI9CI)*
Limonene (Dipentene; 1-methyl-4-1 methylethyl cyclohexane)
Longifolene
Napthalene
Napthalene, decahydro-*
Napthalene, decahydro-2-methyl*
Pentasiloxane, dodecamethyl*
Phenol, 4-(1-methylpropYI)-*
Pinene, a (2,6,6 – trimethylbieyelor3.1.1] hept-2-ene)
Pinene, p (6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene bieyelo[3.1.1] heptane)
Propane, 1,2,3-trichloro
Propane, 1,2-dichloro
Propanoic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-, 2-ethylhexyl ester*
Silane, trichloro(chloromethyl)-*
Silanediol, dimethyl-*
Styrene
TXIB (2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate)
Tetrasiloxane, decamethyl
Toluene (methylbenzene)
Trisiloxane, octamethyl*
Undecane
Undecane, 2,6-dimethyl
Undecane, 2-methyl
Xylene (para and/or meta)
c- Decahydronapthalene

*Indicates NIST/EPAINIH best library match only based on retention time and mass spectal characteristics with a probability of > 80 percent. ‘1 ‘il. ~ 5. Individual volatile organic compounds are calibrated relative to toluene. All individual VOCs detected met the criteria of less than 1/100 the ACGIH-established threshold limit value (TL V) and/or less than one percent the CA chronic reference exposure level (CREL). Quantifiable level is 0.04 Ilg based on a standard of 18L aire collection volume.”