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Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Title:		Liquid crystal display screens as a source for indoor volatile organic compounds
Author(s):		Liu Q; Abbatt JPD;
Address:		"Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada qifan.liu@utoronto.ca jonathan.abbatt@utoronto.ca"
Journal Title:		Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:		2021
Volume:		118
Issue:		23
Page Number:		-
DOI:		10.1073/pnas.2105067118
ISSN/ISBN:		1091-6490 (Electronic) 0027-8424 (Print) 0027-8424 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have profoundly shaped the lifestyle of humans. However, despite extensive use, their impacts on indoor air quality are unknown. Here, we perform flow cell experiments on three different LCDs, including a new computer monitor, a used laptop, and a new television, to investigate whether their screens can emit air constituents. We found that more than 30 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were emitted from LCD screens, with a total screen area-normalized emission rate of up to (8.25 +/- 0.90) x 10(9) molecules ?na s(-1) ?na cm(-2) In addition to VOCs, 10 liquid crystal monomers (LCMs), a commercial chemical widely used in LCDs, were also observed to be released from those LCD screens. The structural identification of VOCs is based on a 'building block' hypothesis (i.e., the screen-emitted VOCs originate from the 'building block chemicals' used in the manufacturing of liquid crystals), which are the key components of LCD screens. The identification of LCMs is based upon the detailed information of 362 currently produced LCMs. The emission rates of VOCs and LCMs increased by up to a factor of 9, with an increase of indoor air humidity from 23 to 58% due to water-organic interactions likely facilitating the diffusion rates of organics. These findings indicate that LCD screens are a potentially important source for indoor VOCs that has not been considered previously"
Keywords:		"Air Pollutants/*chemistry Air Pollution, Indoor Liquid Crystals/*chemistry Volatile Organic Compounds/*chemistry commercial chemicals indoor air quality liquid crystal displays liquid crystal monomers volatile organic compounds;"
Notes:		"MedlineLiu, Qifan Abbatt, Jonathan P D eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2021/06/03 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Jun 8; 118(23):e2105067118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2105067118"