Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Siloxanes and Indoor Air Quality

 Siloxanes are common ingredients in consumer products like antiperspirants, skin and hair care products, cosmetics and detergents, and are being promoted as green dry cleaning solvents to replace toxic chlorinated solvents.  The wide applications have caused elevated concentrations of siloxanes in our environments, and the indoor levels are usually much higher than outdoor air. Some siloxanes are regarded as potential endocrine disrupting compounds. The sources, indoor and outdoor air concentrations, and the health and environmental effects of siloxanes will be presented and future research needs will be discussed.