Srinagar, April 17 -- A Canadian study has found that children's mattresses and bedding may expose them to harmful chemicals while they sleep-sometimes for up to 18 hours a day. Published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, the research reveals elevated levels of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in children's sleeping microenvironments (SMEs)-the air and materials directly surrounding a sleeping child-compared to general bedroom air.

Researchers examined the presence of 51 SVOCs, including organophosphate esters (OPEs), phthalates (PAEs), and ultraviolet (UV) filters, using passive air samplers placed in mattresses, near sleeping areas, and around bedrooms in 25 homes across Ottawa and Toronto. They found that mattresse...