Off-gassing happens when chemicals evaporate from mattress adhesives, flame-barrier treatments, finishes, added fragrances, or petroleum oil–based foam and are released into the air. Independent screens of conventional memory-foam builds have reported compounds such as benzene and styrene (aromatics), 1,4-dioxane and 1,2-dichloropropane (chlorinated solvents), cyclic siloxanes (D4–D6), and fragrance terpenes like limonene/myrcene.
To choose a safer option, look for independent standards like OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (oeko tex), GREENGUARD Gold (greenguard gold), and MADE SAFE® (madesafe) that limit or screen emissions and ingredients.
Below is a list of volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds encountered from a popular-brand memory-foam mattress (GC-MS screening; * indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match).
1,2,4- Methanoazulene, decahydro- Dodecane, 3-methyl
1,5,5,8a tetra methyl Heptylcyclohexane
1,2- Propanediol (Propylene glycol) Hexanal
1,4- Dioxane Hexasilxane, tetradecamethyl
1,6-Octadiene, 7-methyl-3- (8CI9CI)*
methylene (Myrcene) Limonene (Dipentene: 1-Methyl-4-
1-Butanol (N-Butyl alcohol) 1 methyllethyl cyclohexene)
1- Dodacene Longifolene
1- Hexanol, 2-ethyl Naphthalene
1-Propanol, 2-chloro* Naphthalene, decahydro-*
2- Butanol, 3-methyl Naphthalene, decahydro-2-methyl*
2-Pentanal, 2-methyl Pentasiloxane, dodecamethyl*
2-Propanol (Isopropanol) Phenol, 4-(1- methylpropYI)-*
2-Propanol, 1,3-diehloro- Pinene, a (2,6,6-Trimethyl-
2-Propanol, 1-(2-Dropenyloxy) bieyelo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene)
2-Propanol, 1-[1-methyl-2(2- Pinene, p (6,6-Dimethyl-2-meth-
propenyloxy) ethoxy* ylene bieyelo [3.1.1]heptane)
Azulene, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-oetahydro- Propane,1,2,3-trichloro
1,4-dimethyl-7- 12.6(1- Propane, 1,2-dichloro
methyllethyllidene) Propanoic acid,2,2-dimethyl-, 2-
Benzaldehyde ethylhexyl ester*
Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl Silane, trichloro (chloromethyl)-*
Benzene, 1,3-diehloro Silanediol, dimethyl-*
Benzene, 1,4-diehloro Styrene
Benzene, 1-methyllethyl (Cumene) TXIB (2,2,4-Trimethyl-1,3-
Bicyclo [3.1.1] hept-2-ene-2-carbox- pentanediol diisobutyrate)
aldehyde Tetrasiloxane, decamethyl
Bicyclo [3.1.1] heptan-3-one,2,6,6- Toluene (Methylbenzene)
trimethyl-.1a,2b,5a* Trisiloxane, octamethyl*
Chlorobenzene Undecane
Cyclohexane,1,1-dimethyl-2- Undecane, 2,6-dimethyl
propyl* Undecane, 2-methyl
Cyclohexane, octyl* Xylene (para and/or meta)
Cyclohexasiloxane, dodcamethyl* c- Decahydronaphthalene
Cyclohexene, 1-methyl-4-( 1- Cyclopentasiloxane, deca-
methylethylidene)* methyl
Cyclotetrasiloxane, octamethyl Cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl
Decane, 3-methyl Decane, 5-methyl*
Dodecane
Indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match.
Several of these chemicals—such as benzene, styrene, naphthalene, and certain chlorinated propanes (e.g., 1,2-dichloropropane)—have been classified as carcinogenic or possibly carcinogenic by major health agencies.
Source: VOC measurements taken by gas chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection. From Sleep Safe in a Toxic World, Walter Bader, Freedom Press (2nd ed., 2011).
