[Indoor air pollution by volatile organic compounds in large buildings: pollution levels and remaining issues after revision of the act on maintenance of sanitation in buildings in 2002]

[Indoor air pollution by volatile organic compounds in large buildings: pollution levels and remaining issues after revision of the act on maintenance of sanitation in buildings in 2002].

[Article in Japanese]
Sakai K, Kamijima M, Shibata E, Ohno H, Nakajima T. Nippon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 2010 Sep;57(9):825-34.
Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute.

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify indoor air pollution levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), especially 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2E1H) in large buildings after revising of the Act on Maintenance of Sanitation in Buildings in 2002.

METHODS: We measured indoor air VOC concentrations in 57 (97%) out of a total of 61 large buildings completed within one year in half of the area of Nagoya, Japan, from 2003 through 2007. Airborne concentrations of 13 carbonyl compounds were determined with diffusion samplers and high-performance liquid chromatography, and of the other 32 VOCs with diffusion samplers and gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer.

RESULTS: Formaldehyde was detected in all samples of indoor air but the concentrations were lower than the indoor air quality standard value set in Japan (100 microg/m3). Geometric mean concentrations of the other major VOCs, namely toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, p-dichlorobenzene and acetaldehyde were also low. 2E1H was found to be one of the predominating VOCs in indoor air of large buildings. A few rooms in a small number of buildings surveyed showed high concentrations of 2E1H, while low concentrations were observed in most rooms of those buildings as well as in other buildings. It was estimated that about 310 buildings had high indoor air pollution levels of 2E1H, with increase during the 5 years from 2003 in Japan.

CONCLUSIONS: Indoor air pollution levels of VOCs in new large buildings are generally good, although a few rooms in a small number of buildings showed high concentrations in 2E1H, a possible causative chemical in sick building symptoms. Therefore, 2E1H needs particular attention as an important indoor air pollutant.

PMID: 21061561 [PubMed - in process]