Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13(7), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13070736
Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds in a Newly Built Daycare Center
1
Department of Materials and Life Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Seikei University, 3-3-1 Kichijoji-kitamachi, Musashino, Tokyo 180-8633, Japan
2
Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University, 377-2 Ohno-higashi, Osakasayama 589-8511, Japan
3
Department of Environmental Systems, Institute of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Derek Clements-Croome
Received: 2 June 2016 / Revised: 8 July 2016 / Accepted: 15 July 2016 / Published: 21 July 2016
Abstract
We measured temporal changes in concentrations of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and individual volatile organic compounds in a newly built daycare center. The temporal changes of the TVOC concentrations were monitored with a photo ionization detector (PID), and indoor air was sampled and analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the concentrations of the constituent VOCs. The measurements were performed just after completion of the building and again 3 months after completion. The TVOC concentration exceeded 1000 µg·m−3 for all the sampling locations just after completion of building, and decreased almost one tenth after 3 months, to below the guideline values of the TVOC in Japan at 400 µg·m−3. The concentrations of the target VOCs of which the indoor concentrations are regulated in Japan were below the guideline values for all the cases. The air-exchange rates were determined based on the temporal changes of the TVOC concentrations, and it was found that the countermeasure to increase the air exchange rate successfully decrease the TVOC concentration level in the rooms. View Full-TextKeywords:
indoor air of new buildings; VOCs; TVOC; guideline value; target compounds; air exchange rate
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Noguchi, M.; Mizukoshi, A.; Yanagisawa, Y.; Yamasaki, A. Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds in a Newly Built Daycare Center. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 736.
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