Abstract
To detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air in small enterprises in La Plata city and surrounding areas, sampling was conducted using passive diffusion monitors (3M-3500) and analysis of the samples were performed byCG-FID. Analytic methodology was optimized for 23 VOCs (n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatic and chlorinated compounds, ketones and terpenes compounds) by determining the recovery factor and detection limit for each analyte. Different recovery values were obtained by desorbing with a mixture of dichloromethane: methanol (50:50), with a standard deviation lower than 5%. Enterprise analyzed included chemical analysis laboratories, sewing workrooms, electromechanical repair and car painting centers, take away food shops, and a photocopy center. The highest levels of VOCs were found to be in electromechanical repair and car painting centers (hexane, BTEX, CHCl3, CCl4) followed by chemical analysis laboratories and sewing workrooms. Cancer and noncancer risks were assessed using conventional approaches (HQ and LCR, US EPA) using the benzene, trichloroethylene, chloroform for cancer risk, and toluene, xylene and n-hexane, for noncancer risks as markers. The results showed different LCR for benzene and trichloroethylene between the different indoor environments analyzed (electromechanical repair and car painting center≫others) and chloroform (laboratory>others), but comparing with the results obtained by other research, are in similar order of magnitude for equivalents activities. Similar finding were founded for HQ. Comparing these results with the worker protection legislation the electromechanical repair and car painting center and chemical analysis laboratories are close to the limits advised by OSHA and ACGIH. These facts show the importance of the use of abatement technologies for the complete reduction of VOCs levels, to mitigate their impact in the worker’s health and their venting to the atmosphere.
Highlights
IntroductionThe volatile organic compounds, (VOCs) include a large group of air pollutants such as benzene, toluene, xylene, hexane, heptane, The study of indoor air is necessary due the large number of internal sources of emission, and to the fact that in modern urban areas most people spend over 70% of their indoor time either at home or at their work place (Guo et al, 2004; Ohura et al, 2006; Wang et al, 2007)
In all the cases the standard deviations were lower than 5% (Table 3) and recoveries were comparable to those reported in literature (López Arbeloa et al, 1998; 3M Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division, 2000; ASTM, 1991a,b; Eide et al, 2010)
It is necessary to have an appropriate methodology for desorption and quantification of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the monitor
Summary
The volatile organic compounds, (VOCs) include a large group of air pollutants such as benzene, toluene, xylene, hexane, heptane, The study of indoor air is necessary due the large number of internal sources of emission, and to the fact that in modern urban areas most people spend over 70% of their indoor time either at home or at their work place (Guo et al, 2004; Ohura et al, 2006; Wang et al, 2007). The situation gets worse due the wide range of indoor environments, such as homes, schools, restaurants, photocopy machine stores, etc. Each of these microenvironments are affected by one or more potential sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the use of solvents and other. Colman Lerner et al / Atmospheric Environment 55 (2012) 440e447 petroleum derivatives, building sites or building materials, stoves and cooking equipment, and permeation of outdoor volatile organic compounds (Wallace et al, 1987; Daisey et al, 1994; Min Kim et al, 2001).
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