Abstract
The objective of this study is to characterize indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) and identify indoor emission sources in thirty elderly care centers (ECCs) located in the Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province in Korea. Air monitoring samples from indoor and outdoor environments were collected from January to December in 2007. Statistical analyses of indoor and outdoor VOCs and HCHO levels in three rooms (a bedroom, living, and dining rooms) of each ECC were performed, and these were compared to identify environmental factors associated with an increase of indoor pollution levels. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) levels were significantly (p<0.05) different between indoor (230.7±1.7 μg/m3) and outdoor (137.8±1.9 μg/m3) environments, with an I/O ratio of 1.67. The indoor HCHO level (20.1±1.6 μg/m3) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the outdoor level (8.1±1.9 μg/m3), with an I/O ratio of 2.48. Indoor VOCs and HCHO levels in the bedrooms were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the living and dining rooms. Furthermore, indoor levels of VOCs and HCHO at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) different depending on environmental factors such as the use of carpet, paint, and wooden furniture. In multiple regression analysis, indoor VOCs and HCHO levels at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with two micro-environmental factors: the use of carpet and paint. This study confirmed that indoor VOCs and HCHO levels were significantly higher than those in outdoor environments. These air pollutants were mainly emitted from indoor sources, such as carpet, paint, and construction materials at the ECCs in Korea.
Highlights
Levels of indoor air pollutants are increasing; concerns over indoor air quality (IAQ) and its potential health effects have increased within the scientific community in the field of environmental health sciences
Results of this study revealed that indoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and HCHO at 30 elderly care centers (ECCs) located in Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province of Korea were significantly higher than those of their outdoor levels
Like results from previous studies, this study found that indoor VOCs and HCHO levels differed by construction year, with a cut-off year of 2000, a median of the 1978–2006 period [30,31,32]
Summary
The objective of this study is to characterize indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) and identify indoor emission sources in thirty elderly care centers (ECCs) located in the Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province in Korea. We did not measure exact air exchange rates at those ECCs because the purpose of this study was to characterize indoor inhalation exposure to both VOCs and HCHO, compare indoor and outdoor levels of VOCs and HCHO, and investigate the relationship between indoor levels of air pollutants and environmental factors at ECCs
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