Volatile organic compounds in 169 energy-efficient dwellings in Switzerland.

Shen Yang,Hélène Niculita‐Hirzel,Joëlle Goyette Pernot,Dusan Licina,Vincent Perret,Corinne Hager Jörin

doi:10.1111/ina.12667

Abstract

Exposure to elevated levels of certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in households has been linked to deleterious health effects. This study presents the first large‐scale investigation of VOC levels in 169 energy‐efficient dwellings in Switzerland. Through a combination of physical measurements and questionnaire surveys, we investigated the influence of diverse building characteristics on indoor VOCs. Among 74 detected compounds, carbonyls, alkanes, and alkenes were the most abundant. Median concentration levels of formaldehyde (14 μg/m3), TVOC (212 μg/m3), benzene (<0.1 μg/m3), and toluene (22 μg/m3) were below the upper exposure limits. Nonetheless, 90% and 50% of dwellings exceeded the chronic exposure limits for formaldehyde (9 μg/m3) and TVOC (200 μg/m3), respectively. There was a strong positive correlation among VOCs that likely originated from common sources. Dwellings built between 1950s and 1990s, and especially, those with attached garages had higher TVOC concentrations. Interior thermal retrofit of dwellings and absence of mechanical ventilation system were associated with elevated levels of formaldehyde, aromatics, and alkanes. Overall, energy‐renovated homes had higher levels of certain VOCs compared with newly built homes. The results suggest that energy efficiency measures in dwellings should be accompanied by actions to mitigate VOC exposures as to avoid adverse health outcomes.

Highlights

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important gaseous pollutants, because many of them have known adverse effects on human health and comfort, ranging from mild irritation to acute toxicity and carcinogenicity. 1-4 Indoors, VOCs are the most prevalent air pollutants and the most studied
For better representatives of indoor air samples, we considered the total amount of compounds detected in the VOC passive sampler as TVOCs, of which the concentration was quantified as toluene-equivalent, rather than sum of C6-C16 VOCs as recommended by ISO 16000-6.50 Aldehydes, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, benzaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and hexaldehyde, were detected and quantified after acetonitrile extraction by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
As much as 26% (19/74) of the screened VOCs were found in more than 50% of sampled homes. This proportion is lower than that observed in the Australia campaign[29] (77 out of 97 VOCs (79%)), but higher than that observed in the Swedish campaign[26] (11 out of 124 (9%))

Summary

Introduction

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important gaseous pollutants, because many of them have known adverse effects on human health and comfort, ranging from mild irritation to acute toxicity and carcinogenicity. 1-4 Indoors, VOCs are the most prevalent air pollutants and the most studied. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important gaseous pollutants, because many of them have known adverse effects on human health and comfort, ranging from mild irritation to acute toxicity and carcinogenicity. 1-4 Indoors, VOCs are the most prevalent air pollutants and the most studied. Understanding the VOC levels in residences is important to better interpret their influence on occupants and to develop adequate control interventions

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