Investigation of indoor air quality in offices and residential homes in an urban area of Poland

Barbara Kozielska; Ewa Brągoszewska; Dorota Kaleta

doi:10.1007/s11869-019-00777-7

Investigation of indoor air quality in offices and residential homes in an urban area of Poland

Silesian University of Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The quality of air in various types of rooms is an extremely important issue, because contaminants occurring there, even at low concentrations, can cause health problems, especially for those living or working in these locations. The aim of this study was to compare indoor air quality (IAQ) in offices, flats and a residential building in Upper Silesia. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were self-concentrated, thermally desorbed (TD) and then analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The mean concentrations of the 16 determined VOCs ranged from 18 to 56 μg/m³. The average concentration of carcinogenic benzene was about 1 μg/m³ in offices and flats, while in the residential building it was up to 3.6 μg/m³. In residential building, increased concentrations of m, p-xylene, and ethylbenzene and styrene have also been observed. Toluene predominated in all studied rooms. High and very high indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios were found. Indoor VOC sources produce more contaminants than are obtained from the infiltration of outdoor air.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	131-141
Number of pages	11
Journal	Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00777-7
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords

BTEX
Indoor air
Outdoor air
PCA
Upper Silesia
Volatile organic compounds

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution
Atmospheric Science
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Access to Document

10.1007/s11869-019-00777-7

Cite this

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title = "Investigation of indoor air quality in offices and residential homes in an urban area of Poland",

abstract = "The quality of air in various types of rooms is an extremely important issue, because contaminants occurring there, even at low concentrations, can cause health problems, especially for those living or working in these locations. The aim of this study was to compare indoor air quality (IAQ) in offices, flats and a residential building in Upper Silesia. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were self-concentrated, thermally desorbed (TD) and then analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The mean concentrations of the 16 determined VOCs ranged from 18 to 56 μg/m3. The average concentration of carcinogenic benzene was about 1 μg/m3 in offices and flats, while in the residential building it was up to 3.6 μg/m3. In residential building, increased concentrations of m, p-xylene, and ethylbenzene and styrene have also been observed. Toluene predominated in all studied rooms. High and very high indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios were found. Indoor VOC sources produce more contaminants than are obtained from the infiltration of outdoor air.",

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AU - Brągoszewska, Ewa

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Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - The quality of air in various types of rooms is an extremely important issue, because contaminants occurring there, even at low concentrations, can cause health problems, especially for those living or working in these locations. The aim of this study was to compare indoor air quality (IAQ) in offices, flats and a residential building in Upper Silesia. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were self-concentrated, thermally desorbed (TD) and then analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The mean concentrations of the 16 determined VOCs ranged from 18 to 56 μg/m3. The average concentration of carcinogenic benzene was about 1 μg/m3 in offices and flats, while in the residential building it was up to 3.6 μg/m3. In residential building, increased concentrations of m, p-xylene, and ethylbenzene and styrene have also been observed. Toluene predominated in all studied rooms. High and very high indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios were found. Indoor VOC sources produce more contaminants than are obtained from the infiltration of outdoor air.

AB - The quality of air in various types of rooms is an extremely important issue, because contaminants occurring there, even at low concentrations, can cause health problems, especially for those living or working in these locations. The aim of this study was to compare indoor air quality (IAQ) in offices, flats and a residential building in Upper Silesia. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were self-concentrated, thermally desorbed (TD) and then analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The mean concentrations of the 16 determined VOCs ranged from 18 to 56 μg/m3. The average concentration of carcinogenic benzene was about 1 μg/m3 in offices and flats, while in the residential building it was up to 3.6 μg/m3. In residential building, increased concentrations of m, p-xylene, and ethylbenzene and styrene have also been observed. Toluene predominated in all studied rooms. High and very high indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios were found. Indoor VOC sources produce more contaminants than are obtained from the infiltration of outdoor air.

KW - BTEX

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KW - Outdoor air

KW - PCA

KW - Upper Silesia

KW - Volatile organic compounds

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JF - Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health

IS - 1

ER -

Investigation of indoor air quality in offices and residential homes in an urban area of Poland

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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