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Indoor Air

Title:		Multivariate evaluation of VOCs in buildings where people with non-specific building-related symptoms perceive health problems and in buildings where they do not
Author(s):		Sunesson AL; Rosen I; Stenberg B; Sjostrom M;
Address:		"National Institute for Working Life, Department for Work and the Physical Environment, Umea, Sweden. anna-lena.sunesson@arbetslivsinstitutet.se"
Journal Title:		Indoor Air
Year:		2006
Volume:		16
Issue:		5
Page Number:		383 - 391
DOI:		10.1111/j.1600-0668.2006.00450.x
ISSN/ISBN:		0905-6947 (Print) 0905-6947 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were sampled in buildings where people with non-specific building-related symptoms perceive health problems and in buildings where they do not. In total, nine persons and 34 buildings were included in the study. The obtained VOC data was evaluated using multivariate methods, to investigate possible systematic differences in air quality of 'problem' and 'non-problem' buildings. All individual compounds were included as variables in a multivariate partial least squares (PLS) data analysis. 'Problem' and 'non-problem' buildings separated into two distinct groups, showing that air samples of the two groups of building were chemically different. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The study showed that there was an identifiable systematic difference in the collected VOC data between buildings causing and not causing problems for people with non-specific building-related symptoms (also called sick building syndrome, SBS). This is an important indication that even such volatile organic compounds that can be sampled by commonly used adsorbents are of importance for the presence of such symptoms. By coordination of procedures for sampling and analysis of VOCs in buildings between laboratories, to get large datasets and more general models, the method can become a useful diagnostic measure in evaluating indoor air and to identify chemical compounds and sources that contribute to SBS problems"
Keywords:		Environmental Exposure Formaldehyde/analysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Humans Multivariate Analysis Organic Chemicals/*analysis Sick Building Syndrome/*chemically induced Surveys and Questionnaires Volatilization;
Notes:		"MedlineSunesson, A-L Rosen, I Stenberg, B Sjostrom, M eng England 2006/09/05 Indoor Air. 2006 Oct; 16(5):383-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2006.00450.x"