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Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

Title:		Health risk assessment of VOC emissions in laboratory rooms via a modeling approach
Author(s):		Davardoost F; Kahforoushan D;
Address:		"Environmental Engineering Research Center, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran. Environmental Engineering Research Center, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran. kahforoushan@sut.ac.ir"
Journal Title:		Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
Year:		2018
Volume:		20180421
Issue:		18
Page Number:		17890 - 17900
DOI:		10.1007/s11356-018-1982-6
ISSN/ISBN:		1614-7499 (Electronic) 0944-1344 (Linking)
Abstract:		"One of the important agents menacing buildings' employees and residents' health is the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the indoor environment. The present research studied the VOC emission to evaluate indoor air quality (IAQ) through studying in-laboratory processes and tasks. On account of that, three different pollutants (acetone, benzene, and toluene) were chosen as candidate VOCs, and Environmental Engineering Research Center at Sahand University of Technology was selected as a sample laboratory for each VOC. Using CFD model, concentrations of pollutants under unsteady state in a three-dimensional geometry at various temperatures were provided. To validate the considered model, the modeling results were compared to experimental data. Health risk was evaluated through the building using the OEL-C, OEL-STEL, and OEL-TWA parameters for the three pollutants. According to the mentioned parameters and the modeling results, 1 h following the emission, in order to reduce the health risk associated with short-term exposure to the emission, the staff should observe a minimum distance of 3, 2, and 1.8 m to the sources of acetone, benzene, and toluene, respectively. This is while, since average concentration of emission within the laboratory in an 8-h period is several times as large as OEL-TWA, then the laboratory staffs are strictly recommended not to work in the laboratory for long hours. Furthermore, using the results of this research, the staff can detect safe locations within the laboratory without any need to use emission monitoring equipment"
Keywords:		"Air Pollution, Indoor/*analysis Benzene/*analysis/chemistry Laboratories Risk Assessment Toluene/*analysis/chemistry Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis/chemistry CFD modeling Exposure assessment Indoor air quality Laboratory Volatile organic compounds;"
Notes:		"MedlineDavardoost, Farzad Kahforoushan, Davood eng Germany 2018/04/22 Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018 Jun; 25(18):17890-17900. doi: 10.1007/s11356-018-1982-6. Epub 2018 Apr 21"