| Title: | Evaluation of a real-time method for monitoring volatile organic compounds in indoor air in a Japanese university |
| Author(s): | Hori H; Ishimatsu S; Fueta Y; Ishidao T; |
| Address: | "Department of Environmental Management, School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan. horih@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s12199-012-0319-1 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1347-4715 (Electronic) 1342-078X (Print) 1342-078X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "OBJECTIVE: Real time monitoring of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in rooms of Japanese university buildings was carried out to understand the temporal changes in actual indoor air quality. METHODS: The TVOC concentrations in seven different rooms, consisting of a lecture room, a seminar room, three laboratories, a computer room and a library, were monitored continuously for 24 h via a personal VOC monitor equipped with a semiconductor gas sensor. An active sampling-thermal desorption method using stainless steel tubes packed with Tenax-TA was also carried out simultaneously to verify the usability of the monitor. RESULTS: The TVOC concentrations measured by the personal VOC monitor were closely correlated with those measured by the active sampling method. The TVOC concentration in all rooms was generally low during the day and increased during the night. This concentration change corresponded to the ventilation cycle in the building. During the day, the TVOC concentration was generally lower than the provisional target criterion (advisable value) of indoor air quality in Japan (400 mug/m(3)). During the night, however, it exceeded this criterion in several rooms, especially during the summer season. CONCLUSION: The real-time monitor using a semiconductor gas sensor can provide useful data on changes in the TVOC concentration in indoor air with high sensitivity" |
| Keywords: | "Air Pollutants/*analysis Air Pollution, Indoor/*analysis Environmental Monitoring/instrumentation/*methods Japan Seasons Semiconductors Time Factors Universities Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineHori, Hajime Ishimatsu, Sumiyo Fueta, Yukiko Ishidao, Toru eng Evaluation Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Japan 2012/11/28 Environ Health Prev Med. 2013 Jul; 18(4):285-92. doi: 10.1007/s12199-012-0319-1. Epub 2012 Nov 27" |
