| Title: | Assessment of Personal Relaxation in Indoor-Air Environments: Study in Real Full-Scale Laboratory Houses |
| Author(s): | Nakayama Y; Suzuki N; Nakaoka H; Tsumura K; Takaguchi K; Takaya K; Hanazato M; Todaka E; Mori C; |
| Address: | "Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan. Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 6-21-1 Nagao, Tama-ku, Kawasaki 214-8585, Japan" |
| Journal Title: | Int J Environ Res Public Health |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1660-4601 (Electronic) 1661-7827 (Print) 1660-4601 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The relationship between chemical concentrations in indoor air and the human sense of comfort and relaxation have been reported. We investigated the effect of the sum of volatile organic compounds (SigmaVOCs; sum of 79 VOCs) on the level of relaxation in two laboratory houses with almost identical interior and exterior appearances. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was monitored to evaluate the degree of personal relaxation objectively. The experiments were conducted in laboratory houses (LH) A and B with lower and higher levels of SigmaVOCs, respectively. A total of 168 healthy volunteers participated, who each performed the task for 20 min, followed by a 10-min break, and EEG was measured during the break. Simultaneously as subjective evaluations, the participants were asked to fill a questionnaire regarding the intensity of odor and preference for the air quality in each LH. The subjective evaluation showed a significant association between SigmaVOCs and participants' relaxation (OR: 2.86, 95%CI: 1.24-6.61), and the objective evaluation indicated that the participants were more relaxed in the LH with lower levels of SigmaVOCs than that with higher levels (OR: 3.03, 95%CI: 1.23-7.50). Therefore, the reduction of SigmaVOCs and odors in indoor air would have an effect, which is the promotion of relaxation" |
| Keywords: | "*Air Pollutants/analysis *Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis Environmental Monitoring Humans Laboratories *Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis electroencephalogram indoor-air quality laboratory houses odor questionnaire volatile organic compounds;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineNakayama, Yoshitake Suzuki, Norimichi Nakaoka, Hiroko Tsumura, Kayo Takaguchi, Kohki Takaya, Kazunari Hanazato, Masamichi Todaka, Emiko Mori, Chisato eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Switzerland 2021/10/14 Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 29; 18(19):10246. doi: 10.3390/ijerph181910246" |
