| Title: | Chemical Characterization of the Indoor Air Quality of a University Hospital: Penetration of Outdoor Air Pollutants |
| Author(s): | Scheepers PTJ; Van Wel L; Beckmann G; Anzion RBM; |
| Address: | "Research Lab Molecular Epidemiology, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. paul.scheepers@radboudumc.nl. Research Lab Molecular Epidemiology, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. luuk.vanwel@uu.nl. Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands. luuk.vanwel@uu.nl. Research Lab Molecular Epidemiology, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. gwendolyn.beckmann@radboudumc.nl. Research Lab Molecular Epidemiology, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. rob.anzion@radboudumc.nl" |
| Journal Title: | Int J Environ Res Public Health |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1660-4601 (Electronic) 1661-7827 (Print) 1660-4601 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "For healthcare centers, local outdoor sources of air pollution represent a potential threat to indoor air quality (IAQ). The aim of this study was to study the impact of local outdoor sources of air pollution on the IAQ of a university hospital. IAQ was characterized at thirteen indoor and two outdoor locations and source samples were collected from a helicopter and an emergency power supply. Volatile organic compounds (VOC), acrolein, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), respirable particulate matter (PM-4.0 and PM-2.5) and their respective benz(a)pyrene contents were determined over a period of two weeks. Time-weighted average concentrations of NO(2) (4.9-17.4 mug/m(3)) and formaldehyde (2.5-6.4 mug/m(3)) were similar on all indoor and outdoor locations. The median concentration VOC in indoor air was 119 mug/m(3) (range: 33.1-2450 mug/m(3)) and was fivefold higher in laboratories (316 mug/m(3)) compared to offices (57.0 mug/m(3)). PM-4.0 and benzo(a)pyrene concentration were lower in buildings serviced by a >99.95% efficiency particle filter, compared to buildings using a standard 80-90% efficiency filter (p < 0.01). No indications were found that support a significant contribution of known local sources such as fuels or combustion engines to any of the IAQ parameters measured in this study. Chemical IAQ was primarily driven by known indoor sources and activities" |
| Keywords: | "Air Pollutants/*analysis Air Pollution/*analysis Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis Environmental Monitoring Formaldehyde/analysis *Hospitals, University Particulate Matter/analysis Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis acrolein benz(a)pyrene diesel engine exha;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineScheepers, Paul T J Van Wel, Luuk Beckmann, Gwendolyn Anzion, Rob B M eng Switzerland 2017/05/10 Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 May 8; 14(5):497. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14050497" |
