Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea.
The objective of this study is to characterize indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) and identify indoor emission sources in thirty elderly care centers (ECCs) located in the Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province in Korea. Air monitoring sampl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5991643?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1811326691300081664 |
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| author | Kyoungho Lee Jae-Hyun Choi Seokwon Lee Hee-Jin Park Yu-Jin Oh Geun-Bae Kim Woo-Seok Lee Bu-Soon Son |
| author_facet | Kyoungho Lee Jae-Hyun Choi Seokwon Lee Hee-Jin Park Yu-Jin Oh Geun-Bae Kim Woo-Seok Lee Bu-Soon Son |
| author_sort | Kyoungho Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The objective of this study is to characterize indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) and identify indoor emission sources in thirty elderly care centers (ECCs) located in the Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province in Korea. Air monitoring samples from indoor and outdoor environments were collected from January to December in 2007. Statistical analyses of indoor and outdoor VOCs and HCHO levels in three rooms (a bedroom, living, and dining rooms) of each ECC were performed, and these were compared to identify environmental factors associated with an increase of indoor pollution levels. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) levels were significantly (p<0.05) different between indoor (230.7±1.7 μg/m3) and outdoor (137.8±1.9 μg/m3) environments, with an I/O ratio of 1.67. The indoor HCHO level (20.1±1.6 μg/m3) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the outdoor level (8.1±1.9 μg/m3), with an I/O ratio of 2.48. Indoor VOCs and HCHO levels in the bedrooms were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the living and dining rooms. Furthermore, indoor levels of VOCs and HCHO at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) different depending on environmental factors such as the use of carpet, paint, and wooden furniture. In multiple regression analysis, indoor VOCs and HCHO levels at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with two micro-environmental factors: the use of carpet and paint. This study confirmed that indoor VOCs and HCHO levels were significantly higher than those in outdoor environments. These air pollutants were mainly emitted from indoor sources, such as carpet, paint, and construction materials at the ECCs in Korea. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:54:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2cf1ba7339da48b49956ce26c5cac349 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:54:13Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2cf1ba7339da48b49956ce26c5cac3492022-12-22T02:42:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-01136e019749510.1371/journal.pone.0197495Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea.Kyoungho LeeJae-Hyun ChoiSeokwon LeeHee-Jin ParkYu-Jin OhGeun-Bae KimWoo-Seok LeeBu-Soon SonThe objective of this study is to characterize indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) and identify indoor emission sources in thirty elderly care centers (ECCs) located in the Seoul metropolitan city and Gyeonggi province in Korea. Air monitoring samples from indoor and outdoor environments were collected from January to December in 2007. Statistical analyses of indoor and outdoor VOCs and HCHO levels in three rooms (a bedroom, living, and dining rooms) of each ECC were performed, and these were compared to identify environmental factors associated with an increase of indoor pollution levels. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) levels were significantly (p<0.05) different between indoor (230.7±1.7 μg/m3) and outdoor (137.8±1.9 μg/m3) environments, with an I/O ratio of 1.67. The indoor HCHO level (20.1±1.6 μg/m3) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the outdoor level (8.1±1.9 μg/m3), with an I/O ratio of 2.48. Indoor VOCs and HCHO levels in the bedrooms were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the living and dining rooms. Furthermore, indoor levels of VOCs and HCHO at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) different depending on environmental factors such as the use of carpet, paint, and wooden furniture. In multiple regression analysis, indoor VOCs and HCHO levels at ECCs were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with two micro-environmental factors: the use of carpet and paint. This study confirmed that indoor VOCs and HCHO levels were significantly higher than those in outdoor environments. These air pollutants were mainly emitted from indoor sources, such as carpet, paint, and construction materials at the ECCs in Korea.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5991643?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Kyoungho Lee Jae-Hyun Choi Seokwon Lee Hee-Jin Park Yu-Jin Oh Geun-Bae Kim Woo-Seok Lee Bu-Soon Son Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. PLoS ONE |
| title | Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. |
| title_full | Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. |
| title_fullStr | Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. |
| title_short | Indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in Korea. |
| title_sort | indoor levels of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from emission sources at elderly care centers in korea |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5991643?pdf=render |
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