Volatile organic compounds concentrations in residential indoor and outdoor and its personal exposure in Korea

• Published in: Environment international 2003-04, Vol.29 (1), p.79-85
• Main Authors: Son, Busoon, Breysse, Patrick, Yang, Wonho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Cities; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Indoor air; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Korea; Medical sciences; Organic Chemicals - analysis; Pollution; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Time-activity pattern; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; Urban Population; Volatile organic compounds; Volatilization
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/S0160-4120(02)00148-4

To date, personal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure and residential indoor and outdoor VOCs levels have not been characterized in Korea. In this study, residential indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations were measured and compared simultaneously with the personal exposure for each of 30 participants in a medium city, Asan, and in a metropolitan city, Seoul. Factors that influence personal VOCs exposures were assessed in relation to house characteristics and time activity information. All VOC concentrations were measured using passive samplers during a 24-h period and analyzed using GC-MS. Ten target VOCs were benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene, o-xylene, p-xylene, ethylbenzene, MIBK, n-octane, styrene, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Residential indoor and outdoor VOCs concentrations measured in Seoul were significantly higher than those in Asan. Indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all target compounds ranged from 0.94 to 1.51 and I/O ratios of Asan were a little higher than those of Seoul. Results indicate that time activity information can be used to predict personal exposures, although such predictions will result in an over estimation compared to measured exposures. Factors which influence the indoor VOCs level and its personal exposure in relation to house characteristics included house age, indoor smoking, and house type.