Composition of heavy metals and airborne fibers in the indoor environment of a building during renovation

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2011-10, Vol.181 (1-4), p.479-489
• Main Authors: Latif, Mohd Talib, Baharudin, Nor Hafizah, Velayutham, Puvaneswary, Awang, Normah, Hamdan, Harimah, Mohamad, Ruqyyah, Mokhtar, Mazlin B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data; Air quality; Air sampling; Airborne particulates; Applied sciences; Asbestos; Asbestos - analysis; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Buildings. Public works; Cellulose; Chemical contaminants; Dust; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Facility Design and Construction; Fibers; Heavy metals; Humans; Indoor air pollution; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Laboratories; Lead; Lead content; Lung cancer; Malaysia; Mass spectroscopy; Membrane filters; Metal concentrations; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Occupational safety; Paints; Particle Size; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Pollutants; Pollution; Pollution indoor buildings; Renovation & restoration; Studies; Suspended particulate matter; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-010-1843-3

The renovation of a building will certainly affect the quality of air in the vicinity of where associated activities were undertaken, this includes the quality of air inside the building. Indoor air pollutants such as particulate matter, heavy metals, and fine fibers are likely to be emitted during renovation work. This study was conducted to determine the concentration of heavy metals, asbestos and suspended particulates in the Biology Building, at the Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia (UKM). Renovation activities were carried out widely in the laboratories which were located in this building. A low-volume sampler was used to collect suspended particulate matter of a diameter size less than 10 μm (PM 10 ) and an air sampling pump, fitted with a cellulose ester membrane filter, were used for asbestos sampling. Dust was collected using a small brush and scope. The concentration of heavy metals was determined through the use of inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy and the fibers were counted through a phase contrast microscope. The concentrations of PM 10 recorded in the building during renovation action (ranging from 166 to 542 μg m  − 3 ) were higher than the value set by the Department of Safety and Health for respirable dust (150 μg m  − 3 ). Additionally, they were higher than the value of PM 10 recorded in indoor environments from other studies. The composition of heavy metals in PM 10 and indoor dust were found to be dominated by Zn and results also showed that the concentration of heavy metals in indoor dust and PM 10 in this study was higher than levels recorded in other similar studies. The asbestos concentration was 0.0038 ± 0.0011 fibers/cc. This was lower than the value set by the Malaysian Department of Occupational, Safety and Health (DOSH) regulations of 0.1 fibers/cc, but higher than the background value usually recorded in indoor environments. This study strongly suggests that renovation issues need to be considered seriously by relevant stakeholders within the university in order to ensure that the associated risks toward humans and indoor environment are eliminated, or where this is not feasible, minimized as far as possible.