The daily and seasonal variability in residential concentrations of aldehydes in two Canadian cities (original) (raw)
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Environmental Research, 2005
This study was undertaken to determine the concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein in air samples taken in some Canadian houses and to determine the association between aldehyde levels and housing characteristics. Concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein were measured in 59 homes in Prince Edward Island, Canada, during the winter of 2002. Housing characteristics were documented through inspection and by interviews of occupants. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein concentrations ranged from 5.5 to 87.5 mg/m 3 (median, 29.6 mg/m 3 ), from 4.4 to 79.1 mg/m 3 (median, 18.9 mg/m 3 ), and from 0.1 to 4.9 mg/m 3 (median, 0.9 mg/m 3 ), respectively. Formaldehyde levels were elevated in homes built after 1970. Acetaldehyde and acrolein levels were elevated in homes inhabited by at least one smoker and in homes built 1970-1985 and were correlated with absolute humidity and carbon dioxide, two variables likely to be surrogates for lower air exchange rates. In conclusion, lower air exchange rates appear to be important determinants of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein levels in homes. These data also confirm that smoking is a significant source of acetaldehyde and acrolein and indoor air. Crown
Environmental Research, 2006
Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde were determined in a study of 96 homes in Quebec City, Canada, between January and April 2005. In addition, relative humidity, temperature, and air change rates were measured in homes, and housing characteristics were documented through a questionnaire to occupants. Half of the homes had ventilation rates below 7.5 L/s person. Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and formaldehyde concentrations ranged from 3.3 to 29.1 mg/m 3 (geometric mean 8.3 mg/m 3 ) and from 9.6 to 90.0 mg/m 3 (geometric mean of 29.5 mg/m 3 ), respectively. The housing characteristics documented in the study explained approximately half of the variance of NO 2 and formaldehyde. NO 2 concentrations in homes were positively correlated with air change rates (indicating a significant contribution of outdoor sources to indoor levels) and were significantly elevated in homes equipped with gas stoves and, to a lesser extent, in homes with gas heating systems. Formaldehyde concentrations were negatively correlated with air change rates and were significantly elevated in homes heated by electrical systems, in those with new wooden or melamine furniture purchased in the previous 12 months, and in those where painting or varnishing had been done in the sampled room in the previous 12 months. Results did not indicate any significant contribution of indoor combustion sources, including wood-burning appliances, to indoor levels of formaldehyde. These results suggest that formaldehyde concentrations in Quebec City homes are caused primarily by off-gassing, and that increasing air change rates in homes could reduce exposure to this compound. More generally, our findings confirm the influence of housing characteristics on indoor concentrations of NO 2 and formaldehyde. Crown
Environmental Research, 2003
The recent increased prevalence of childhood asthma and atopy has brought into question the impact of outdoor pollutants and indoor air quality. The contributory role of aldehydes to this problem and the fact that they are mainly derived from the domestic environment make them of particular interest. This study therefore measures six different aldehyde levels in Paris dwellings from potentially different sources and identifies their indoor determinants. The study was carried out in the three principal rooms of 61 flats with no previous history of complaint for olfactory nuisance or specific symptoms, two-thirds of the flats having been recently refurbished. Aldehydes were sampled in these rooms using passive samplers, and a questionnaire on potential aldehyde sources was filled out at the same time. A multiple linear regression model was used to investigate indoor aldehyde determinants. Our study revealed that propionaldehyde and benzaldehyde were of minor importance compared to formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, pentanal, and hexanal. We found that levels of these last four compounds depended on the age of wall or floor coverings (renovations less than 1 year old), smoking, and ambient parameters (carbon dioxide levels, temperature). These results could help in the assessment of indoor aldehyde emissions. r
Chronic respiratory effects of indoor formaldehyde exposure
Environmental Research, 1990
The relation of chronic respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function to formaldehyde (HCHO) in homes was studied in a sample of 298 children (6--15 years of age) and 613 adults. HCHO measurements were made with passive samplers during two 1-week periods. Data on chronic cough and phlegm, wheeze, attacks of breathlessness, and doctor diagnoses of chronic bronchitis and asthma were collected with self-completed questionnaires. Peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) were obtained during the evenings and mornings for up to 14 consecutive days for each individual. Significantly greater prevalence rates of asthma and chronic bronchitis were found in children from houses with HCHO levels 60-120 ppb than in those less exposed, especially in children also exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. In children, levels of PEFR decreased linearly with HCHO exposure, with the estimated decrease due to 60 ppb of HCHO equivalent to 22% of PEFR level in nonexposed children. The effects in asthmatic children exposed to HCHO below 50 ppb were greater than in healthy ones. The effects in adults were less evident: decrements in PEFR due to HCHO over 40 ppb were seen only in the morning, and mainly in smokers, e
Concerns have been raised regarding whether homeowners use windows, doors, exhaust fans and other mechanical ventilation devices enough to remove indoor air pollutants and excess moisture. In 2006-2007 we conducted a multi-season study of ventilation and IAQ in 108 new single-family, detached homes in California. This paper presents the ventilation and formaldehyde measurements from the Summer field sessions. A total of 10% of the 63
Sources and concentrations of formaldehyde in indoor environments
1983
Formaldehyde is used as an inexpensive chemical component of resins commonly used in many building materials. As is now well known, the formaldehyde in these resins can be released from building materials into the indoor environment. In addition, unvented combustion appli~ ances such as gas ranges and heaters emit formaldehyde as a product of incomplete combustion. In this study, we summarize formaldehyde emission rates from a variety of combustion appliances and the formaldehyde concent rations observed in forty residential indoor environments. If the combustion appliance is well tuned, it appears that high formaldehyde concentrations are not produced under most conditions of use. Energyefficient houses were generally found to have higher concentrations than those observed in weatherized houses, with about a third being above the (ASH RAE guideline, 100 ppb. The ventilation rate was shown to have a strong effect on formaldehyde concentrations in about half the houses studied when the ventilation was varied but had little effect in other cases. This anomaly should be studied further.
Monitoring and assessment of formaldehyde levels in residential areas from two cities in Romania
Reviews on Environmental Health, 2019
Formaldehyde has become a ubiquitous contaminant in the air, and people are exposed to it worldwide. However, few studies have evaluated the temporal-spatial levels/changes of formaldehyde exposure at residences, and the relationship between its outdoor and indoor levels has been rarely examined. The aim of this study was to assess community formaldehyde exposure in Sebes and Aiud, Romania to identify: (1) home environment characteristics that may play an important role in exposure; and understand: (2) if there were differences in formaldehyde levels between the two cities; (3) if there were temporal variations within each city; and (4) whether outdoor formaldehyde levels influence indoor levels. We simultaneously performed indoor and outdoor active air sampling for formaldehyde at each investigated residential location over a 3-year period and analyzed the samples by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The mean values of indoor and outdoor formaldehyde level...
Predictors of Indoor Air Concentrations in Smoking and Non-Smoking Residences
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2010
Indoor concentrations of air pollutants (benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, elemental carbon and ozone) were measured in residences in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Data were collected in 106 homes in winter and 111 homes in summer of 2007, with 71 homes participating in both seasons. In addition, data for relative humidity, temperature, air exchange rates, housing characteristics and occupants' activities during sampling were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to construct season-specific models for the air pollutants. Where smoking was a major contributor to indoor concentrations, separate models were
Aldehyde measurements in indoor environments in Strasbourg (France)
Atmospheric Environment, 2006
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations have been measured in indoor environments of various public spaces (railway station, airport, shopping center, libraries, underground parking garage, etc.) of Strasbourg area (east of France). In addition, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde propionaldehyde and hexanal concentrations have been measured in 22 private homes in the same area. In most of the sampling sites, indoor and outdoor formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations were measured simultaneously. Gaseous aldehydes levels were quantified by a conventional DNHP-derivatization method followed by liquid chromatography coupled to UV detection. Outdoor formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations were both in the range 1-10 mg m À3 , the highest values being measured at the airport and railway station. Indoor concentrations were strongly dependant upon the sampling sites. In homes, the average concentrations were 37 mg m À3 (living rooms) and 46 mg m À3 (bedrooms) for formaldehyde, 15 mg m À3 (living rooms) and 18 mg m À3 (bedrooms) for acetaldehyde, 1.2 mg m À3 (living rooms) and 1.6 mg m À3 (bedrooms) for propionaldehyde, 9 mg m À3 (living rooms) and 10 mg m À3 (bedrooms) for hexanal. However, concentrations as high as 123, 80 and 47 mg m À3 have been found for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and hexanal respectively. In public spaces, the highest formaldehyde concentration (62 mg m À3) was found in a library and the highest concentration of acetaldehyde (26 mg m À3) in the hall of a shopping center. Additional measurements of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were made inside a car both at rest or in a fluid or heavy traffic as well as in a room where cigarettes were smoked. Our data have been discussed and compared with those of previous studies.