Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2009.00631.x
Title (Primary) Decreasing concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted following home renovations
Author Herbarth, O.; Matysik, S.
Source Titel Indoor Air
Year 2010
Department STUDIEN
Volume 20
Issue 2
Page From 141
Page To 146
Language englisch
Keywords Indoor exposure; VOC, Renovation; Waiting period; Hygiene; Environmental medicine
Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) play an important role indoors since they have been linked to health symptoms and disorders. Particularly, after renovation activities, high indoor VOC concentrations have been observed. The study will give an indication, for the first time under real conditions, of the to-be-expected time frame for renovation-derived indoor pollution decreases when the exposure to it will reach a reference level. The decrease in the concentrations of investigated 26 VOC after renovations was assessed under real-life situations. Both the daily VOC concentration was measured by active sampling for 30 days in selected homes which had undergone various renovations and, as part of an epidemiologic study, the same VOC were collected monthly using passive samplers in 243 homes. An exponential function was used to interpret the concentration decay. The average time range which has to elapse following renovation activities before a guideline value or reference load is reached showed a time range between 2 and 8 weeks. This waiting time had at least be applicable to public buildings and institutions (especially relevant in case of nurseries, playschools etc.) with increasingly being implemented in private homes as well.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=11763
Herbarth, O., Matysik, S. (2010):
Decreasing concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted following home renovations
Indoor Air 20 (2), 141 - 146 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2009.00631.x