Risk assessments of TVOC compositions in new buildings

Background VOCs in indoor environments are still one of the risks of adverse health effects including Sick-Building Syndrome (SBS) and Chemical Sensitivity (CS). In Japan, indoor VOC concentration regulated by government has decreased dramatically through the reduction efforts by industry. However, the total VOC (TVOC) concentration in new buildings has not always decreased because alternative chemicals have come to be used. Therefore, in order to conduct countermeasures for the reduction of TVOC, more information such as the chemical compositions and the health risks involved, are needed. Aims To carry out risk assessments of TVOC, the risks of TVOC compositions in new buildings were assessed using chemical databases search and semi-quantitative analysis. Methods VOCs were collected in adsorbent materials by a pump (using the flow rate of 100 ml/min) for 30 minutes in three new buildings and analyzed by TD-GCMS (Agilent technologies). Identifications of VOCs were conducted by MS library search using the ...