Evaluation of the indoor air quality in governmental oversight supermarkets (Co-Ops) in Kuwait

Abstract

Examining the indoor air environment of public venues, especially populated supermarkets such as Co-Ops in Kuwait, is crucial to ensure that these venues are safe from indoor environmental deficits such as sick building syndrome (SBS). The aim of this study was to characterize the quality of the indoor air environment of the Co-Ops supermarkets in Kuwait based on investigation of CO2, CO, NO2, H2S, TVOCs, and NMHC. On-site measurements were conducted to evaluate these parameters in three locations at the selected Co-Ops, and the perceived air quality (PAQ) was determined to quantify the air's pollutants as perceived by humans. Moreover, the indoor air quality index (AQI) was constructed for the selected locations, and the ANOVA test was used to analyze the association between the observed concentrations among these environmental parameters. At least in one spot at each Co-Op, the tested environmental parameters exceeded the threshold limit set by the environmental agencies. The PAQ for Co-Op1,2, and 3 are 1.25,1.00, and 0.75 respectively. CO2 was significantly found in an association with CO, H2S, and TVOCs, and its indoor-outdoor concentrations were significantly correlated with R2 values ranges from 0.40 to 0.86 depending on the tested location.