Volatile organic compounds measurements at schools in kozani, Greece

Abstract

The present study discusses the steps towards the development of an integrated IT system to perform risk assessment for the factor affecting human health in indoor environments. The system, termed as BEMES (BUMA Exposure Modelling Expert System) combines three different models to model circulation flow in closed spaces, model the behavior and fate of volatile pollutants and estimate population exposure. It is constructed within the frame of BUMA project to estimate to the impact of building materials as indoor pollutants. More specifically, the study is focused around VOCs (BTEX, terpenes, aldehydes and ketones) measurements at three high priority locations (schools) in the city of Kozani, Greece. Weekly indoor and outdoor VOC measurements were conducted using Radiello® passive samplers in each tested room and outdoors. Additionally data from the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell (FLEC) instrument were used to evaluate the contribution of building materials in the indoor concentration levels. The VOC concentration data show a considerable diversity due to the different indoor emission sources, ventilation rates and outdoor concentrations. Formaldehyde indoor levels range from 8.2 to 56.9 μg/m3 while benzene levels are high reaching: 18 μg/m3. Building material emissions seem to contribute mainly in the levels of formaldehyde indoors and clearly other sources exist. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009.