摘要:

AbstractInitation of the eyes and the upper respiratory tract (sensory irritation) in man due to the emission of vapours and gases from water‐based indoor paints has been estimated from their ability to decrease the respiratory rate in mice (ASTM: E981‐84, slightly modified). An acid‐curing lacquer, known to give rise to sensory irritation during occupational exposure, was used as the positive control. In the bioassay the and‐curing lacquer also gave rise to a pronounced sensory irritation, confirming that the ASTM method was applicable. Furthermore, the emission of formaldehyde, bases and acids was determined. The irritation within the first week was mainly due to the emission of organic solvents, but formaldehyde also played a role. Later the sensory irritation effect was caused mainly by the emission of formaldehyde. This indicates that the method revealed the different emission phases. None of the water‐based paints (3 latex wall paints, 1 silicate paint and 1 distemper) gave rise to a biologically significant irritation effect. Nor did the water‐based products emit formaldehyde or acids. However, varying degrees of emission of ammonia were observed. Taking into account the biological detection limits, no significant degree of sensory irritation can be expected in man 1‐2 weeks after indoor painting with the tested water

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.01-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThe effects of mechanical ventilation on the sick building syndrome (SBS) were studied in an office building with 2150 employees, where the mechanical ventilation and indoor air quality were commonly blamed for causing symptoms typical of the SBS (nasal, eye, and mucous membrane symptoms, lethargy, skin symptoms and headache). The mechanical ventilation rates in the building were high (mean 26 l/s/person). To test the hypothesis that mechanical ventilation causes the SBS, a controlled experimental study was carried out by shutting off the ventilation in one part of the building and reducing the ventilation rate by 75% and 60% in two areas while leaving one part unaltered as a control. The experimental reduction of the ventilation rate did not alleviate the symptoms. On the contrary, the reduction of the ventilation rate caused a slight but statistically significant relative increase in symptoms (p<0.05). In the cross‐sectional analysis of the baseline data the SBS symptoms did not associate significantly with the ventilation rate (range 7–70 l/s/person). In the linear regression model, a positive correlation was found between temperatures above 22°C and the occurrence of symptoms (p<0.05). Subjects exposed to environmental tobacco smoke had more symptoms than those not exposed (p<0.01). Women reported more symptoms than men (p<0.001). In addition, any prior history of allergic diseases (p<0.001) and a negative attitude towards the social atmosphere at work (p<0.001) were significant determinants of the

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.02-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThe influence of personal activity sources on exposure to indoor contaminants is defined and demonstrated using data from occupational and residential studies. The ratios of measurements from personal exposure monitors to those made by microenvironmental exposure monitors are summarized to be typically 3 to 10 for occupational settings and 1.2 to 3.3 for residential settings. The ratios are shown to be lognormally distributed, and dependent primarily on the proximity of the source to the receptors. Current models are reviewed for possible application to the prediction of indoor concentration gradients and future model development and validation studies are suggested.

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.03-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractTwo families of macroscopic adsorption models are formulated, based on fundamental principles of adsorption science and technology, that may be used for macroscopic (e.g., whole‐building) contaminant dispersal analysis. The first family of adsorption models – the Equilibrium Adsorption (EA) Models – are based upon the simple requirement of adsorption equilibrium between adsorbent and room air. The second family – the Boundary Layer Diffusion Controlled Adsorption (BLDC) Models – add to the equilibrium requirement a boundary layer model for diffusion of the adsorbate from the room air to the adsorbent surface. Two members of each of these families are explicitly discussed, one based on the linear adsorption isotherm model and the other on the Langmuir isotherm model. The linear variants of each family are applied to model the adsorption dynamics of formaldehyde in gypsum wall board and compared to measured data. These applications and a more general consideration of the dynamic character of adsorption provided by these models indicate that simple physical adsorption and desorption transport processes h e the potential to significantly affect the dispersal of contaminants in

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.04-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractWe model radon entry into basements using a previously developed three‐dimensional steady‐state finite difference model that has been modified in the following ways: first, cylindrical coordinates are used to take advantage of the symmetry of the problem in the horizontal plane, thereby increasing resolution and computing eficiency without signifiant loss of generality; second, the configuration of the basement has been made m e realistic by incorporating the concrete fmtm which sup ports the basement walls and floor; third, a quadratic relationship between the pressure and flow in the L‐shaped gap between slab, footer, and wall has been employed; and fourth, the natural convection of the soil gas which follows from the heating of the basement in winter has been taken into account. The temperature field in the soil is determined fiom the equation of energy consmation, using the basement, surface, and deep‐soil temperatures as boundary conditions. The pressure field is determined from Darcy's law and the equation of mass conservation (continuity), assuming that there is nofIow across any boundary except the soil surface (atmospheric pressure) and the opening in the basement shell (fixed pressure), Since the energy conservation equation includes both heat advection and conduction, the temperature and pressure equations must be coupled. After the pressure and temperature fields have been obtained, the velocity field is found fiom Darcy's h. Finally, the radon concentration field is found from the equation of mass‐transport, assuming that diffusive entry through openings may be neglected. The convective radon entry rate through the opening or openings is then calculated. In this paper we describe the modified model, compare the predicted radon entry rates with and without the consideration of thermal convection, and compare the predicted rates with rates determined from data from seven houses in the Spokane River valley of Washington and Idaho. Although the predicted rate is much lower than the mean of the rates determined from measurements, er‐TOTS in the measurement of soil permeability and variations in the permeability of the area immediately under the basement slab, which has a signifiant influence on the pressure field, can account for the range of entry rates inferredfi

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.05-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractWe have developed a new air sampler for collecting parriculate and gas phase polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC). This sampler was designed to collect a 25 m3volume of air at a constant sampling rate of 34 l/min over a 12‐hour sampling penod. The 25 m3sample volume is necessary to achieve the desired nglm3detection limit for PAC. The 34 l/min sampling rate is estimated to cause less than a 5% reduction in the indoor contaminant concentrations. The sampler pump is a I/4 horsepower vacuum pump in an acoustically shielded fan‐cooled enclosure and is relatively quiet. The pump draws air through a 47 mm teflon impregnated glass fibre filter for collection of particulate‐phase PAC followed by a cartridge containing XAD‐4 resin in front and back sections (2.5 g each) for collection of gas‐phase PAC. In a pilot field study the mean breakthrough from the front sorbent section to the back section was less than 1% for each of 14 species of gas phase PAC except biphenyl which had a mean breakthrough of 3.7%. The pressure drop increase across the filter is linear up to a loading of 6 mg and causes less than a 10% reduction in the sample flow rate. The sampler was successfully demonstrated in a pilot field test with air temperatures as hig

ISSN:0905-6947    

DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0668.1991.06-12.x

出版商:Munksgaard International Publishers    

年代:1991

数据来源: WILEY