Indoor air pollution by 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in non-domestic buildings in Nagoya, Japan.
2-Ethyl-1-hexanol is a possibly causative chemical in sick building symptoms, although 2-ethyl-1-hexanol has received little attention as a hazardous substance in studies on indoor air pollution. Airborne 2-ethyl-1-hexanol concentrations were measured from 2002 to 2004 in 99 rooms of 42 non-domestic buildings in Nagoya, Japan. The diffusive sampling method is effective for the measurement of a low level of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in indoor air. The geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol concentrations was 16.5 (5.4) microg m(-3) in indoor air and 1.9 (2.2) microg m(-3) in outdoor air. The maximum concentration of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in indoor air and outdoor air was 2709 microg m(-3) and 12.4 microg m(-3), respectively. Fewer rooms in a small number of new buildings showed high concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, while low concentrations were observed in many rooms of these buildings as well as the other new buildings. The room-to-room concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in each building exhibited a wide variation. The geometric mean of the 2-ethyl-1-hexanol concentrations was significantly higher for indoor air than for outdoor air (p < 0.01). The correlation of the 2-ethyl-1-hexanol concentrations between indoor and outdoor air was not significant. Mechanical ventilation was effective in the temporary reduction of indoor 2-ethyl-1-hexanol level. These results suggest that the predominant source of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol was indoor areas.
Sakai
Kiyoshi
K
Department of Environmental Health, Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute, 1-11 Hagiyama-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8615, Japan. k-sakai@ma.medias.ne.jp
Kamijima
Michihiro
M
Shibata
Eiji
E
Ohno
Hironobu
H
Nakajima
Tamie
T
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D000441:Hexanols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014691:Ventilation
D000441:Hexanols; C034017:2-ethylhexanol