title: Carbonyl compounds and BTEX in the special rooms of hospital in Guangzhou, China.
abstract: The occurrence of carbonyl compounds and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEXs) was assessed in the indoor and outdoor air of a hospital in Guangzhou, China. The pharmacy room, the preparing traditional Chinese medicine room, the supply room (where the medical appliances are disinfected), the laundry and the garbage room were selected as sampling sites. Acetaldehyde (ranging from 4.56 to 66.8 microg m(-3)) was in all samples the most abundant among the 18 carbonyls detected, and toluene (ranging from 33.5 to 264 microg m(-3)) among the BTEXs. The indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios of BTEXs in the morning were always >1.0, and close to 1.0 or slightly <1.0 in the afternoon, while the concentration ratios of carbonyls in the afternoon showed large variation. These ratios demonstrate the significance of outdoor emissions that deteriorate the indoor air quality at the various rooms of the hospital. The possible sources of BTEXs and carbonyls in these rooms are discussed with the use of specific ratios and with the use of statistical methods, like principal components analysis.
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Resource and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Huixiong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Quan-Ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yuguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Songjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Jiamo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsoyiannis
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D006761:Hospitals; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D012997:Solvents
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012997:Solvents