title: Gaseous chemical compounds in indoor and outdoor air of 602 houses throughout Japan in winter and summer.
abstract: A nationwide survey of indoor air quality in Japan was conducted using four types of diffusive samplers. Gaseous chemical compounds such as carbonyls, volatile organic compounds (VOC), acid gases, basic gases, and ozone were measured in indoor and outdoor air of 602 houses throughout Japan in winter and summer. Four kinds of diffusive samplers were used in this study: DSD-BPE/DNPH packed with 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine and trans-1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene coated silica for ozone and carbonyls; VOC-SD packed with Carboxen 564 particles for volatile organic compounds; DSD-TEA packed with triethanolamine impregnated silica for acid gases; and DSD-NH3 packed with phosphoric acid impregnated silica for basic gases. These samplers are small and lightweight and do not require a power source, hence, it was possible to obtain a large number of air samples via mail from throughout Japan. Almost all compounds in indoor air were present at higher levels in summer than in winter. In particular, formaldehyde, toluene, and ammonia were strongly dependent on temperature, and their levels increased with temperature. The nitrogen dioxide concentration in indoor air particularly increased only during winter and was well correlated with the formic acid concentration (correlation coefficient=0.959). Ozone concentrations in indoor air were extremely low compared with the outdoor concentrations. Ozone flowing from outdoor air may be decomposed quickly by chemical compounds in indoor air; therefore, it is suggested that the indoor/outdoor ratio of ozone represents the ventilation of the indoor environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan. Electronic address: uchiyama@niph.go.jp.
authors.forename: Shigehisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Asumo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tokoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Manami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hishiki
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Yokohama City Institute of Health, 1-2-17 Takigashira, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 235-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Chiba City Institute of Health and Environment, 1-3-9 Saiwai-cho, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-0001, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironari
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Sapporo City Institute of Public Health, 9-1 Kikusui, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 003-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bekki
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.affiliation: Chiba University Graduate School of Engineering, 1-33 Yayoicho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagome
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunugita
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D006798:Housing; D007564:Japan; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants
keywords: Diffusive sampler; Indoor air quality; Nationwide survey; Ozone