title: Characterization and source profiling of volatile organic compounds in indoor air of private residences in Selangor State, Malaysia.
abstract: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in indoor air were investigated at 39 private residences in Selangor State, Malaysia to characterize the indoor air quality and to identify pollution sources. Twenty-two VOCs including isomers (14 aldehydes, 5 aromatic hydrocarbons, acetone, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene) were collected by 2 passive samplers for 24h and quantitated using high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Source profiling based on benzene/toluene ratio as well as statistical analysis (cluster analysis, bivariate correlation analysis and principal component analysis) was performed to identify pollution sources of the detected VOCs. The VOCs concentrations were compared with regulatory limits of air quality guidelines in WHO/EU, the US, Canada and Japan to clarify the potential health risks to the residents. The 39 residences were classified into 2 groups and 2 ungrouped residences based on the dendrogram in the cluster analysis. Group 1 (n=30) had mainly toluene (6.87±2.19μg/m3), formaldehyde (16.0±10.1μg/m3), acetaldehyde (5.35±4.57μg/m3) and acetone (11.1±5.95μg/m3) at background levels. Group 2 (n=7) had significantly high values of formaldehyde (99.3±10.7μg/m3) and acetone (35.8±12.6μg/m3), and a tendency to have higher values of acetaldehyde (23.7±13.5μg/m3), butyraldehyde (3.35±0.41μg/m3) and isovaleraldehyde (2.30±0.39μg/m3). The 2 ungrouped residences showed particularly high concentrations of BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene: 235μg/m3in total) or acetone (133μg/m3). The geometric mean value of formaldehyde (19.2μg/m3) exceeded an 8-hour regulatory limit in Canada (9μg/m3), while those in other compounds did not exceed any regulatory limits, although a few residences exceeded at least one regulatory limit of benzene or acetaldehyde. Thus, the VOCs in the private residences were effectively characterized from the limited number of monitoring, and the potential health risks of the VOCs exposure, particularly formaldehyde, should be considered in the study area.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6158540, Japan; Shimadzu-UMMC Centre of Xenobiotic Studies, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. Electronic address: sakai@risk.env.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Nobumitsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6158540, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6158540, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Tropical Climate Change System (IKLIM), Institute of Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Md Firoz
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia; Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd Talib
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Latif
authors.affiliation: Shimadzu-UMMC Centre of Xenobiotic Studies, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali Mohd
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6158540, Japan.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006798:Housing; D008296:Malaysia; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Characterization; GC–MS; HPLC; Indoor air; Source profiling; Volatile organic compounds