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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Conventional and High Performance School Buildings in the U.S

Author

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  • Lexuan Zhong

    (Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Feng-Chiao Su

    (Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Stuart Batterman

    (Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

Abstract

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been an indoor environmental quality (IEQ) concern in schools and other buildings for many years. Newer designs, construction practices and building materials for “green” buildings and the use of “environmentally friendly” products have the promise of lowering chemical exposure. This study examines VOCs and IEQ parameters in 144 classrooms in 37 conventional and high performance elementary schools in the U.S. with the objectives of providing a comprehensive analysis and updating the literature. Tested schools were built or renovated in the past 15 years, and included comparable numbers of conventional, Energy Star, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings. Indoor and outdoor VOC samples were collected and analyzed by thermal desorption, gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy for 94 compounds. Aromatics, alkanes and terpenes were the major compound groups detected. Most VOCs had mean concentrations below 5 µg/m 3 , and most indoor/outdoor concentration ratios ranged from one to 10. For 16 VOCs, the within-school variance of concentrations exceeded that between schools and, overall, no major differences in VOC concentrations were found between conventional and high performance buildings. While VOC concentrations have declined from levels measured in earlier decades, opportunities remain to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by limiting emissions from building-related sources and by increasing ventilation rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Lexuan Zhong & Feng-Chiao Su & Stuart Batterman, 2017. "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Conventional and High Performance School Buildings in the U.S," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:1:p:100-:d:88436
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stafford, Tess M., 2015. "Indoor air quality and academic performance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 34-50.
    2. Gianluigi De Gennaro & Genoveffa Farella & Annalisa Marzocca & Antonio Mazzone & Maria Tutino, 2013. "Indoor and Outdoor Monitoring of Volatile Organic Compounds in School Buildings: Indicators Based on Health Risk Assessment to Single out Critical Issues," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neda Nematollahi & Perran A. Ross & Ary A. Hoffmann & Spas D. Kolev & Anne Steinemann, 2021. "Limonene Emissions: Do Different Types Have Different Biological Effects?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-6, October.
    2. Alessandra Cincinelli & Tania Martellini, 2017. "Indoor Air Quality and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-5, October.
    3. Kaisa Wallenius & Hanna Hovi & Jouko Remes & Selma Mahiout & Tuula Liukkonen, 2022. "Volatile Organic Compounds in Finnish Office Environments in 2010–2019 and Their Relevance to Adverse Health Effects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-26, April.
    4. Chunrong Jia & Kevin Cao & Riya Valaulikar & Xianqiang Fu & Anna Bess Sorin, 2019. "Variability of Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) in the Indoor Air of Retail Stores," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-9, November.

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