Formaldehyde concentrations inside conventional housing

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/08940630.1987.10466284· OSTI ID:5909563

Stock, T H

As part of the exposure assessment scheme for a community-based air pollution health effects study, 43 homes of study participants, located in two Houston neighborhoods, were monitored for weekly-average indoor formaldehyde levels by means of diffusion samplers. Consecutive 12-hour aldehyde sampling for one-week periods was conducted in 12 of the homes by means of pumps and impingers. In six houses where simultaneous monitoring with both methods occurred, good correlation between the results from the diffusion samplers and the standard impinger method was observed. Diffusion sampler precision was variable and lower than expected, and a small positive measurement bias could be inferred. The distribution of house-average indoor formaldehyde concentrations from diffusion monitoring was similar to that obtained during a previous housing survey in Houston, with concentrations in 19% of the homes exceeding 0.10 ppm. Formaldehyde levels in this group of conventional, mostly older homes could not be associated with smoking, cooking, home age or structure type. However, there was a statistically significant difference between mean indoor concentrations in the two neighborhoods.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• OSTI ID: 5909563
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 37:8; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AIR SAMPLERS
ALDEHYDES
BUILDINGS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION VI
FORMALDEHYDE
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SAMPLERS
TEXAS
USA