Radon and aldehyde concentrations in the indoor environment. Final report
Findings regarding indoor air contaminants in the energy-efficient residence (EER) in Mt. Airy, Maryland are reported. The objectives of the study were to collect and analyze relevant air quality samples (specifically radon and aldehydes), characterize the indoor air quality with respect to radon and aldehydes, and develop relationships between air infiltration rates and contaminant levels. One-fifth of the measured formaldehyde concentrations were in the range that may cause health concerns. Although indoor temperature and relative humidity affect indoor HCHO concentration, the elevated formaldehyde concentrations were measured under very low air infiltration rates. The data show that ventilation of the indoor air space is somewhat effective in reducing high HCHO concentrations. The operation of the heat exchanger led to an increase of the air infiltration rate which in turn resulted in substantial reduction of formaldehyde concentrations. A considerable number of the collected samples of indoor air displayed radon concentrations at levels higher than 1.0 to 4.0 nCim/sup -3/ (assuming an equilibrium factor of 0.5, these radon levels would correspond to working levels above the health guidelines suggested by the US EPA for homes in Florida built on land reclaimed from phosphate mining). As in the case of indoor formaldehyde concentrations, elevated indoor concentrations are substantially reduced when the infiltration rate is increased. The data base shows that the use of the air to air heat exchanger leads to reduction of indoor radon concentration by increasing the residential ventilation rate. (JGB)
- Research Organization:
- Geomet Technologies, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6444672
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-12590
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
GASES
HUMIDITY
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INFORMATION
MONITORING
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PUBLIC HEALTH
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVITY
RADON
RARE GASES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
VENTILATION