Abstract
Acetaldehyde is known as one of the indoor environmental contaminants, and numerous emission sources have been reported. However, little consideration has been given to the influences of human skin gas on the indoor air concentration. This study aimed to estimate the contribution of human skin gas on the indoor air concentration levels of acetaldehyde based on the measurement of emission flux of acetaldehyde from human skin of volunteers using passive flux sampler methodology. As a result, emission rate of acetaldehyde from human skin of a single resident was much greater than that from human breath even after drinking alcohol. Although contribution of the human skin was estimated only 0.87-2.3 % of indoor air quality guideline level (48 μg m-3), the skin gas after drinking was suggested to be a source of odor of a room. These results lead a conclusion that human skin gas should be considered as an important emission source of acetaldehyde in indoor air, when occupied with more than drunk one person.
