Abstract
Recently, it has been shown that chemical substances in indoor air are strongly associated with both Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and Chemical Sensitivity (CS). This paper reports the measurements of formaldehyde (HCHO), organophosphorus compounds and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a newly-constructed multi-unit dwelling in Yokohama. The measurements were conducted to detect the chemical species, their concentrations and their seasonal variability over one year. The relationships between the chemical concentrations and the indoor temperature and humidity were also investigated. Furthermore, we measured the concentrations of phthalate ester in the same units. The results showed that the indoor concentrations of HCHO often increased with warmer temperatures (summer) and were positively correlated with the indoor temperatures. The emission rate of the VOCs decreased immediately after the completion of house construction, increased during the summer, and then decreased again gradually after the summer. The emission rate of the organophosphorus compounds depended on whether they were gaseous or particulate. Phthalate esters were observed in a gaseous form as dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate and high-pressure diallyl phthalate as well as in a particle form as dibuthyl phthalate and diocthyl phthalate. Finally, it was clear that pre-installed storage shelves were one of the sources of HCHO in the house.
