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Health risk assessment of VOC emissions in laboratory rooms via a modeling approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 25, pages 17890–17900 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

One of the important agents menacing buildings’ employees and residents’ health is the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the indoor environment. The present research studied the VOC emission to evaluate indoor air quality (IAQ) through studying in-laboratory processes and tasks. On account of that, three different pollutants (acetone, benzene, and toluene) were chosen as candidate VOCs, and Environmental Engineering Research Center at Sahand University of Technology was selected as a sample laboratory for each VOC. Using CFD model, concentrations of pollutants under unsteady state in a three-dimensional geometry at various temperatures were provided. To validate the considered model, the modeling results were compared to experimental data. Health risk was evaluated through the building using the OEL-C, OEL-STEL, and OEL-TWA parameters for the three pollutants. According to the mentioned parameters and the modeling results, 1 h following the emission, in order to reduce the health risk associated with short-term exposure to the emission, the staff should observe a minimum distance of 3, 2, and 1.8 m to the sources of acetone, benzene, and toluene, respectively. This is while, since average concentration of emission within the laboratory in an 8-h period is several times as large as OEL-TWA, then the laboratory staffs are strictly recommended not to work in the laboratory for long hours. Furthermore, using the results of this research, the staff can detect safe locations within the laboratory without any need to use emission monitoring equipment.

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Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering Research Center, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

    Farzad Davardoost & Davood Kahforoushan

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  1. Farzad Davardoost
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  2. Davood Kahforoushan
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Correspondence to Davood Kahforoushan.

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Highlights

• Three-dimensional, unsteady-state emission of three pollutants, namely acetone, benzene, and toluene, in indoor space of a laboratory was modeled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

• Allowable minimum distances to sources of emission and safe locations within the indoor laboratory space were determined by analyzing the results of modeling according to available standards and procedures.

• Effects of temperature and type of polluting VOC on the emission within the indoor laboratory space were studied.

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Davardoost, F., Kahforoushan, D. Health risk assessment of VOC emissions in laboratory rooms via a modeling approach. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 17890–17900 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1982-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1982-6

Keywords

  • Indoor air quality
  • Volatile organic compounds
  • Risk assessment
  • CFD modeling
  • Exposure assessment
  • Laboratory