Effect of ventilation rates on indoor formaldehyde concentrations in residences

Diana E. Hun; Jeffrey A. Siegel; Maria T. Morandi; Richard L. Corsi

Effect of ventilation rates on indoor formaldehyde concentrations in residences

Diana E. Hun, Jeffrey A. Siegel, Maria T. Morandi, Richard L. Corsi

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Chronic residential exposure to formaldehyde constitutes a human health risk. In this paper we examine the relationship between ventilation rates and indoor concentrations of formaldehyde (C_in) in existing homes. We analyzed data from the Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study, where 303 non-smoking residences were monitored. The factors we considered in our analysis include house air exchange rate (AER), volume, indoor temperature, building type and age. In this sample of homes, C_in showed limited dependence on any of the studied factors. It is possible that the effectiveness of AER in reducing C_in is lessened by a positive relationship between formaldehyde emission rates and ventilation rates. Furthermore, this effectiveness appears to decline with time as the equilibrium concentration in emitting materials decreases. Consequently, strategies to lower population chronic exposures to formaldehyde will likely require lowering the formaldehyde content of building materials.

Original language	English
State	Published - 2009
Externally published	Yes
Event	9th International Healthy Buildings Conference and Exhibition, HB 2009 - Syracuse, NY, United States Duration: Sep 13 2009 → Sep 17 2009

Conference

Conference	9th International Healthy Buildings Conference and Exhibition, HB 2009
Country/Territory	United States
City	Syracuse, NY
Period	09/13/09 → 09/17/09

Keywords

Emission factor
Formaldehyde
Ventilation rates

Cite this

@conference{8fb3ddbd3ff34a4887bcc08789ed4473,

title = "Effect of ventilation rates on indoor formaldehyde concentrations in residences",

abstract = "Chronic residential exposure to formaldehyde constitutes a human health risk. In this paper we examine the relationship between ventilation rates and indoor concentrations of formaldehyde (Cin) in existing homes. We analyzed data from the Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study, where 303 non-smoking residences were monitored. The factors we considered in our analysis include house air exchange rate (AER), volume, indoor temperature, building type and age. In this sample of homes, Cin showed limited dependence on any of the studied factors. It is possible that the effectiveness of AER in reducing Cin is lessened by a positive relationship between formaldehyde emission rates and ventilation rates. Furthermore, this effectiveness appears to decline with time as the equilibrium concentration in emitting materials decreases. Consequently, strategies to lower population chronic exposures to formaldehyde will likely require lowering the formaldehyde content of building materials.",

keywords = "Emission factor, Formaldehyde, Ventilation rates",

author = "Hun, {Diana E.} and Siegel, {Jeffrey A.} and Morandi, {Maria T.} and Corsi, {Richard L.}",

year = "2009",

language = "English",

note = "9th International Healthy Buildings Conference and Exhibition, HB 2009 ; Conference date: 13-09-2009 Through 17-09-2009",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Effect of ventilation rates on indoor formaldehyde concentrations in residences

AU - Hun, Diana E.

AU - Siegel, Jeffrey A.

AU - Morandi, Maria T.

AU - Corsi, Richard L.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Chronic residential exposure to formaldehyde constitutes a human health risk. In this paper we examine the relationship between ventilation rates and indoor concentrations of formaldehyde (Cin) in existing homes. We analyzed data from the Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study, where 303 non-smoking residences were monitored. The factors we considered in our analysis include house air exchange rate (AER), volume, indoor temperature, building type and age. In this sample of homes, Cin showed limited dependence on any of the studied factors. It is possible that the effectiveness of AER in reducing Cin is lessened by a positive relationship between formaldehyde emission rates and ventilation rates. Furthermore, this effectiveness appears to decline with time as the equilibrium concentration in emitting materials decreases. Consequently, strategies to lower population chronic exposures to formaldehyde will likely require lowering the formaldehyde content of building materials.

AB - Chronic residential exposure to formaldehyde constitutes a human health risk. In this paper we examine the relationship between ventilation rates and indoor concentrations of formaldehyde (Cin) in existing homes. We analyzed data from the Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study, where 303 non-smoking residences were monitored. The factors we considered in our analysis include house air exchange rate (AER), volume, indoor temperature, building type and age. In this sample of homes, Cin showed limited dependence on any of the studied factors. It is possible that the effectiveness of AER in reducing Cin is lessened by a positive relationship between formaldehyde emission rates and ventilation rates. Furthermore, this effectiveness appears to decline with time as the equilibrium concentration in emitting materials decreases. Consequently, strategies to lower population chronic exposures to formaldehyde will likely require lowering the formaldehyde content of building materials.

KW - Emission factor

KW - Formaldehyde

KW - Ventilation rates

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872663554&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84872663554

T2 - 9th International Healthy Buildings Conference and Exhibition, HB 2009

Y2 - 13 September 2009 through 17 September 2009

ER -

Effect of ventilation rates on indoor formaldehyde concentrations in residences

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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