Indoor Air Quality and Work Environment Study. Library of Congress, Madison Building. Volume 2. Results of Indoor Air Environmental Monitoring

摘要

A systematic study was designed to assess the nature and spatial distribution of employee health symptoms and comfort concerns in the Madison Building of the Library of Congress (LOC), Washington, DC. Environmental monitoring was conducted at more than 100 sites within the building. The mean temperature for the building was 73.1 F, with a general trend for the temperature to increase throughout the building on all days from morning to afternoon. The mean relative humidity was 49.2 percent. Mean carbon-dioxide (124389) measurements increased at all sampling locations throughout the morning. Whole building air exchanges were relatively constant averaging between 0.85 and 0.79 air changes per hour. The real time respirable particle measurement mean value was 5.5 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/cu m). Nicotine (54115) was detected in several areas of the building ranging as high as 18.5 microg/cu m. Formaldehyde (50000) concentration was very low as was the acetaldehyde (75070) concentration. The mean acetone (67641) concentration was 32.5 microg/cu m. Volatile organic compounds ranged as high as 2ppm with the most predominant ones being xylene (1330207). The mean benzene (71432) concentration was 2 parts per billion. Total volatile organic compounds averaged 1.1 parts per million (ppm). Chlorpyrifos (2921882) was the only targeted pesticide observed above the analytical limit of detection and was documented in only one sample at 0.004 microg/cu m. Whole building carbon-monoxide (630080) (CO) levels averaged between 1 and 2ppm.