TY - JOUR
T1 - Species profile of volatile organic compounds emission and health risk assessment from typical indoor events in daycare centers
AU - Zheng, Hailin
AU - Csemezová, Júlia
AU - Loomans, Marcel
AU - Walker, Shalika
AU - Gauvin, Florent
AU - Zeiler, Wim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)
PY - 2024/3/25
Y1 - 2024/3/25
N2 - Daycare centers (DCCs) play an instrumental role in early childhood development, making them a significant indoor environment for a large number of children globally. Amidst routine DCC activities, young children are exposed to a myriad of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), potentially impacting their health. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the VOC emissions during typical DCCs activities and evaluate respective health risk assessments. Employing a full-scale experimental setup within a well-controlled climate chamber, research was conducted into VOC emissions during three typical DCC events: arts-and-crafts (painting, gluing, modeling), cleaning, and sleeping activities tied to mattresses. The research identified 96 distinct VOCs, grouped into twelve categories, from 20 different events examined. Each event exhibited a unique VOC fingerprint, pinpointing potential source tracers. Also, significant variations in VOC emissions from different events were demonstrated. For instance, under cool & dry conditions, acrylic painting recorded high total VOC concentrations of 808 μg/m3, whereas poster painting showed only 58 μg/m3. Given these disparities, the study emphasizes the critical need for carefully selecting arts-and-crafts materials and cleaning agents in DCCs to effectively reduce VOC exposure. It suggests ventilating new mattresses before use and regular mattress check-ups to mitigate VOCs exposure during naps. Importantly, it revealed that certain events resulted in VOC levels exceeding the 10−5 cancer risk thresholds for younger children. Specifically, tetrachloroethylene and styrene from used mattresses in cool & dry conditions, ethylene oxide from new mattresses in warm & humid conditions, and styrene, during sand modeling in both conditions, were the key compounds contributing to this risk. These findings highlight the critical need for age-specific health risk assessments in DCCs. This study highlights the significance of understanding the profiles of VOC emissions from indoor events in DCCs, emphasizing potential health implications and laying a solid foundation for future investigations in this field.
AB - Daycare centers (DCCs) play an instrumental role in early childhood development, making them a significant indoor environment for a large number of children globally. Amidst routine DCC activities, young children are exposed to a myriad of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), potentially impacting their health. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the VOC emissions during typical DCCs activities and evaluate respective health risk assessments. Employing a full-scale experimental setup within a well-controlled climate chamber, research was conducted into VOC emissions during three typical DCC events: arts-and-crafts (painting, gluing, modeling), cleaning, and sleeping activities tied to mattresses. The research identified 96 distinct VOCs, grouped into twelve categories, from 20 different events examined. Each event exhibited a unique VOC fingerprint, pinpointing potential source tracers. Also, significant variations in VOC emissions from different events were demonstrated. For instance, under cool & dry conditions, acrylic painting recorded high total VOC concentrations of 808 μg/m3, whereas poster painting showed only 58 μg/m3. Given these disparities, the study emphasizes the critical need for carefully selecting arts-and-crafts materials and cleaning agents in DCCs to effectively reduce VOC exposure. It suggests ventilating new mattresses before use and regular mattress check-ups to mitigate VOCs exposure during naps. Importantly, it revealed that certain events resulted in VOC levels exceeding the 10−5 cancer risk thresholds for younger children. Specifically, tetrachloroethylene and styrene from used mattresses in cool & dry conditions, ethylene oxide from new mattresses in warm & humid conditions, and styrene, during sand modeling in both conditions, were the key compounds contributing to this risk. These findings highlight the critical need for age-specific health risk assessments in DCCs. This study highlights the significance of understanding the profiles of VOC emissions from indoor events in DCCs, emphasizing potential health implications and laying a solid foundation for future investigations in this field.
KW - Chemical fingerprint
KW - Health risk assessment
KW - Indoor air quality
KW - Inhaled air quality
KW - Volatile organic compound
KW - Climate
KW - Environmental Monitoring
KW - Risk Assessment
KW - Humans
KW - Child, Preschool
KW - Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis
KW - Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis
KW - Styrenes
KW - Air Pollutants/analysis
KW - Child
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184659491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170734
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170734
M3 - Article
C2 - 38325455
AN - SCOPUS:85184659491
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 918
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
M1 - 170734
ER -