The Contribution of Gasoline to Indoor Air Pollution in Tehran, Iran

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released continuously into the indoor environment from a number of sources including building materials, furnishings and household products like air fresheners. In addition there are many activities carried out in houses that release VOCs intermittently. However, a major contributor to indoor pollution, particularly in large cities, is the outdoor environment largely through the concentration of vehicular traffic. In the present study, conducted in Tehran, the group of gasoline components commonly known as BTEX were measured as a surrogate for this pollution under different conditions in the indoor environment. Using a method published by NIOSH, organic vapours were collected by drawing air through charcoal-filled tubes with a portable pump with a flow rate of 0.2m3.min 1. Organic material from the collected samples was eluted from the charcoal tubes by carbon disulphide and the BTEX component analysed by Gas Chromatography. The results showed that proportionally high levels of BTEX were present in the VOC profile and it was concluded that petroleum and its combustion products were major contributors to indoor pollution in Tehran. Also, the concentration of benzene was especially high, being some 2-4 times greater than the maximum levels recommended by many countries.

[1]  R. P McGinty,et al.  A Review of the Effect of Petrol Composition on Unregulated Motor Vehicle Emissions with Particular Emphasis on Non-Catalyst Vehicles , 1995 .

[2]  R. S. Friar,et al.  Atmospheric Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons at a Point Source of Emissions. Part A: Identification and Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Airborne Particulate Matter Near a Horizontal Stud Soderberg Plant , 1992 .

[3]  P. Burge.  SICK BUILDING SYNDROME P S Burge , 2004 .

[4]  S. K. Brown,et al.  Volatile organic pollutants in new and established buildings in Melbourne, Australia. , 2002, Indoor air.

[5]  Perng-Jy Tsai,et al.  Predicting the contents of BTEX and MTBE for the three types of tollbooth at a highway toll station via the direct and indirect approaches , 2002 .

[6]  D. Brocco,et al.  Determination of aromatic hydrocarbons in urban air of Rome , 1997 .

[7]  F. A. Neto,et al.  Volatile Organic Compounds: Distribution in Offices and Restaurants in the Cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (Brazil) , 1997 .

[8]  D. Crump.  Review : Strategies and Protocols for Indoor Air Monitoring of Pollutants , 2001 .

[9]  D. Crump.  Strategies and Protocols for Indoor Air Monitoring of Pollutants , 2001, Indoor and Built Environment.

[10]  Judy Sparer,et al.  Sick-building syndrome , 1997, The Lancet.

[11]  Derrick Crump,et al.  Sources and Concentrations of Formaldehyde and Other Volatile Organic Compounds in the Indoor Air of Four Newly Built Unoccupied Test Houses , 1997 .

[12]  Chihshan Li,et al.  Indoor characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban atmosphere of Taipei , 2000 .

[13]  G. Speijers.  VOCs and the environment and public health—health effects , 1993 .

[14]  K. Ho,et al.  Characterization of selected volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and carbonyl compounds at a roadside monitoring station , 2002 .

[15]  John C. S. Chang,et al.  Predicting the emissions of individual VOCs from petroleum-based indoor coatings , 1998 .

[16]  John D. Spengler,et al.  Indoor Air Quality Handbook , 2000 .

[17]  L. Wallace.  VOCs and the environment and public health—exposure , 1993 .

[18]  S. Baek,et al.  Performance Evaluation of Simultaneous Monitoring of Personal Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Volatile Organic Compounds , 2001, Indoor and Built Environment.

[19]  R. Perry,et al.  Vehicle Emissions and Effects on Air Quality: Indoors and Outdoors , 1994 .