No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

This study aims at examining the reduction of indoor air contaminants by plants placed in an indoor space. Field measurements were performed using Aglaonema brevispathum, Pachira aquatica, and Ficus benjamiana, which were verified as air-purifying plants by NASA. Three conditions for the amount of plants and positions were used in two separate rooms whose dimensions are identical. The concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) was monitored three hours after the plants were placed and three days after the plants were placed. The variations of concentration of Benzene, Toluene, Etylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX), as well as Formaldehyde, which are all known as the major elements of Volatile Organic Compounds were monitored. The amount of reduction in concentration of Toluene and Formaldehyde was monitored 3 hours and 3 days after the plants were placed in the space. The reduction in the concentration of Benzene, Toluene, Etylbenzene, Xylene, and Formaldehyde was significantly greater when plants were present. When plants were placed near a window, the reduction of concentration was greater. The more plants were used, the more a reduction of indoor air contaminants occurred. The effect of reducing the concentration of air contaminants increased when the amount of plants increased, and when the plants were placed in sunny area. The concentration of Toluene was reduced by 45.6 mg/m 3 when 10% of the model space was occupied by Aglaonema brevispathum.

In this study, the indoor concentrations of pollutants from different materials that are used in kitchens and living rooms are measured during the construction process. The measurements are carried out in three households: the first is built using only conventional materials, the second household uses some environmentally sound materials and the last uses nothing but environmentally sound materials. The construction stage that had the greatest effect on indoor pollutant concentration is evaluated after installing all of the materials and measuring the indoor concentrations throughout the construction process. The pollutant concentration is measured 10 times at different stages of construction and in the days following the completion of construction. Results show that the living room and kitchen furniture made of particle board and MDF emits the largest amounts of pollutants. In addition, of all the pollutants measured, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, 1,4-dichloro-benzene and formaldehyde, only toluene did not satisfy the Indoor Air Quality Management Act of Korea. The toluene concentration increase rapidly after the introduction of kitchen and living room indoor furniture. This is due to the material of which the furniture is composed and these results are validated using a small chamber method.

This study evaluated the indoor air quality in 36 new apartment houses in six big cities in Korea from July 2005 to January 2006. Most of the indoor finishing materials in the new houses were environment-friendly and designated by the Korea Air Cleaning & Researching Association. In the new apartments, which were all built with the same finishing materials, air levels of toluene averaged 1475 mg Á m À3 in summer, when there were relatively high temperatures and humidity, and averaged 2711 mg Á m À3 in winter. In addition, benzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, xylene, and formaldehyde measured 9.99, 628, 232, 2392 and 951 mg Á m À3 in summer and 9.99, 628, 232, 2392, and 951 mg Á m À3 in winter, respectively. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde were increased as indoor temperature and humidity increased. This study evaluated concentrations of VOCs compounds in a room according to season using enthalpy, which considers two indexes, temperature and humidity. Concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, xylene, and formaldehyde increased with increased enthalpy.

No abstract

No abstract