Materials Contamination and Indoor Air Pollution Caused by Tar Products and Fungicidal Impregnations: Intervention Research in 2014–2019

Abstract

Construction materials containing tar products are a source of indoor air pollution in buildings. This particularly concerns old buildings, in which wooden structures were impregnated with tar compositions (creosote oil and Xylamite oil containing tar products) and buildings in which bituminous seal containing hydrocarbon solvents was used. During the 1970s and 1980s, an impregnant known as Xylamite was commonly used in Polish buildings. This material still emits organic vapors into the building’s environment, significantly worsening indoor air quality (IAQ). Xylamites and other impregnating materials are a source of indoor air pollution through toxic organic compounds, such as phenol, cresols, naphthalenes, chlorophenols (CPs), and chloronaphthalenes (CNs), which emit specific odors. TD-GC/MS enables detailed identification of the reasons behind chemical indoor air pollution. The results of laboratory tests on the chemical emissions of bitumen-impregnated materials were presented in 32 case studies. In turn, the results of indoor air pollution by volatile bitumen components were presented on 11 reference rooms and 14 case studies, including residential buildings, office buildings, and others. Laboratory tests of samples of construction products confirmed the main emission sources into indoor air. The research results for the period 2014–2019 are tabulated and described in detail in this manuscript.

Identification of Olfactory Nuisance of Floor Products Containing Bitumens with the TD–GC–MS/O Method

“…Based on the presented and previous studies [31], the author demonstrated that such compounds as naphthalene, methyl naphthalenes, dimethyl naphthalenes, biphenyl and acenaphthene could be identified in the air, in rooms where tar or asphalt binder was present, and in rooms where the wood was impregnated with chloronaphthalene-based agents [31]. This article [31] provides quantitative and qualitative results, and explains more about the differences between emissions from wooden structures, which were impregnated with tar compositions (creosote oil and Xylamite oil containing tar products), and buildings in which bituminous seal containing hydrocarbon solvents was used. The enumerated compounds seem responsible for the naphthalene-like odour of the air in the rooms.…”

“…All the compounds with the mass spectra matching factors p ≥ 80% were regarded as identified. The author described the odour substances according to subjective perception and previous experience [31].…”

“…Desorption was performed at 70 • C. Observations, previous tests and experiments [31] revealed that heating the samples to higher temperatures causes their thermal destruction, manifested by a burnt material odour released from the olfactometric port. Moreover, interpreting the signals present then in the chromatographs is impossible, because either the signals originate from the samples' thermal degradation products or there are too many signals, especially in the high spectral range.…”

Comparison of the effects of use, protection, improper renovation and removal of asbestos products on the example of typical old office buildings in Poland

“…Indoor air pollution in buildings is associated with the use of technologies, construction products and equipment that can release harmful gases, and vapours such as formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, xylene and others, which are contained in impregnants, paints, varnishes—generally, finishing materials in construction. Specialised indoor-air laboratories can find other toxic substances such as phenol cresols, naphthalenes, chlorophenols, chloronaphthalenes and others 5 . A separate category of harmful outdoor and indoor air contamination is fibrous dust—asbestos.…”

Five-layered robot (F-robot) based on functionally graded multilayer foam antiviral low-carbon (F-MAX) system for Pathogenic Microorganism Elimination

“…These compounds include small, solid particles known as particulate matter, which can be classified as PM2.5 (2.5 µm) or PM10 (10 µm) (5). Viruses (6), bacteria, fungi, and inorganic substances such as metal ions, salt, and other solids (7) can all be harbored by airborne PM2.5 particles. Moreover, the small size of PM2.5 particles means they cannot be easily removed through natural inhalation (8).…”