Improving the indoor air quality by using a surface emissions trap for exposure reduction

Lennart Larsson, Pawel Markowicz, Johan Mattsson

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper, not in proceedingpeer-review

Abstract

A prototype of a surface emissions trap, a new device for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter from surfaces while allowing evaporation of moisture, was used to improve the indoor air quality of a school building with elevated air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. A clear improvement of the perceived air quality was noticed a few days after the trap had been attached on the PVC flooring. In parallel, decreased air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol were found as well as a linear increase of the amounts of the same compound adsorbed on the installed trap as observed up to 13 months after installation. This study suggests that a surface emissions trap may represent a fast and efficient means of restoring the indoor air quality in a building e.g. after water damage leading to irritating and potentially harmful emissions from building material surfaces indoors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages79-82
Number of pages4
Publication statusPublished - 2015 Jan 1
EventHealthy Buildings 2015 America Conference: Innovation in a Time of Energy Uncertainty and Climate Adaptation, HB 2015 - Boulder, United States
Duration: 2015 Jul 192015 Jul 22

Conference

ConferenceHealthy Buildings 2015 America Conference: Innovation in a Time of Energy Uncertainty and Climate Adaptation, HB 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoulder
Period2015/07/192015/07/22

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Environmental Health and Occupational Health

Free keywords

  • Building dampness
  • Indoor air purification
  • School environment
  • Volatile organic compounds

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