Analytical Sciences

Rapid On-Site Air Sampling with a Needle Extraction Device for Evaluating the Indoor Air Environment in School Facilities

Mitsuru INOUE,*,** Ayako MIZUGUCHI,*** Ikuo UETA,*** Kazuya TAKAHASHI,* and Yoshihiro SAITO*

*Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi 441-8580, Japan
**Okazaki Technical Senior High School, Okazaki 444-8555, Japan
***Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Yamanashi, Kofu 400-8511, Japan

A rapid on-site air sampling technique was developed with a miniaturized needle-type sample preparation device for a systematic evaluation of the indoor air environments in school facilities. With the in-needle extraction device packed with a polymer particle of divinylbenzene and activated carbon particles, various types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were successfully extracted. For evaluating the indoor air qualities in school facilities, air samples in renovated rooms using organic solvent as a thinner of the paint were analyzed along with measurements of several VOCs in indoor air samples taken in newly built primary schools mainly using low-VOCs materials. After periodical renovation/maintenance, the time-variation profile of typical VOCs found in the school facilities has also been monitored. From the results, it could be observed that the VOCs in most of the rooms in these primary schools were at a quite low level; however, a relatively higher concentration of VOCs was found in some specially designed rooms, such as music rooms. In addition, some non-regulated compounds, including benzyl alcohol and branched alkanes, were detected in these primary schools. The results showed a good applicability of the needle device to indoor air analysis in schools, suggesting a wide range of future employment of the needle device, especially for indoor air analysis in other types of facilities and rooms including hospitals and hotels.

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