Air Quality in Urban Areas Study of Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in Daily Life

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Air Quality in Urban AreasStudy of Exposure to
Volatile Organic Compounds in Daily Life
www.cnn.fyi.com

• By Kelsey Stratton
• Environmental Science Department
• Barnard College, Columbia University
• Mentor Pat Kinney, Columbia University School of
  Public Health

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Overview

• Urban Air Pollution
• TEACH (Toxic Exposure Assessment,
  Columbia/Harvard) Study Methods
• Outdoor VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Sources
• Indoor VOC Sources
• TEACH VOC Results from Los Angeles
• Conclusions and Recommendations

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Urban Air Pollution

• 188 Air Pollutants
• Cause asthma, cancer, reproductive defects, birth
  defect, environmental effects, and more
• Lack of Exposure Data in Urban Areas
• Toxic Exposure Assessment, a Columbia/Harvard
  (TEACH) Study
• New York City and Los Angeles
• Winter and Fall

www.CBS.com
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TEACH Study Methods

• Jefferson High School in Los Angeles
• 40 students (diverse sample)
• Low income families
• Non-smoking subjects
• and families
• Personal, indoor, and
• outdoor VOC levels during winter
• and fall
• 17 volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Cause nasal congestion, cough, asthma, headache,
  dizziness, lethargy, fatigue, nausea, vomiting,
  personality change, rashes, and possibly more

www.mapquest.com
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Outdoor VOC Sources

• Sources
• Mobile (cars, trucks, buses)
• Stationary (factories, refineries, and chemical
  plants)

www.CBS.com
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Indoor VOC Sources

• Paints
• Adhesives
• Pesticides
• (mothballs)
• Cleaners and
• waxes (room freshener)
• Cosmetic/Personal Care Products (hair spray)
• Automotive Products (motor oils, gasoline)
• Hobby Supplies (photography supplies)

http//courses.dce.harvard.edu/environment/
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VOC Methylene Chloride
Winter
Fall
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VOC Toluene
Fall
Winter
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VOC Styrene
Winter
Fall
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Conclusions

• More VOCs Indoors than Outdoors in Los Angeles
  during both the winter and the fall
• Indoor VOC levels important
• Personal and Indoor Levels of VOCs found to be
  greater than outdoor concentrations
• People exposed to VOCs away from home environment
• Greater indoor, outdoor, and personal levels of
  VOCs during the winter than the fall
• Probably due to differences in air exchange rates

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Recommendations

• No current guidelines for indoor environment
• No provisions for assessing combined exposure to
  VOCs
• BUT..You have control!
• Take VOC concentration in your home into own
  hands
• Dont store pesticides in home
• Keep home well ventilated
• Use cleaning products, paints, etc. that have
  little to no VOCs
• Benjamin Moore Paint

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Questions?