Office workers's exposure to volatile organic compounds while commuting and working in Taipei City
Journal
Atmospheric Environment
Journal Volume
28
Journal Issue
14
Pages
2351-2359
Date Issued
1994
Author(s)
Abstract
This study examined office workers' exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from two activities: commuting and working in an office in Taipei, Taiwan in the spring of 1992. About 18 target C6-C10 hydrocarbons and chlorinated VOCs were collected on Tenax-GC adsorbent tub es, and analysed by a thermal desorption and GC-MS method. We found that similar VOC species were present in commutes and in office except that chloroform and 1,1,1-trichloroethane were only present in offices. The in-vehicle VOC concentrations in Taipei were about 2-30-times higher than the levels in many western cities. The VOC concentrations in commute varied only with different commuting vehicles. The in-vehicle VOC concentrations were not affected by either time-of-day or route-of-traffic. On the average, the VOC concentration ratio of motorcyclist: private vehicle-driver: bus-rider was about 5:3:2. The round-trip commuting duration ratio of motorcyclist: private vehicle-driver: bus-rider was 1:1.5:2. The VOC concentrations in commute were about 5-11 times higher than in offices. We concluded that motorcyclist had the highest VOC exposures while commuting in Taipei. The comparisons of VOC profiles in various microenvironments indicated that auto exhaust emissions were the main VOC sources in vehicle and in office. In general, office workers' benzene exposures during commuting were greater than at work in Taipei. © 1994.
Type
journal article
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