Indoor Air Pollution by Formaldehyde in Shandong University

Objective To know the situation of formaldehyde pollution in the indoor air and the influencing factors in Shandong University. Methods PPM400 formaldehyde analyzer adjusted with spectrophotometry was used to determine the concentration of formaldehyde in the indoor air in the rooms which were decorated in different levels in the campus of Shandong University. Results The average concentration of formaldehyde in the indoor air was 0.05 mg/m3(median), in the outdoor air it was below the detection limit. The qualified rate of formaldehyde concentration in indoor air was 79.6%. The average concentration of formaldehyde in indoor air was(0.045±0.003 )mg/m3 with the windows open and it was (0.212±0.079)mg/m3 with the windows closed. Conclusion The indoor air of Shandong University is polluted with formaldehyde to some extent. Fitment and use of veneers, flakeboard are the main pollutant source. The level of formaldehyde pollution is higher in the newly or nicely decorated rooms and in bad ventilation.