Investigation of Organic Compounds Contamination in Office Buildings after Decoration and Its Healthy Effects

Objective To investigate the contamination status of main volatile organic compounds in office buildings in different periods after decoration and their healthy effects,and provide evidence for framing corresponding countermeasures.Methods 25 office buildings in different periods after decoration were selected.The concentrations of formaldehyde,benzene,methylbenzene,dimethylbenzene and total volatile organic compounds(TOVC) were measured at 30 days,one year and two years after decoration,and the healthy status of officers in these buildings was investigated.Results The concentration of formaldehyde was highest in one year after decoration,and the mean was 0.220±0.050 mg/m3.Two years after decoration,the average concentration of formaldehyde was still higher than that of control group(P0.01).But the concentrations of benzene series and TVOC were highest at 30 days after decoration and decreased gradually thereafter.The mean concentrations of methylbenzene and dimethylbenzene exceeded the standard limits greatly,16.2 and 13.1 times higher than the maximal allowance concentration set in Indoor Air Quality Standard.The concentrations of benzene and TVOC exceeded the standard limits less.For healthy status,the shorter the time after decoration,the greater the incidence of skin and upper airway irritation.But the highest incidence of eye irritation occurred within one year after decoration and the incidence was still significantly higher than that of controls one year post decoration.Conclusions Decoration of office buildings can result in serious indoor contamination by volatile organic compounds.It is harmful to the health of officers.