Health Risk Assessment and Inhalation Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in Educational Buildings

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 790 - 800, 27.09.2025

Sanaz Lakestanı

https://doi.org/10.31015/2025.3.18

Abstract

This study is based on the assessment of cancer risk associated with exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments. The Inhalation exposure concentration, lifetime cancer risk, and hazard coefficient have been determined. To assess changes in indoor air quality over time within the same environment, passive sampling was conducted in eight different departments of the medical faculty for one week during each summer and winter season. Samples were collected using the passive sampling principle via thermally desorbed tubes and analyzed using a Thermal Desorber-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry system. According to the results of this study, the concentration of TVOCs was higher in winter (654.957 µg.m-3 ) than in summer (338.52 µg.m-3 ). P values for toluene (p = 0.03), ethylbenzene (p = 0.03), naphthalene (p = 0.02), and TVOCs (p = 0.01) were found to be significantly different between winter and summer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has published a carcinogenic classification system for VOCs. Benzene inhalation exposure concentrations were classified as Class A( carcinogen). The lifetime cancer risk values calculated for benzene, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene during the winter months ranged between 10-4 and 10-5, placing them in class B (possible risk). During the winter months, non-cancer risk values or benzene, toluene, and naphthalene were calculated to be above the EPA's established value (<1). Consequently, high levels of these chemicals indoors pose a danger to human health. According to the results, health risk assessment studies should be conducted on VOCs in public buildings, shopping malls, and especially in hospitals. In areas with high levels of VOCs, such as laboratories, personnel should be considered sensitive groups and should be under special management to minimize their exposure to hazardous compounds.

Keywords

Lifetime Cancer Risk , Risk Assessment , Indoor Air Quality , Volatile Organic Compounds , Inhalation Exposure

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