STUDY OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SELECTED OFFICE BUILDING

Air pollution, both indoors and outdoors, is a major environmental health problem affecting people in developed and developing countries alike. Well-being (health and comfort) is an important aspect determining the quality of life of an occupant. Against the background of these findings, particularly in recent years, the focus of research has clearly shifted towards particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). The paper presents the results of experimental investigation of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds occurred in the indoor air of selected office building during heating season with simultaneous determination of the basic physical parameters. The particulate matter monitoring was focused the fractions of PM0.5, PM2.5 and PM10. The cumulative and differential particle mass concentrations were measured. The measured average values of particulate concentrations ranged 4.99 - 10.43, 17.72 - 53.95 and 106.19 - 325.36 mu g.m(-3) for PM0.5, PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. The measured concentrations were compared to the indoor limit values in Slovakia and EU limits. The PM10 mean value of 208.03 mu g.m(-3) exceeded the Slovak limit value for indoor PM10 more than four times. Comparing the measured mean concentrations of PM2.5 to EU legislation (25 mu g.m(-3)) the concentrations of PM2.5 were exceeded for 4 from 5 measured days. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) investigation was focused on the monitoring of the selected organic chemical compounds. The occurrence of isobutylene, trichlorbenzene, benzene, cyclohexane, cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, toluene, acetaldehyde, acetone was confirmed. The mean concentrations for particulate organic compounds ranged from 2 to 106 mu g.m(-3).