Probabilistic Prediction Models and Influence Factors of Indoor Formaldehyde and VOC Levels in Newly Renovated Houses

Revealing the dual impact of VOCs on recycled rubber workers: Health risk and odor perception

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose potential hazards to human health and contribute significantly to odor pollution. This study examined VOC emissions from a representative recycled rubber industry, evaluating the occupational health risks for frontline workers in various workshops. Variables such as gender and workshop-specific concentration variations were considered using Monte Carlo simulation methods. Employees in the five production workshops and office areas face noncarcinogenic health risks with hazard indices (HIs) greater than 1, with the rubber compounding phase presenting the highest risk. Acetaldehyde is identified as the primary noncarcinogenic health risk substance, with hazard quotient (HQ) values exceeding 1 in all workshops. Carcinogenic health risks vary by area, with the highest risks found in compounding and refining workshops. Formaldehyde poses the greatest risk in rubber grinding workshops and offices, with cumulative weights exceeding unacceptable levels of M80.58 % and W77.56 % in grinding and M94.98 % and W92.24 % in the office. Male workers face 4-7 % greater noncarcinogenic VOC health risks than females and 5-14 % greater carcinogenic risks from individual VOCs, increasing their susceptibility to health risks caused by VOCs. Additionally, our analysis of odor identification and intensity classification revealed that 53 VOCs are capable of causing odor pollution, with several substances reaching odor levels of 2 or higher. The predominant perceived odors, as reflected in the odor wheel, include categories such as "solvent/aromatic" and "sweet/fruit," with aldehydes being the primary odor-causing substances. In summary, emissions of VOCs from rubber industrial processes not only pose substantial health risks to workers but also contribute significantly to odor pollution. Consequently, enterprises must prioritize optimizing workplace conditions to ensure the occupational health and well-being of their employees.

A multisource mass transfer model for simulating VOC emissions from paints

Indoor decoration generates a large number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are simultaneously released from different paints. Nevertheless, the interaction mechanism of pollutant diffusion from multisource building materials (such as primer and finish) needs to be examined. In this paper, a multisource mass transfer model for VOC emissions from different combinations of paints is established, and the analytical solution is derived. The finite difference method is used to simulate the experimental results of VOC release in the environmental chambers, and its convergence and stability are verified. Using the optimization parameters of the single-source model and the law of conservation of mass, the key parameters of the multisource mass transfer model are obtained. The results show that the established model is in excellent agreement with both experimental data and literature data. In addition, the Little number Lt is used to analyse the change trend from the initial released concentration in the single-source and multisource models.