Evolution of volatile organic compounds and their health risks following the opening of a newly built office building

Little is known about the time profile of volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in newly built office buildings. Several studies conducted in private buildings have shown high concentrations of VOCs are present during and shortly after construction, which then decrease over the next few months to reach lower and more stable concentrations. In this study, VOCs were sampled in four rooms of a newly built office building over the 15 months following its opening. The samples were analysed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with dual flame ionisation detection and mass spectrometry. The study found high but fluctuating concentrations of VOCs, with a maximum TVOC concentration reaching 1492 µgm-3 in one office, one month after opening. After six months, the TVOC concentration reduced by 60 to 76 % and reached stable concentrations under 200 µgm-3 in all rooms. VOC concentrations and composition between rooms were impacted by the number of occupants and the position of the offices inside the building. To determine health impacts, hazard quotients (HQ) and cancer risks (CR) were calculated using the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) reference values for inhalation exposures. At the end of the sampling period, all the HQs were under 1, suggesting that exposure to non-carcinogenic VOCs should not impact the health of the building's workers. CRs were between 1E-04 and 1E-06, which the US EPA identifies as providing possible risk from long-term exposure. More studies are needed to characterise VOC exposures and their potential risks to the occupants of newly built public buildings.