Indoor air quality in health clubs: Impact of occupancy and type of performed activities on exposure levels

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Klara Slezakova (Author) FEUP; Cátia Peixoto (Author) Other; Maria do Carmo Pereira (Author) FEUP; Simone Morais (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Hazardous Materials

Vol. 359

Pages: 56-66

ISSN: 0304-3894

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus

INSPEC

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.07.015

Abstract (EN): Associations between indoor air quality (IAQ) and health in sport practise environments are not well understood due to limited knowledge of magnitude of inhaled pollutants. Thus, this study assessed IAQ in four health clubs (HC1-HC4) and estimated inhaled doses during different types of activities. Gaseous (TVOCs, CO, O-3, CO2) and particulate pollutants (PM1, PM4) were continuously collected during 40 days. IAQ was influenced both by human occupancy and the intensity of the performed exercises. Levels of all pollutants were higher when clubs were occupied (p < 0.05) than for vacant periods, with higher medians in main workout areas rather than in spaces/studios for group activities. In all spaces, TVOCs highly exceeded legislative limit (600 mu g/m(3)), even when unoccupied, indicating possible risks for the respective occupants. CO2 levels were well correlated with relative humidity (r(s) 0.534-0.625) and occupancy due to human exhalation and perspiration during exercising. Clubs with natural ventilations exhibited twice higher PM, with PM1 accounting for 93-96% of PM4; both PM were highly correlated (r(s) 0.936-0.995) and originated from the same sources. Finally, cardio classes resulted in higher inhalation doses than other types of exercising (1.7-2.6).

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11