Indoor contaminants from Hardcopy Devices: Characteristics of VOCs in photocopy centers

Indoor air pollution in working places is widely recognized as one of the most serious potential environment risks to human health. Mean volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations of 144 samples from four copy centers in Tehran, Iran in two seasons were monitored for the purpose of quantifying the various VOCs in these areas. Area samples were collected in thermal desorption tubes and were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass selective detector. Real-time personal total volatile organic compounds were measured using a data-logging photo-ionization detector. Simultaneously, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) outdoor measurements were performed in the same manner as were the indoor measurements. Nineteen different VOCs were detected in the area samples. The results show that in all photocopy centers, the indoor levels of toluene were much higher than the outdoor levels. During business hours, the VOC levels increased, especially toluene indoor concentration. The ventilation decreased the indoor VOC concentrations. The background and indoor VOC concentrations were higher in winter than in spring. The minimum ratio of the indoor to outdoor concentration of BTEX was estimated to be more than 42. This value proved that buildings with photocopiers can be a site of VOC accumulation.

► Nineteen VOCs were detected on the background samples of copy centers.
► Indoor to outdoor fraction (in/out) value of BTEX for all samples are more than 42.
► In this regards minimum value (42) of in/out is related to Benzene in winter.
► In addition to toluene, other BTEXs have a high concentration in winter and spring.
► Average concentrations of BTEX compounds were not the same in winter and spring.