Development of new risk indicator for human health using odour regarding indoor air quality

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510112
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental technology/Environmental materials
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAOKA Hiroko 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 助教 (60588648)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORI Chisato 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 教授 (90174375) ; TODAKA Emiko 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 教授 (30334212) ; HANAZATO Masamichi 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 准教授 (00608656)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 臭気閾値比（OTR) / シックハウス症候群 / 室内空気質 / ケミレスTVOC（ΣVOCs)

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sick-building syndrome (SBS) is a range of health problems that occur through exposure to chemicals in the indoor air. Although Ministry of Health, labour of Japan set the guideline values about 13 VOCs, the incidences of SBS patients have not decreased. In addition, there have been reports that when people complain of symptoms of SBS, most of them also claim to smell an odour. Furthermore, the occurrence of SBS symptoms depends largely on the person's sensitivity.
In this study, the correlation between the sum of VOCs (ΣVOCs) and SBS symptoms were examined by statistics. The odour was quantified using the odour threshold ratio (OTR) and the correlation between the total odour threshold ratio (TOTR) and SBS symptoms was investigated. TOTR and the concentration level of ΣVOCs were correlated with SBS symptoms among sensitive people. The findings indicate that TOTR, in addition to ΣVOCs, could be used as a new risk indicator for human health regarding indoor air quality.

Free Research Field

室内空気環境