Air quality status of volatile organic compounds in health and financial institution microenvironments in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds are considered to be air toxins that affect human health. They have great influence on the troposphere because they affect the formation of ozone. Ambient air samples were collected from
indoor and outdoor of five health and financial institution  microenvironments. Passive sampling method with diffusion tubes from Drager Safety, Lubeck, Germany, was used. Samples were extracted with carbon disulphide and analyzed with gas chromatographic instrument fitted with flame ionization and thermal conductivity detectors. Samples collected from the Bank outdoor and Microbiology Laboratory indoor have the highest levels of VOCs analyzed for. The most prevalent VOCs was 1,1- dichloropropene followed by methylenechloride, bromoform and
ethylbenzene. Statistical analysis showed both strong and positive correlations between the VOCs indicating similarity in their emission sources. Two major factors were identified as VOCs contributing sources in the studied areas. The results obtained for some of the VOCs were found to be lower than the International Standards when compared.