The impact of sorption on perceived indoor air quality

Sensory evaluations were used to investigate the impact of sorption processes on indoor air quality. Experiments were carried out in four similar, adjacent, unfurnished offices. Samples of carpet, linoleum, painted gypsum board, and Semia (a specially designed high-sorbing fabric) were tested individually and in combination. Additionally, to investigate the interaction between the pollutants emitted from the building materials and the test room surfaces themselves, air streams polluted by two different building materials were vented into an empty test office. Each experiment lasted for either 1 week (adsorption stage only) or 10 days (adsorption and desorption stages). Untrained panels assessed the air quality at specified times after moving the materials into or out of the rooms. The results showed that, in comparison with air in a room with carpet or linoleum alone, the presence of painted gypsum board improved the perceived air quality. This improvement persisted throughout the 168 h of the 'adsorption stage' of the experiments. A mass balance model was used to quantify the improvement. Calculated results indicate that, for the conditions used in these experiments, pollutant removal via sorption to the relatively inert office surfaces was equivalent to an extra 0.4 air change per hour (ACH) of ventilation air, while sorption to painted gypsum board surfaces was equivalent to an extra 1-7 ACH of ventilation air. In the case of Semia, sorption was equivalent to an extra 16 ACH of ventilation air. During the 'desorption stage' of the experiments, after carpet or linoleum were taken out of a room, approximately 3 days were required before the air in the test office, ventilated at 0.8 ACH, was judged to be free of the sorbed pollutants.

Ventilation rates in non-industrial buildings are based largely on sensory pollution sources and a desired level of perceived air quality. This study documents that sorptive materials in a room influence the perceived air quality and should be considered when evaluating ventilation requirements. Indeed, it may be possible to deliberately use sorption/desorption to improve indoor air in a manner analogous to the way thermal storage/release is currently used in buildings as a means of conserving energy.