Indoor air VOC concentrations in suburban and rural New Jersey

Indoor VOC air concentrations of many compounds are higher than outdoor concentrations due to indoor sources. However, most studies have measured residential indoor air in urban centers so the typical indoor air levels in suburban and rural regions have not been well characterized. Indoor VOC air concentrations were measured in 100 homes in suburban and rural areas in NJ to provide background levels for investigations of the impact from subsurface contamination sources. Of the 57 target compounds, 23 were not detected in any of the homes, and 14 compounds were detected in at least 50% of the homes with detection limits of approximately 1 microg/m3. The common compounds identified included aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons from mobile sources, halogenated hydrocarbons commonly used in consumer products or from chlorinated drinking water, acetone and 2-butanone emitted from cosmetic products, and Freons. Typical concentrations were in the low microg/m3 range, though values of tens, hundreds or even thousands of microg/m3 were measured in individual homes in which activities related to specific sources of VOCs were reported. Compounds with known similar sources were highly correlated. The levels observed are consistent with concentrations found in the air of urban homes.