[Modelling the transfer of pollutants from painted surfaces to the surrounding air]

As dried paintings may emit pollutants into indoor air by evaporation or sublimation processes, men living in such rooms my incorporate a certain amount of these substances via the respiratory tract or via the skin according to the pollutant concentration. Furthermore, foodstuff and feeds may as well absorb such substances. The chronic toxicity of the single compound and its daily up- take by man determine the risk of a possible danger to human health. For the toxicological evaluation of pollutants emanating from paints it is necessary that procedures are available to estimate the maximum indoor air concentration of these pollutants. Model experiments are described and equations are given for the calculation of the equilibrium concentration of pollutants occurring in indoor air after the application of paints. The validity of the equations has been ascertained taking as examples different fungicides and pesticides. The concentration values from model experiments were in good agreement with the results of field measurements.