Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA), cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1-10, 2024 (Hakemsiz Dergi)
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Turkish Climatization Assembly, Indoor Air Quality Committee established a Limit Values Working Group (LVWG) consisting of researchers who meet the criteria of having publications on indoor air pollution in internationally respected journals in the field of indoor air quality and having knowledge about the health effects of air pollutants. The task of the working group was to cover a wide list of pollutants to recommend pollutant limit values that would be applicable to indoor air quality in schools by reviewing the relevant literature and limit and guide values. For this purpose, group members identified the indoor air pollutants that should be included in the study, conducted a literature review within the predetermined methods and constraints, and presented their compilations and limit value recommendations (Sofuoglu et al., 2023). After discussion of each recommended limit value, finalized as a LVWG decision, which were then presented to climatization sector stakeholders in a two-day workshop (19-21 September 2023, Ankara, Türkiye) entitled International Indoor Air Quality of Schools and Student Living Areas Summit.
Indoor air pollutants examined by LVWG cover inorganic and organic gases, particulate matter (PM) and biological pollutants. In this context, an evaluation was made for a total of 19 pollutants / pollutant groups, which included carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, radon, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, trihalomethanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, phthalate esters, PM, bioaerosols (bacteria, fungi, viruses), microbial pollutants and allergens. A recommendation was made by the working group for 11 pollutants/groups (CO2, CO, NO2, O3, radon, VOC, formaldehyde, trihalomethanes, PM, bacteria, fungi) whereas no recommendation was made for 8 pollutants/groups (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, phthalate esters, microbiological contaminants and allergens) based on the existing knowledge, that is, indoor air pollutant levels, pollutant health effects, if there is a sufficient scientific basis between pollutant levels and health effects, the time students spend in schools, and the prevalence of existing limit/guideline values and the health effects that they are based on.