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Published February 1995 | public
Journal Article

Characterization of Indoor Air Quality in the Cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Levels of several gas- and particle-phase substances present in indoor air in nonindustrial office workplaces and in restaurants was acquired during the Southeastern Brazil lndoor Air Quality Study (SEBIAQS) carried out in the summer of 1993. Simultaneous indoor and outdoor samples collected in 12 sites in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and in a rural area were analyzed for inhalable particulate matter (IPM dp < 15 µm), inhalable volatilizable particulate organic carbon, black (soot) carbon, trace metals, UV-RSP (d_(50) < 3.5 µm) as a marker for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and nicotine. Indoor levels were generally higher. Alcohol-fueled vehicle emissions contributed to indoor acetaldehyde. The major sources of trace elements indoors and outdoors were respectively soil dust and combustion, resuspension, and vehicles. Dry deposition indoors was observed for S (mainly sulfate), AI, Fe, and Mn.

Additional Information

© 1995 American Chemical Society. Received for review March 20, 1994. Revised manuscript received September 20, 1994. Accepted November 11, 1994. SEBIAQS was funded in part by the Center for Indoor Air Research-USA, FAPESP-Sao Paulo, CNPq-Brazil, and CAPES-Brazil. We thank Joan M. Daisey, William Fisk, William Nazaroff, Ashok Gadgil, Susanne V. Hering, Paulo Artaxo, Lynn M. Hildemann, and Fatima Andrade for helpful discussions and the managers and owners of the study sites. Andrew G. Allen and Ann Gunsalus-Miguel provided helpful assistance with data compilation. We are indebted to J. C. Affonso, C. Y. Santos, Alcides C. Ribeiro, and Ana L. M. Loureiro for technical support. We thank two of the reviewers for useful suggestions.

Additional details

Created:
August 20, 2023
Modified:
October 18, 2023