关键词：空气流动；空气质量；环境暴露；环境因素；气体；对健康的危害
摘 要：The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from employees at a medical office building. They were concerned about indoor environmental quality and exposure to sewer gas, specifically hydrogen sulfide. The medical office building was a four-story, concrete masonry office building constructed in the 1960s that had been renovated twice; the three main floors were converted into offices and exam rooms. The building was surrounded by manholes that had been identified as sources of odors. The building was within 30 feet of a 24-inch trunk line that carried sewage from approximately 60% of the surrounding area toward the wastewater treatment facility. Most of the building's current plumbing was the original cast iron waste and vent piping, which can become brittle and crack with age. We visited the facility in April 2013 and measured hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity levels throughout the building. We also inspected the building's heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. We did not detect hydrogen sulfide in the building. We found that carbon dioxide concentrations generally increased when moving further away from the supply air discharge point on each floor; outdoor air supplied to each floor was not uniformly distributed. Temperature and humidity were within ANSI/ASHRAE recommended levels. We found problems with duct dampers, heat pumps, and the computerized control system, and determined that air flowed from the restrooms into the hallways. We found odor sources within and near the building such as dry drain traps and manholes.