Evaluation of Workplace Exposures to Volatile Chemicals During COVID-19 Building Disinfection Activities with Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract We conducted an experimental case study to demonstrate the application of proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) for mobile breathing zone (BZ) monitoring of volatile chemical exposures in workplace environments during COVID-19 disinfection activities. The experiments were conducted in an architectural engineering laboratory—the Purdue zero Energy Design Guidance for Engineers (zEDGE) Tiny House, which served as a simulated workplace environment. Controlled disinfection activities were carried out on impermeable high-touch indoor surfaces, including the entry door, kitchen countertop, toilet bowl, bathroom sink, and shower. Worker inhalation exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was evaluated by attaching the PTR-TOF-MS sampling line to the researcher’s BZ while the disinfection activity was carried out throughout the entire building. The results demonstrate that significant spatiotemporal variations in VOC concentrations can occur in the worker’s BZ during multi-surface disinfection events. Application of high-resolution monitoring techniques, such as PTR-TOF-MS, are needed to advance characterization of worker exposures towards the development of appropriate mitigation strategies for volatile disinfectant chemicals.