Variations of HCHO and BTX, human health risk and indoor renovation characteristics of newly renovated rental apartments in Beijing, China

Abstract

The popularity of decoration and refurbishment of rental apartments in China may give rise to indoor VOC levels, posing health threats to tenants. A questionnaire was conducted on the renovation characteristics and tenant information of rental apartments in Beijing. The study selected 143 rental bedrooms to study the characteristics of HCHO and BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) and assessed the health risks of tenants. The results showed that the median of HCHO concentration was 0.07 mg/m3, within one to three months of renovation. The concentration declined to 0.03 mg/m3 after one year. However, BTX concentration was increased by four times after one year of renovation, probably due to tenants’ move-in. The mean of inhalation lifetime cancer risk for HCHO and benzene was calculated as 1.15–3.63 (10−5) and 2.46–7.9 (10−5), respectively, indicating probable risk. The tenants’ health risks were: infant > teenager > adult and male > female. Benzene in rental homes posed the greater health risk to humans than previous studies conducted in ordinary residences. The results show that 45.29% of rental apartments are renovated before the new tenants move in, and 86.27% of tenants have a lease length of less than three years. These behaviours may cause exacerbation of pollutant levels in rental apartments.