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We report exacerbation of symptoms and chemical intolerances in three of four self-described chemically sensitive women following relocation to a newly constructed office building. Levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in this building prior to occupancy were approximately 200 μg/m3 (toluene equivalent units) with a myriad of individual components present. By day 50 after occupancy, the concentration of TVOCs in the building dropped to approximately 50 μg/m3. Nevertheless, three women reported significant worsening of their symptoms with spreading of their sensitivities to previously tolerated chemical exposures. One woman relocated to another building, while the other two managed their symptoms by reducing time spent in the building or by using a room air cleaner. By day 600 following occupancy, although TVOCs had increased significantly (perhaps due to cleaning agents), there were fewer individual VOCs present in the air, and some of the women were able to tolerate the air in the building. We conclude that complex mixtures of VOCs at very low levels tolerated by the majority of building occupants may pose problems for persons who report pre-existing chemical sensitivities. TVOC measurements may not correlate with symptoms in these individuals. Reasonable accommodations by an employer can reduce problem exposures, making it possible for some affected individuals to continue productive employment.

Examples are given of occupant activities and consumer and construction products inside residences that cause transient and persistent emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Transient emissions arise from window cleaning, carpet laying, smoking, and automobile operations. Persistent VOC emitters include gasoline, mothballs and pressed-wood products containing urea-formaldehyde resins. Simple screening methods are given for making indoor measurements of VOC. Detailed laboratory and research house studies of formaldehyde emissions decay from pressed-wood building products are described. 14 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

Cold-pressed pellets of unfired BeO, called Thermalox 995, have been fired at temperatures between 400° and 1900°C. The thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE), thermoluminescence (TL), and electron paramagnetism (EPR) have been measured and correlated with sintering and grain growth. Changes in TL and TSEE sensitivity are as much as five, and two and a half orders in magnitude, respectively. The changes in concentration of the paramagnetic trapping centers correlate fairly well with the changes in TL sensitivity showing that the two are intimately related. The TSEE data show a markedly different trend; the traps are of a different type from those producing TL and are not detected by EPR. The most satisfactory radiation dosimeters are obtained after firing at 1300°C when the mean grain size is about 7 μm. The commercially available ceramic disks of Thermalox 995, with grains about double this size, are close to being in an optimum condition for TL-TSEE dosimetry. Dosimeters with a mean g...