The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Analysis of selected volatile organic substances associated with residential kerosene heater use and the health implications
Author:	Bobenhausen, Catherine Coombs
View Online:	njit-etd1984-020 ([122] pages ~ 3.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Environmental Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Bozzelli, Joseph W. (Committee chair) Trattner, Richard B. (Committee member)
Date:	1984-05
Keywords:	Space heaters -- Environmental aspects Kerosene -- Environmental aspects Indoor air pollution Environmental health
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Volatile organic species (aliphatic hydrocarbons from hexane to dodecane, cyclohexane and aromatic species including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, m,p, and o—xylenes, nitrobenzene, styrene and naphthalene) associated with residential kerosene heater emissions were measured at two sites. One was a small room having a total volume of 23.66 cubic meters and an air change rate of 2.71 air changes per hour, and the other, a living/dining room area having a combined volume of 79.30 cubic meters and an estimated air change rate of .7 air changes per hour. The analytical procedure involved collection of a series of air samples in stainless steel cartridges containing porous polymer adsorbent (Tenax). The samples were recovered by thermal desorption, and analyzed by high resolution capillary column gas chromatography employing a flame ionization detector. Mass spectral analysis was also conducted for qualitative identification of sample components. Moderately elevated levels of selected species (in the 1 - 100 ppb range) were detected; an average increase of each species by 4.14 was observed at the first site and by 7.35 at the second site. An estimation of health risk associated with exposure to benzene, a documented carcinogen, at the measured concentrations, was then provided, and the issue of risk analysis associated with trace concentrations of carcinogenic materials was explored in some detail.