| Summary: | 碩士 === 中華技術學院 === 建築工程與環境設計研究所 === 97 === Nowadays as the technology progresses, people not only pursue better lives but also begin to pay more attention to their living environment. We as modern citizens are surrounded by and closely tied to our living space and the respective housing components/structures. Many construction materials release VOCs, which contain many harmful compounds to human body such as Toluene, Xylene, Ethylbenzene, Formaldehyde, and Ester…etc.
The study selects the most common solvent, Toluene, in the paint from the building materials as our experimental subject. The study examined how inhaling Toluene will change the pulmonary function and suggest ways to improve the indoor living environment.
The first setting of the experiment is to use a stable airflow exposure system. We set Toluene exposure concentration to 300ppm and put rats into the chamber. After pouring Toluene into vapor pressure machine, the vapor pressure machine will release steam into the chamber. The experiment continues as the days of exposure increase. The experiment total ten months.
There are two phases of the experiment. The short term exposure takes 3 days while the long term exposure takes 15 days. There are four groups in each phase: Sham, 300ppm Toluene exposure group, 300ppm Toluene with P.O. Melatonin、300ppm Toluene with P.O. Curcumin. All the food, water and beddings for rats will be controlled during the exposure.
The last step is to analyze the rats’ pulmonary function and blood biochemical values and to observe how Toluene affects the pulmonary function.
The rats that are exposed to 300ppm toluene steam under, in 3 days show symptoms of inflammation of the lung, rising RI, dropping EF50and pulmonary emphysema, signs of obstructive lung diseases.
The rats that are exposed to 300ppm toluene steam under, in 15 days show symptoms of decreasing FRC and VC, lowering Cchord and pulmonary fibrosis, signs of restrictive lung diseases.
Based on the above findings, we come up with the conclusion that exposure to Toluene 300ppm will cause pulmonary function damage.
We recommend using green labeled building materials at the initial stage of constructing or renewing the buildings. Using no VOCs building materials or low-emission materials and increasing ventilate efficiency indoors will also help to promote a better and healthier living environment.
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