Indoor and outdoor air samples were simultaneously collected from the largest office building in Jahra City during 57 sampling events between August 2010 and November 2011. The collected samples were analyzed for 78 v...Indoor and outdoor air samples were simultaneously collected from the largest office building in Jahra City during 57 sampling events between August 2010 and November 2011. The collected samples were analyzed for 78 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using CO2 cryogenic preconcentration and GC/MS analysis. Of the 48 VOCs detected, the toluene concentration exceeded the recommended air quality guidelines in 2% of the outdoor samples, and the benzene concentration exceeded these guidelines in 17.5% and 19.5% of the indoor and outdoor samples, respectively. Industrial and vehicle emissions were negligible. Emissions from oil fields, various crude oil production and flaring activities in the north were major sources of VOCs in the ambient air. The VOC profiles;seasonal, monthly, and weekday/weekend variations;and their effects on ozone formation potentials are discussed. The results indicate that the most abundant class of chemical compounds was oxygenated compounds, of which acetone, acetaldehyde, propanal, methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol were the most dominant species. Propene and toluene were the most abundant species of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, respectively.展开更多
Household desalinated drinking water samples collected from outdoor points and from indoor consumption points at 99 locations representing more than 95% of the residential areas in Kuwait were analyzed for 25 trace el...Household desalinated drinking water samples collected from outdoor points and from indoor consumption points at 99 locations representing more than 95% of the residential areas in Kuwait were analyzed for 25 trace elements and water quality parameters. Only Al, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were found to be over-represented at the consumption point compared with the outdoor point, with wide variations among the sampling locations and elements. The highest increases were observed for Fe (135%) and Zn (123%), followed by Pb (69%), Co (58%), Cu (42%), Cr (31%), and Al (30%), and the lowest increase was observed for Ni (19%). In most cases, the increases in Cu, Fe, and Zn were inversely proportional to the conductivity and directly proportional to the Cl– concentration. In the outdoor samples, only Fe exceeded the US-EPA guideline (in 3% of the outdoor samples taken), whereas Fe, Pb, and Ni exceeded the US-EPA and WHO guidelines in 8.5%, 0.3%, and 1% of the indoor consumption point samples, respectively. Thus, leaching from household utilities may cause health concerns for consumers of drinking water in Kuwait. The increases in Fe were the highest in the summer (240%), and in this regard, Fe exhibited the greatest difference between summer and winter (the increase was 139% higher in the summer). The results of the present study may be useful for water production authorities and consumers in Kuwait and suggest the use of alternative new pipes with more resistant internal coatings and connecting techniques.展开更多
文摘Indoor and outdoor air samples were simultaneously collected from the largest office building in Jahra City during 57 sampling events between August 2010 and November 2011. The collected samples were analyzed for 78 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using CO2 cryogenic preconcentration and GC/MS analysis. Of the 48 VOCs detected, the toluene concentration exceeded the recommended air quality guidelines in 2% of the outdoor samples, and the benzene concentration exceeded these guidelines in 17.5% and 19.5% of the indoor and outdoor samples, respectively. Industrial and vehicle emissions were negligible. Emissions from oil fields, various crude oil production and flaring activities in the north were major sources of VOCs in the ambient air. The VOC profiles;seasonal, monthly, and weekday/weekend variations;and their effects on ozone formation potentials are discussed. The results indicate that the most abundant class of chemical compounds was oxygenated compounds, of which acetone, acetaldehyde, propanal, methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol were the most dominant species. Propene and toluene were the most abundant species of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, respectively.
文摘Household desalinated drinking water samples collected from outdoor points and from indoor consumption points at 99 locations representing more than 95% of the residential areas in Kuwait were analyzed for 25 trace elements and water quality parameters. Only Al, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were found to be over-represented at the consumption point compared with the outdoor point, with wide variations among the sampling locations and elements. The highest increases were observed for Fe (135%) and Zn (123%), followed by Pb (69%), Co (58%), Cu (42%), Cr (31%), and Al (30%), and the lowest increase was observed for Ni (19%). In most cases, the increases in Cu, Fe, and Zn were inversely proportional to the conductivity and directly proportional to the Cl– concentration. In the outdoor samples, only Fe exceeded the US-EPA guideline (in 3% of the outdoor samples taken), whereas Fe, Pb, and Ni exceeded the US-EPA and WHO guidelines in 8.5%, 0.3%, and 1% of the indoor consumption point samples, respectively. Thus, leaching from household utilities may cause health concerns for consumers of drinking water in Kuwait. The increases in Fe were the highest in the summer (240%), and in this regard, Fe exhibited the greatest difference between summer and winter (the increase was 139% higher in the summer). The results of the present study may be useful for water production authorities and consumers in Kuwait and suggest the use of alternative new pipes with more resistant internal coatings and connecting techniques.
