Comparative Assessment of Additional Human Health Risk due to the Deterioration of Interior Walls

People spend the majority of their lives indoors, mainly in offices, academic institutions, various commercial spaces, and homes. Recent research in North America highlights that adults devote 87 percent of their time indoors, underscoring the impact of indoor air pollution (IAP) on health and workplace effectiveness. The World Health Organization attributes 3.8 million annual deaths to IAP, originating from different indoor activities and building material emissions, releasing harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. As lifestyle changes associated with urbanization shift attention to indoor environments, the study emphasizes the need for improved air monitoring systems to address the complex composition of IAP and its sources. Specifically investigating the role of interior walls, a significant surface area within buildings, the study aims to compare indoor air quality (IAQ) and additional human health risks linked to two different interior walls in public buildings. The initial concentration of PM2.5 governs the experimental work simulated in CONTAM and is then used to assess the additional human health risk. The additional human health risk is assessed based on hazard quotients, concentration ratios, and additional lung cancer mortality methods. The outcome highlights that steel stud gypsum walls create more human health risk than concrete block walls. This research aims to guide the construction industry in selecting materials conducive to sustainable and healthy living standards, especially considering the prevalent issue of poor indoor air quality in institutional buildings failing to meet Canadian standards.