Characteristic of carbonyls : concentrations and source strengths for indoor and outdoor residential microenvironments in China

For that study, indoor and outdoor carbonyl concentrations have been measured simultaneously in 12 urban dwellings in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi'an, during summer and winter. The most abundant indoor and outdoor carbonyl species found were formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone. The dwellings with tobacco smoke, incense burning or poor ventilation had significant higher indoor concentrations of carbonyls. It appears too that the indoor levels of carbonyls are higher in Chinese dwellings than in other countries.