Indoor air quality in Saudi residential homes

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the level of IAQ (indoor air quality) through monitoring of several air pollutants inside selected homes in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and to study the most affecting factors on IAQ. Continuous 8-hour monitoring at each home during six months of 2019–2020 was conducted for six air pollutants inside and outside 200 homes, representing three main Saudi cities (Dammam, Al-Hofuf and Qatif). Measurements of six air pollutants were conducted in the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom inside each home and simultaneously outside these homes in their immediate vicinity. The highest mean levels of PM₁₀ (50.3 ± 20.0 µg/m³), CO₂ (822.9 ± 195.1 ppm) and NO₂ (0.044 ± 0.009 ppm) were found in kitchens, while the highest mean level of CO (1.27 ± 0.25 ppm) was found in living rooms. As for total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and SO₂, their levels were nearly the same at three sites (0.21 ± 0.04 ppm and 0.018 ± 0.002 ppm, respectively). Levels of PM₁₀ exceeded their air quality guidelines (AQGs) in homes that are located near industrial and agricultural areas, while levels of other air pollutants were lower than their AQGs in all regions. The increase in concentrations of air pollutants outdoors was accompanied by an increase in concentrations indoors.