Linking indoor particulate matter and black carbon with sick building syndrome symptoms in a public office building

Poor indoor air quality is an important issue for public and occupational health worldwide. Location, air-tightness of the building, ventilation rate resident activities play role on concentration pollutants subsequently their effects human health. While pollution in working environments has been widely studied, association between specific Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms still not clear. The objective this study to explore PM2.5 BC with SBS reported by employees a building center Athens, Greece. Continuous measurements were carried out from March until May 2016 (24 h, 7 days per week), including during Saharan dust event 2016. took place four different types spaces, office, printer room two archiving rooms, representing both high low exposure environments. Indoor concentrations office ranged 5.9 14.3 μg/m3 1.1–1.9 μg/m3, respectively, whereas outdoor range 6.5–21.7 1.4–2.6 respectively. We observed diurnal variations indoor/outdoor ratios most rooms that >1 hours, fell below unity after hours. Data collected via questionnaire 73 showed commonly irritation eyes, stuffy or runny nose, headache drowsiness. Female more likely report than male employees, especially nonspecific symptoms, “unusual tiredness fatigue” “feeling depressed”.