Author(s)

J. A. Radaideh, Z. Shatnawi

Abstract

Both indoor and outdoor air quality in residential areas of Al Hofuf city/eastern province of Saudi Arabia was studied through a multi-week multiple site measurement and sampling survey. Concentration levels of five criteria air pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) were measured and analyzed during the study period from January to May 2014. For this survey, three different location points – including roadside RS, urban UR, and rural RU – were selected. Within each site type, six locations were assigned to carry out air quality measurements and to study varying indoor/outdoor air quality.

Results indicated that a strong correlation between indoor and outdoor air existed. The I/O ratios for the considered criteria pollutants showed that the strongest relationship between indoor and outdoor air was found by carbon dioxide, CO₂ in the range of 0.88, while the lowest is found by both NO₂ and SO₂ in the range of 0.7.

Keywords

air pollutants, indoor/outdoor air pollution, indoor/outdoor ratio, Saudi Arabia