Have you checked to ensure that all traps in sinks and floor drains are not dry?

Please excuse the cross-postings:

I’m working with a group that works in a secured, containment facility.  The supply air is one pass, the exhaust is HEPA filtered and air change rates are in the 10-15 ACH.  Rubber bands, latex gloves, the gloves on a glove box, rubber stoppers, etc. degrade very quickly in this building – a matter of months.  This causes consternation among my building occupants – “if latex degrades so quickly, what is this building doing to me?”

I have done the following:  datalogged temperature, %RH, CO and CO2 twice, at different times of year, for a week.  First set showed extremely low humidity – below 20%rh – all other measurements within customary.  Second round showed %rh in a more normal range – 35-40%rh.  Magnetic fields were at or below background.  No radioactivity was detected.  The building doesn’t have any weird smells, evidence of mold or water intrusion.  The mechanical system is working as designed, filters in place and without high pressure drop, coils clean, etc., according to my building engineers.

People complain of headaches and stuffy noses, general malaise after working in the building for some period of time.  Someone has suggested Chinese drywall might be a culprit but I don’t know as it quite fits.

Whaddya think?  All ideas welcome, at this point.

Thanks,

Debbie

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Debbie M. Decker, Campus Chemical Safety Officer
Environmental Health and Safety
University of California, Davis
1 Shields Ave.
Davis, CA  95616
(530)754-7964/(530)752-4527 (FAX)
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
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