www.iaset.us editor@iaset.us EXPOSURE TO INDOOR PARTICULATE MATTER 2.5 (PM 2.5 ) AND VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AT AN INDUSTRIAL AREA IN PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR J JALALUDIN & N JANNAH MAWAR Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the exposure of (PM 2.5 ) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and their association towards respiratory health among preschool children in an industrial area. 100 preschool children aged between 5-6 years old were involved in this cross sectional study with the exposed group consisting of 50 children who live near the industrial area, while the comparative group consisting of 50 children who live far from industrial area. The questionnaires adapted from American Thoracic Society questionnaire were filled by their parents. Lung function test was done using MM-SPOO4 Tabletop Portable Spirometer. Gillian Air Pump and Pbbrae Portable VOC Monitor (Pbbrae 3000) were used to measure the amount of PM 2.5 and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) respectively. There was a significant difference between exposed and comparative group for lung function test and lung function abnormality. Besides that, there was also a significant difference for prevalence of reported between studied and comparative groups for cough, phlegm and wheezing with 3 times more likelihood of getting cough for studied group (PR= 3.451, 95% CI =1.22- 9.76). There was a correlation between PM 2.5 with FEV 1 /FVC of all respondents involved in this study. Exposed group has an increased risk for respiratory symptoms and reduction of lung function from exposure to indoor PM 2.5 andVOCs but not statistically significant. The findings conclude that there was a significant difference between exposedand comparative group for lung function test. Plus, respondents living near an industrial have a risk of getting lung function abnormality and respiratory problem. KEYWORDS: Indoor Air Pollutants, Particulate Matter 2.5 , VOCs, Respiratory Health, Industrial Area INTRODUCTION Air pollution is the mixture of natural and man-made substances. Substances like fine particles, ground level ozone and noxious gas such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and chemical vapors, are components that makes up air. Many health effects due to air pollution have been reported in various research studies over the past 30 years (Noor Hisyam and Juliana, 2014; Yahaya and Jalaludin, 2014; Ayuni et al., 2014., J Jalaludin et al., 2014). Air pollution can trigger new cases of asthma and provoke development of lung illnesses such as lung cancer and emphysema. Other than that, air pollution can also interrupt the development of normal lung function, especially on individuals of younger age as they are exposed to these factors at the earlier stages of body development. A few common indoor air pollutants can aggregate the health of the person staying in a particular environment. These pollutants include biological contaminants, VOCsand respirable suspended particles, PM 2.5 and PM 10 . According to International Journal of Applied and Natural Science (IJANS) ISSN(P): 2319-4014; ISSN(E): 2319-4022 Vol. 4, Issue 6, Oct -Nov 2015, 41-50 © IASET