A rapid method for surveying CO concentrations in high-rise buildings.

A rapid method for employing personal exposure monitors (PEMs) to measure carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in high-rise buildings is described. The purpose is to determine whether or not a CO problem exists in a building, and, if so, what corrective actions should be taken. The methodology was applied to a 15-story building in Palo Alto, CA, where elevated CO concentrations were discovered on the first 11 floors . The source appeared to be an underground parking garage. A follow-up survey four years later revealed that mitigative measures designed to reduce these concentrations had been successful. The survey methodology is inexpensive and can be applied to a number of buildings in a city.